Veteran Medical Benefits Question

[MaverickNH]

My son took an honorable discharge from the 82nd Airborne in March 2022 after serving his full contract, with 20% disability from back injuries sustained in jumps. He’s at University NC in Wilmington, NC a few hours from Ft Bragg studying respiratory therapy - lots of veterans on campus he says. His veterans benefits are paying his schooling and rent, which is great.

He got his nose busted doing a freelance security job and a SF medic “adjusted” it under oral anesthesia (a few shots of whisky) and said he should see a surgeon for a closed rhinoplasty. My son (age 23) says he’s got no insurance - we took him off ours when he enlisted.

He’s got veteran’s medical coverage, doesn’t he? He misses some details now and again and this might be one of them. I know they did away with pensions unless you’re in for many years but though VA Medical was standard.

Thanks for the help!

 

[CoastieRon]

My son took an honorable discharge from the 82nd Airborne in March 2022 after serving his full contract, with 20% disability from back injuries sustained in jumps. He’s at University NC in Wilmington, NC a few hours from Ft Bragg studying respiratory therapy - lots of veterans on campus he says. His veterans benefits are paying his schooling and rent, which is great.

He got his nose busted doing a freelance security job and a SF medic “adjusted” it under oral anesthesia (a few shots of whisky) and said he should see a surgeon for a closed rhinoplasty. My son (age 23) says he’s got no insurance - we took him off ours when he enlisted.

He’s got veteran’s medical coverage, doesn’t he? He misses some details now and again and this might be one of them. I know they did away with pensions unless you’re in for many years but though VA Medical was standard.

Thanks for the help!

Full medical coverage starts at a 50% rating.

 

[Len-2A Training]

Wouldn't this be a Worker's Comp issue with the employer he was working for?

 

[MaverickNH]

Full medical coverage starts at a 50% rating.

I guess he’s uninsured - bummer…just missed 15Dec open enrollment for the Fed/State program. I’m retired but might be able to add him to my COBRA until May, when I drop to Medicare.

Wouldn't this be a Worker's Comp issue with the employer he was working for?

He was filling in for another guy “off the books” and the guy was paying him to cover for him. I’m sure he could claim liability but he might get blackballed and the other guy fired. Messy decisions made by young men…

 

[SgtHal75]

My son took an honorable discharge from the 82nd Airborne in March 2022 after serving his full contract, with 20% disability from back injuries sustained in jumps. He’s at University NC in Wilmington, NC a few hours from Ft Bragg studying respiratory therapy - lots of veterans on campus he says. His veterans benefits are paying his schooling and rent, which is great.

He got his nose busted doing a freelance security job and a SF medic “adjusted” it under oral anesthesia (a few shots of whisky) and said he should see a surgeon for a closed rhinoplasty. My son (age 23) says he’s got no insurance - we took him off ours when he enlisted.

He’s got veteran’s medical coverage, doesn’t he? He misses some details now and again and this might be one of them. I know they did away with pensions unless you’re in for many years but though VA Medical was standard.

Thanks for the help!

Yes, He absolutely can go to the VA and get it treated. That’s his health insurance he has for life and it has nothing to do with disability. When you say his 20% pays the rent and schooling, that’s only a couple of hundred bucks. He must be using the GI bill for education I would assume.

 

[SgtHal75]

Full medical coverage starts at a 50% rating.

Yes full coverage that he does have to pay for right now but he can be treated at the VA his whole entire life whether he’s rated for disability or not and they will bill him towards his income.

 

[MaverickNH]

Yes full coverage that he doesn’t have to pay for but he can be treated at the VA his whole entire life whether he’s rated for disability or not and they will bill him towards his income.

Thanks for that information. I’ll have to hook him up with the UNC campus VA Office to advise him. They can probably give him the best advice.

He’s thinking the crooked nose look might attract the chicks anyway.

 

[SgtHal75]

Thanks for that information. I’ll have to hook him up with the UNC campus VA Office to advise him. They can probably give him the best advice.

He’s thinking the crooked nose look might attract the chicks anyway.

Ya, he just needs to check in at the VA hospital and get his VA ID, fill out the paperwork for the healthcare and he is good to go. They bill him towards his income for stuff but it’s super cheap and they will not charge him for anything pertaining to his back because he has a service connected disability rating for it. Hopefully he has filed for an increase for his back and any other injuries he suffered on active duty. The goal is a 100. Best of luck to him!

 

[MaverickNH]

Ya, he just needs to check in at the VA hospital and get his VA ID, fill out the paperwork for the healthcare and he is good to go. They bill him towards his income for stuff but it’s super cheap and they will not charge him for anything pertaining to his back because he has a service connected disability rating for it. Hopefully he has filed for an increase for his back and any other injuries he suffered on active duty. The goal is a 100. Best of luck to him!

Thanks again for the help!

 

[jd4444]

There are two sides to the VA. The health insurance side and the disability side. You can have one without the other. You would think with a disability you would be automatically enrolled in health Insurance but not the case. He can go to va.gov and enroll or verify if he is enrolled. If/once enrolled he needs to call the local hospital/clinic and get a primary doctor and go in for a visit and discuss his current condition and needs like you would with any other doctor. From there he can use the VA for all his needs not just for service connected issues. His VA insurance is health insurance for his taxes and any other uses. To receive some of his benefits like urgent care and emergency room visits he must have been treated/seen by a VA doctor in the last 24 months. As long as you go to your yearly physical, you will meet that criteria.

With his 20% VA (it is via the VA correct? Should be $327.99 a month for 2022) disability, he will not have any co-payment for any office visits, service connected issue or not service connected. Once at 10% or better all office co-pays go away, even for non-service connected issues. You can use the VA for any service that you may receive anywhere else. They will do it in house or refer you out to the community.

You can qualify for VA health insurance based on your service alone even if you have no disability. Depending on your income you may or may not have co-payments.( assuming no disability) And as always the monthly premium for VA health care is $0.00.

I have a friend who did not have his disability at the time of service and had a $30.00 co-pay for his eye exam and three pairs of glasses. As he applied for his disability before the exam and the disability was approved after his exam, the VA gave him back the $30.00.

Anyone, what I mean is ANYONE who was in the service that is not using the VA should apply for VA health care and use it as well as file for any injury or otherwise you believe is service connected.

 

[tuna]

I have an incredible, unrealistic, irrational hatred of the VA. I also have an incredible streak of stubbornness and antipathy toward medical facilities and their stupid rules. Combining the two is just me looking for another stress induced heart attack.

After being out for five years, I finally applied for free money because I'm frigging deaf. I'm not sure the frustration in dealing with them was worth the 10% rating.

Are families eligible to add on? Open season just closed for me to cancel insurance that I pay for, so this would give me a year to apply - I could probably get through the paperwork in that time.

 

[jd4444]

There is some insurance for families but I don’t remember it being a good deal.

With your 10% go to va.gov apply and you will be enrolled in VA healthcare right away. No paperwork.

You must give them your private insurance information, if you have private insurance. For non-service connected treatment, they will bill your insurance like the office down the street will but will not want your co-pay from you due to your 10%. You will see a statement from your insurance that says the VA billed $300 for your office visit, the authorized amount for your insurance is say $180, insurance pays $150 and says get a $30 co-pay from you but the VA does not make you pay the co-pay due to your 10%.

By the way, hearing damage is one claim, tinnitus is another claim. You may have one or the other or both. You may receive 0% compensation but the VA says it is service connected. This opens the door for treatment from the VA at no cost and the possibility if the condition worsens, you get re-evaluated and possible compensation.

Once enrolled, I tell people they can pick and choose. If they have private insurance and like their doctor down the street, then go down the street. If they want to not pay an arm and a leg for glasses, go to the VA eye clinic. If you pay more than $11 for a 30 day supply of medication, talk to your VA doctor about ordering that prescription for you. If the rx is service connected, there is no bill. If not service connected it is $5, $8, or $11 for a 30 day supply depending on the tier of the drug. 90 day supply shipped to you in the mail.

 

[Skysoldier]

Yes full coverage that he does have to pay for right now but he can be treated at the VA his whole entire life whether he’s rated for disability or not and they will bill him towards his income.

I served 6 1/2 years, honorably discharged and did two tours in Vietnam. I am not rated for any disability and the only thing they charge me for is small copayments for my prescriptions. I do not get charged any copays for Doctor appointments, MRI's, CT scans or anything else.
Maybe it's because my only income is Social Security.....I really don't know.

 

[SgtHal75]

I served 6 1/2 years, honorably discharged and did two tours in Vietnam. I am not rated for any disability and the only thing they charge me for is small copayments for my prescriptions. I do not get charged any copays for Doctor appointments, MRI's, CT scans or anything else.
Maybe it's because my only income is Social Security.....I really don't know.

My guess would be yes. When I got off my first enlistment in the 90’s and I was an apprentice I was barely making 30K a year. The VA was my health insurance cause I wasn’t gonna buy it through my employer and I never payed for anything at the VA.

 

[Skysoldier]

I also have Medicare (Part A only) and the VA has never charged anything to my Medicare.
And I canceled my Part B when I got on VA Healthcare, so I save about $170 on my Social Security!

 

[Rat187]

I served 6 1/2 years, honorably discharged and did two tours in Vietnam. I am not rated for any disability and the only thing they charge me for is small copayments for my prescriptions. I do not get charged any copays for Doctor appointments, MRI's, CT scans or anything else.
Maybe it's because my only income is Social Security.....I really don't know.

I believe all Vietnam era Vets are eligible for free health care, period. I certainly remember the swearing in ceremony verbiage in '65'. On the other hand the VA gives, and the VA takes away, your results may vary.