Military benefits are on the agenda!

[bigjim]

DJW, I may have been right but not in the vein that I first thought. I am glad I waited. I now suspect that you may not know because you have not been involved in the same way some of us have. And there is certainly nothing wrong with that. I think there are valid issues about scammers and other issues but they tend to stand out and I suspect that they are a very small segment. They just draw a lot of attention and ire. Also it can be very difficult to truly detemine who is actually scamming. Kind of like the thread recently about handicap parking spots. It is real easy to jump to the wrong conclusion just based on first look with out all the facts. I know because I have been that jackass jumping to that conclusion and a lot of others in my lifetime. In their last replys Stan and RV presented the issue with the VA really well. I don't think we will ever fully understand how it happened but the focus should be making it right firt and formost. There is so much about the whole deal that just befuddles me. Even the deal about the bonus's. In the realm of the corporate world those bonus's are pretty lame. It has to be a nightmare for anyone even willing to take on the management of the VA or even one of the hopitals. It sure turned into a nightmare for Shenseki. I am not going after him as I really don't know enough about him but some of this did happen under him and from all I have read he is a honorable guy so it makes it even harder to understand it. I will say that I put a lot of blame on the political side going way back with out being able to back it up. IE the situation where I had 1penny overdue on a copay and had to pay a $15. fee. Or conversely if they owe me even 1penny they have to cut a check to me. I had a really concientious retired Navy Chief that works at the VA look into it all gung ho after I told him not to bother. About 2 weeks later he came back looking sheepish and said there was nothing that could be done. I already knew because he was't the 1st to look into it and there are more important things that need fixing. This was because of Congress. That is just one thing. As Stan said there are still more in the VA trying to give us good care than the other kind but still some isn't right. Sorry this is so long and rambling but I hope you can get something out of it that will be usefull.

 

Even the IRS lets you round up or down to the nearest $1.

[skp51443]

Politically appointed chiefs come and go all the time in a lot of agencies. Some sit quietly hoping to escape notice and leave with a resume booster to help them land their next job. Some come in and decide to fix things. Now a fellow that is likely to be in and out the door in a few months is nothing a modern bureaucrat fears. They are playing a long game and let the arm waving and yelling flow over them. They then provide inaccurate, wrong or misleading information, tangle all the proposed changes in regulations, rules and "the way we have always done it" until the noise abates or the door hits the noisy fellow in the behind on his way out.

Shenseki was a good guy from all the accounts I read, he just made a grave error in thinking the folks reporting to him had his or the VA's best interests at heart. Not really all that different than a noob walking around with his rifle slung, smiling at all the waving people... Until the IED goes bang. Neither Shenseki or the noob deserved what they got but it was a direct result of their misunderstanding of the actual situation they were facing.

Without a real goal from the political classes and the willpower and resources to see it through the VA reformers can accomplish little beyond band-aids and whitewash.

Again for anyone who missed it and thinks I'm pointing fingers at the current politicians this cancer has been growing since at least WW II (from my first personal knowledge) to today.

[AprilWhine]

Common sense would dictate doing away with the VA and folding eligible vets into the military health care system.

 

 

Integrating to the military system sounds good at first look and I have considered that but think now that wouldn't be a good way either. I lean towards being able to go to any outside Dr but there are problems with that also. There could be fraud there but I think overall it would end up with better care for most veterans.

 

 

Jim, the military health care system is Tricare and includes outside doctors. There could be fraud, but so much would be saved by not duplicating efforts taxpayers would be money ahead and vets would get much faster help.

[AprilWhine]

AFSA, The Air Force Sergeants Association does not require you to be a member to get their legislative alerts. They are as non-partisan as you can find as far as being right or left politics. If one sees all through those filters don't bother. It IS partisan to military issues and veteran's benefits erosion. I believe it is my duty as a citizen to stay informed. They will not send you spam or give or sell your name and email. Just give brief synopsis of the legislation coming up that affects the active duty and retired AF Sergeants, which might be the same for all active and retired enlisted troops. I am sure that the officers already get theirs from MOAA as can others not officers.

We can republish their reports too with attribution. you can sign up here: https://www.votervoice.net/AFSA/register

 

Thank you, I signed up for the newsletter.

[RV_]

YW April,

I've found their service to be extremely helpful and timely.

[skp51443]

One issue I see with doing away with the VA completely is that veterans compromise a unique group with a medical history that is in many cases not similar to civilians. Your civilian doctor may be very good but they are likely to have had little exposure to things that the veterans have exposure to, from IED blast damage to iffy inoculations or battlefield toxins.

 

If a pool of doctors is maintained that do have specialties and experience in the uniquely military problems, maybe at active duty medical facilities, then using civilian care for most of the medical issues would be no problem. Let the non-military specialist doctors do as much as possible and refer the veteran to a military medicine specialist as needed.

[bigjim]

The VA has been responsible for ground breaking research that has helped veterans and others. A lot of us are rightfully upset by a lot of the problems but many if not most have said we have also had some great care. We just have to find a way to get the bad stuff fixed for all the vets that deserve it and if we have to care for a few scammers in the bunch so be it.

 

I wonder if there is anyone on the forums that has actual employee experience that can give us actuall factual insight into some of the working of the VA. I certainly would not blame anyone for not wanting to get in the middle on this though.

[AprilWhine]

Bigjim and Stanley, I think you both have a point about service connected issues.

[jamtracy]

This line says it all. Act for Fiscal Year 2013 established the commission to review military compensation and retirement programs and make recommendations for their modernization to the President and Congress.

 

But the biggest issue on this forum is service connected medical issues and mainly medical issues with using the VA. I personally have never used the VA because I haven't had to. But I've read many of horror stories ( I try to stay informed) between Vets and the VA. This seems to be the most common of all statements. The powers to be must know that this has to be the number 1 issue with service related medical issues and retiree/VET coverage. Scandals aside, I would think the changes they could make on most of the other issues (military compensation and retirement programs) can funnel the funding for this #1, biggest issue, service connected medical issues. I know funding alone doesn't fix everything but it gives them a fighting chance if they can get the backyard cleaned up.

 

X2 on this line from STAN: Without a real goal from the political classes and the willpower and resources to see it through the VA reformers can accomplish little beyond band-aids and whitewash.

This commissions report means nothing if it just gets buried on someones desk.

 

James

[bigjim]

And if the clamoring masses don't continue to make noise it will fade into the background and be forgotten until the next scandal.

 

The way the US is structered now militaryally so few average citizens have skin in the game and are less likely to care. The people that have served or have family are the most likely to care and be involved. This is kind of a blanket statement but a factor non the less.

[Kirk W]

There just is no easy answer for this, or any of the other myriad of budget related issues that our country is facing. We all want the benefits that we get to at least remain the same and most think that they should be increased. We also worry that the military budget is getting too small for our future security, the highways are falling apart, we need more border patrol officers, and on and on. Yet none of us probably want to support increased taxes, which leaves the dilemma of how to pay the bills? At some point or federal government must stop spending more more money than they take in. Hopefully that will begin to happen before they pass the point of no-return.....

 

I don't have an answer but sure wish that I did. I really think that the military is popular enough with the public at this time to pretty much survive the major benefit cuts, but changes are probably going to come, in some form. I believe that making people aware of what is coming and educating them on the issues can only be a good thing.

[AprilWhine]

One long term problem with the VA is people using it for primary/non-service related health care. Was it really intended that someone could do a one term enlistment and have free healthcare for life? Military retirees don't have that sweet a deal. I was recently told I should sign up for VA health care but I don't see how I earned it? I was only in the military for one enlistment and my toughest duty station was San Diego. No service related issues and no disability rating for me.

 

Edited to add: Just to be clear, I fully support free health care for service related issues. But it seems that some people gaming the system are cheating deserving vets out of timely health care.

[jamtracy]

AprilWhine my 81 year old dad has always said this in multiple ways:

 

The choices available to you at 65 are a result of choices you made at 25

[RV_]

I agree April. I have 30% service connected paid disability, and about ten others unpaid but rated as service connected. I prefer my own Docs to the VA for them too. However I have Tricare, SS since last year, and in three years Tricare for life with Medicaid. I have alternatives in addition to my other investments. Because of my disability ratings and other service connected it is actually much cheaper for me to use the VA as we stayed on Tricare Standard since coming off the road. Those with the options know why.

 

Some folks are incapable of paying for their treatment, or have no other alternatives for their service connected health issues, and did earn their VA care as you said. Agreed. When I do go to the VA it is for disability evals, and pretty much nothing else I can think of. If you ever go to a VA center like here there aren't too many "suits" there that aren't working there.

 

And we also need to acknowledge that for some of our two or less tour Vets, many of them in my generation and older were drafted in time of war and did serve under horrific conditions like our latest generation that served in the desert wars. All volunteer or not, the short term vets also never get any of the perqs of retirement. One big point that Stan brought up is vestment earlier than 20. How, I have no idea. I long ago passed the reins over to the next generation. My involvement today are the citizen duties of voting and staying informed. And tending to my little patch of Spaceship Earth.

[AprilWhine]

AprilWhine my 81 year old dad has always said this in multiple ways:

 

The choices available to you at 65 are a result of choices you made at 25

 

I'm surprised that sometimes people take offense to that saying. Seems like common sense to me.

[Kirk W]

: Just to be clear, I fully support free health care for service related issues. But it seems that some people gaming the system are cheating deserving vets out of timely health care.

I might suggest that before you tell us all how it should work, you might read the rules as they are now and find out how the VA system is operating. It may be that the qualification requirements do need modification at least in some areas but anybody who uses the system by qualifying under the rules honestly & without hiding anything is not "gaming the system."

 

I qualify under the rules as they currently exist, but in order to do so I had to first document that I met the present qualifications and pass a "means" test. Just so you know, a lot of people in the system do not get free care but pay a copay, just as is common for other health care plans. And the VA also collects from insurance if the veteran has any. I am not disabled nor did it retire so am I "gaming the system?"

[Cyberdave]

April, Kirk is correct and you're assuming that someone can use the VA for non-service connected medical care for free. When I was asked to use the VA for all my care it was explained to me that for non-service connected treatment, the VA billed CHAMPUS so in essence, I was still using my retirement medical care. Also, many VA facilities are also in network Tricare providers so much like the SS thread, things are not always as they appear to be.

[AprilWhine]

Dave, my assumption was based on two people, and I should know that's too small a sampling.

 

I met a work camper who got all of his medical care from the VA and my next door neighbor gets his care from the VA. You are correct, upon reflection I do not know if either pays a co pay.

 

My neighbor has told me I should sign up for VA benefits. I can't believe that I should qualify after one enlistment, no duty outside CONUS and no service connected disability. If people like me are receiving treatment, that might be a small part of the problem.

 

My hubby is retired military so we are covered by Tricare. As retired feds, we are both covered by FEHB. And since he's an old fart, he's covered by Medicare. (my day is coming soon. ) CHAMPUS is no more. I did not know that a VA facility could be a Tricare provider, I'll have to check into that. If the local clinic is decent, it might save us a trip to Nellis.

 

But back to something RV posted on page 2, if active duty military and young retirees are pushed into FEHB, do you think the VA will survive? I bet the vets would be the next group folded into FEHB.

[Kirk W]

My neighbor has told me I should sign up for VA benefits. I can't believe that I should qualify after one enlistment, no duty outside CONUS and no service connected disability. If people like me are receiving treatment, that might be a small part of the problem.

I might point out that your neighbor stated that you would register with the VA. If you are a veteran, then I agree with your neighbor as registration does not get you any sort of benefit, but simply starts to process to determine what, if anything you qualify for. And it does not happen immediately. There is limited funding for those with no disability and so even if you do qualify for some level of service, you then must work your way up that list. I first registered in 2001 and what that did for me was to get my name into the system. Once that is done, you then receive a booklet with extensive explanations of the various levels of benefits and who can qualify and how that is done. It ranges from full medical services to many that only get an annual physical & prescription services, both with a copay. In order to get anything you also must pass a "means test" as just what you get and how much you will pay is based upon your ability to pay. The means test must be completed every three years.

[Guest Caseyj]

I might suggest that before you tell us all how it should work, you might read the rules as they are now and find out how the VA system is operating. It may be that the qualification requirements do need modification at least in some areas but anybody who uses the system by qualifying under the rules honestly & without hiding anything is not "gaming the system."

 

I qualify under the rules as they currently exist, but in order to do so I had to first document that I met the present qualifications and pass a "means" test. Just so you know, a lot of people in the system do not get free care but pay a copay, just as is common for other health care plans. And the VA also collects from insurance if the veteran has any. I am not disabled nor did it retire so am I "gaming the system?"

As of 3-24-14, the "means test" is no longer required. They will be using the IRS data base for this information. I would suggest that you check out the new changes at their site. http://www.va.gov/HEALTHBENEFITS/cost/financial_assessment.asp

[RV_]

Thanks for the update Casey! Not having visited the VA since my last eval in 2013 I had no idea that had changed. I also didn't know that they were denying the group 8 folks who paid a hefty co-pay because of their income. Here's an excerpt from that link you gave.

 

Excerpt:

 

"VA will receive income information from the IRS and SSA, and will contact the Veteran only when the information received indicates a change in VA health benefits may be appropriate. Consistent with VA’s current income verification processes, Veterans will still have access to care during the period of review should they dispute what IRS or SSA says about their income.

 

There is no change in VA's long-standing policy to provide no-cost care to indigent Veterans, Veterans with catastrophic medical conditions, Veterans with a disability rating of 50 percent or higher or for conditions that are officially rated as "service-connected."

 

VA encourages Veterans to continue to report changes in their income information, as well as their personal information, such as address, phone numbers, dependents, next of kin and health insurance, using VA Form 1010EZR available online or at their local medical center.

Income Threshold Tables

Enrollment Restriction:

 

In order to ensure the availability of quality and timely health care to Veterans with service connected conditions, special authority based on military service, low income, and those with special health care needs, in January 2003 VA made the difficult decision to stop enrolling new Priority Group 8 (high income) Veterans whose income exceeded VA Income Thresholds.

The new regulations went into effect on June 15, 2009 and enable the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to relax income restrictions on enrollment for health benefits. While this new provision does not remove consideration of income, it does increase income thresholds. You may be eligible for enrollment under this new provision."

 

So it seems they raised the income levels that define group 8 and may allow more to enroll in the higher upper income brackets. I am glad to see the income means test being done directly from IRS files. While that will not eliminate scammers or fraudulent means disclosures, It is a good way to make sure those who can afford a co-pay, or should be paying a higher co-pay, do.

 

This is good news for the indigent, seriously disabled service connected folks, they aren't being left out by another broken benefit promise.

[Kirk W]

As of 3-24-14, the "means test" is no longer required. They will be using the IRS data base for this information. I would suggest that you check out the new changes at their site. http://www.va.gov/HEALTHBENEFITS/cost/financial_assessment.asp

 

Thanks for the link... It is interesting as the Dallas VA Center told me about two weeks ago that they were sending me a new one. I wonder if that might have something to do with not having received anything yet?