So let's lay it out

[bountyhunter69]

well i musta been within their guidelines,i didnt fudge on income or dependants..they asked me about glasses,hearing aid,and dental..it was a super shock for my co pay to be 8.00 per script..but dont forget,im just a poe country boy lol

[rice paddy daddy]

I been out of military since 1971 and never had any VA medical assistance until 4 months ago. My Dr diagnosed me with A-Fib about 2 yrs ago..i am on 4 meds..so 4 months ago i made appointment at VA in peoria,il..i got a fast appointment,the day i went i was called in to see Dr just 5 min after my appointment time (surprised me) so she had all my family and heart Drs reports on me. She asked me few ?s then prescribed the meds my other 2 drs had me on..my co-pays are 8.00 per month on 3 of them (24.00 for 3 mo supply per med) i have no drug insurance so it all comes out of pocket..the 4th med im on cost 287.00 per month for 60 pills!!!! i was used to paying over 400.00 per month for meds alone. The VA dr told me they didnt carry that med (pradaxa) that they prescribed 300 mg aspirin instead..so i got 3 scripts for 24.00,drug store price is 125.00 saving me 101.00 just moe FRNs to spend on ammo lol..she seen i wore glasses and voluntary asked me how long since i had eye exam,it had been 5 yrs so they made me appointment to get eyes checked,i needed new glasses (no surprise to me) the ordered them so lo and behold in 10 days they arrived in mail and THEY WERE FREE!! NO COST TO ME she even asked about my hearing ability,its decent,and my teeth..no work needed there,i got them store bought ones LOL..so all in all it was very rewarding and cost effective for me..and i was treated with dignity and respect that all veterans deserve

Unless you meet certain criteria, your local VA is being very generous to provide you with dental care or eye glasses. They don't have to.

[Pop_45]

Hey Bounty Hunter,
I go to the VA in Ann Arbor, MI now, for the same thing (A fib) and they put me on Prodaxa. Keep bugging them about it, maybe they will start getting it.

[610Alpha]

so all in all it was very rewarding and cost effective for me..and i was treated with dignity and respect that all veterans deserve

Taking care of a veteran the way we should.

[bountyhunter69]

I been out of military since 1971 and never had any VA medical assistance until 4 months ago. My Dr diagnosed me with A-Fib about 2 yrs ago..i am on 4 meds..so 4 months ago i made appointment at VA in peoria,il..i got a fast appointment,the day i went i was called in to see Dr just 5 min after my appointment time (surprised me) so she had all my family and heart Drs reports on me. She asked me few ?s then prescribed the meds my other 2 drs had me on..my co-pays are 8.00 per month on 3 of them (24.00 for 3 mo supply per med) i have no drug insurance so it all comes out of pocket..the 4th med im on cost 287.00 per month for 60 pills!!!! i was used to paying over 400.00 per month for meds alone. The VA dr told me they didnt carry that med (pradaxa) that they prescribed 300 mg aspirin instead..so i got 3 scripts for 24.00,drug store price is 125.00 saving me 101.00 just moe FRNs to spend on ammo lol..she seen i wore glasses and voluntary asked me how long since i had eye exam,it had been 5 yrs so they made me appointment to get eyes checked,i needed new glasses (no surprise to me) the ordered them so lo and behold in 10 days they arrived in mail and THEY WERE FREE!! NO COST TO ME she even asked about my hearing ability,its decent,and my teeth..no work needed there,i got them store bought ones LOL..so all in all it was very rewarding and cost effective for me..and i was treated with dignity and respect that all veterans deserve

[goatlady]

Medicare does not "require" participants to have supplemental insurance in any way. It's nice to have it to pay for the 20% of costs the patient is responsible for, but in no way is it a requirement.

[Pop_45]

The V.A. in Jax is just a clinic. That was my home V.A. They are woefully under staffed, and in limited space. If I needed something more than what the clinic could provide, I was sent to the V.A. Hospital in Gainsville, or to one of the local hospitals.

The only time I had any extended wait, was for lab work.

When I applied for disability, (S.S.D. not VA) I only had to apply one time.

It was the Gainsville VA that put in my pacemaker. All in all, I would have to say I've been treated very well at the VA. But your experience may very.

[rice paddy daddy]

I have never applied for disability, all I ever wanted was for them to fix my injuries. In the 1980's I recieved treatment for PTSD (which never really goes away, you learn to cope with it), and just this year finally gave in and got hearing aids after 42+ years of what they subsequently termed "severe hearing loss." My wife was very happy!
As long as I don't come down with any of the Agent Orange related diseases I consider their job done.

[MustangGal]

My VA "home clinic" is a small clinic in Georgia. They are small-town friendly types. Nice place.
But the VA hospital in Lake City, Florida is crowded and if you don't get a parking place before 6 AM you are out of luck. Lots of waiting time as your appointment time is delayed. Plan to lose a day's work.
The VA clinic in Jacksonville is what I imagine a third world country hospital to be like. I hope to never have to go there ever again.
Those who are applying for disability have to run the gauntlet of application, initial denial, appeal boards, denial, service officers, more appeals. This is the VA disability process - "deny, deny, deny, 'till you die."
This is government health care. Not pretty.
The individual VA workers are mostly kind and curteous, but just understaffed and overwhelmed.

It is so sad that we, as a nation, don't treat our veterans better.

The one in Fayetteville, AR is the only one I have any experience with, and it is (or at least was) worlds away from what you describe. I just read this week that they are adding four new clinics in NW AR, on of which would have halved our drive. Even though things went much smoother over time, it was still far away enough that I lost a full day of work.

[rice paddy daddy]

My VA "home clinic" is a small clinic in Georgia. They are small-town friendly types. Nice place.
But the VA hospital in Lake City, Florida is crowded and if you don't get a parking place before 6 AM you are out of luck. Lots of waiting time as your appointment time is delayed. Plan to lose a day's work.
The VA clinic in Jacksonville is what I imagine a third world country hospital to be like. I hope to never have to go there ever again.
Those who are applying for disability have to run the gauntlet of application, initial denial, appeal boards, denial, service officers, more appeals. This is the VA disability process - "deny, deny, deny, 'till you die."
This is government health care. Not pretty.
The individual VA workers are mostly kind and curteous, but just understaffed and overwhelmed.

[Matt In Oklahoma]

Yep, as a VA "client" I know what government health care looks like, and trust me, ya'll don't want it.

Ditto but I quit them because presently i have a choice with a different route thank God because even though it was documented for 7 straight yrs they refuse to acknowledge it when I finally reached the point of needing help and told me (A) i was lying and (B) they wouldnt help me (C) I didnt have what was documeneted i had something else because all them Drs and PAs were wrong but their clinical technician KNOWS what is right.
I wouldnt spit on them if they were on fire and thats where we are heading

[MustangGal]

My FIL (WWII vet) passed in 1999, but I took him to his doctor's appointments for many years and towards the end of his life, I saw substantial changes in the way the VA operated - for the better. When I first stated taking him, he (and every other person they saw that day) would have a 9am appointment. Towards the end, he was given an appointment for a specific time and was rarely kept waiting.

He was often frustrated by doctors with thick foreign accents. :( But, over all, we were pleased with the improvements in his care. I hate to hear that things did not continue of the path to improvement. :(

[Irish-Tech]

Yep, as a VA "client" I know what government health care looks like, and trust me, ya'll don't want it.

my FIL goes to VA for all his medical needs, and he feels the same way. your just a # to them unless you are real friendly and get to know them really well. even then they just give him drugs to hide the symptoms but wont actually fix any problems.

[rice paddy daddy]

I'm at that point where I'll soon be on government health care one way or another. My wife is elligible for medicare, but since I'm still working she's on my work plan. Lord willing I can remain employed until my full retirement age (66) in two years. Then we will both have to be on medicare as we will not be able to afford our own insurance beyond what is required by medicare (supplemental). Yes, medicare is not "free".
I am also presently in the VA health care system, which in some cases is not much better than death itself. I do not use it one whit more than is absolutely neccessary.
Yep, as a VA "client" I know what government health care looks like, and trust me, ya'll don't want it.

[Rmplstlskn]

but those getting service on my dime shouldn't get to waste my money on a hopeless cause.

It is mind-boggling to think of the "generate revenue" procedures on "end of the line" people that goes on here, in one hospital, in one city, in one State and then magnify that NATIONALLY... Billions of $$$ yearly.

Probably why they keep adding more and more facilities with that high dollar equipment, so they can "treat" more people... But just like the wars and "conflicts" feed a large and hungry US military manufacturing base, so too this feeds a large and well paid medical institution, one of them my wife... So there ya go... No answer...