Jump to content
VA Disability Community via Hadit.com

VA Disability Claims Articles

Ask Your VA Claims Question | Current Forum Posts Search | Rules | View All Forums
VA Disability Articles | Chats and Other Events | Donate | Blogs | New Users

  • hohomepage-banner-2024-2.png

  • 27-year-anniversary-leaderboard.png

    advice-disclaimer.jpg

  • donate-be-a-hero.png

VA Tallahassee and Gainesville refuse to mail glasses or provide travel pay

Rate this topic


Recommended Posts

I live 108 miles from the VA clinic at Tallahassee.  It is the nearest clinic to me, that I know of, that provides eyeglasses.  My husband and I have been going there every year for exams and eyeglasses.  From the beginning, they told us we would not get travel pay to pick up our eyeglasses because it was not a scheduled appointment.  This year, instead of making the round trip of 216 miles, we requested the eyeglasses be mailed to us, but we were told they don't do that because of Florida state law.  I asked to see a copy of the law, and they sent me "APPENDIX A to MEMORANDUM NO 136-4" dated March 6 2009.  The memorandum does say they do not provide travel pay for picking up prescriptions, glasses, and prosthetic equipment.  It does not reference a statute for this decision.  

I checked with two other clinics in Florida, Pensacola and Viera, and they both mail out eyeglasses.  I contacted Gainesville, and they do not.  It just so happens that their optical shop is run by the same contractor as Tallahassee - Superior Optical Labs.  The Gaineville optical shop faxed me their policy that says they will not mail eyeglasses unless the vet is incapacitated, in assisted living, or live out of state.  Once again, there was no legal reference for the policy.  I asked the Tallahassee clinic about the "out of state" policy, and they told me they will mail glasses to a vet that lives 50 miles or more away in Georgia, but will not mail the same glasses to vets that live in Florida (keep in mind I live 108 miles away).  Besides saying it was state law, I was told it was also so the veteran could get the eyeglasses adjusted - I explained that I could get the glasses adjusted at the base 20 miles from my home, and that the Pensacola clinic told me they let their patients know that Walmart would adjust the glasses they mailed out for free.  At this point, the clinic offered to mail my eyeglasses to me, but I explained that I had already picked them up because of the policies that had been quoted.

All of this appears to violate Title 38 which says that unscheduled medical care should be reimbursed "return" travel, i.e. one-way.  Also, the Tallahassee memorandum said they will only pay travel from city limit to city limit, whereas Title 38 says travel is reimbursed from "the beneficiary's residence to the nearest VA facility where the care or services could be provided".  How can they choose to ignore Title 38?

I have put in a formal complaint to the VA on the practices at Tallahassee and Gainesville through the IRIS website.  I also submitted a claim for travel to the Tallahassee clinic.  Per 70.30 to Title 38, if the clinic refuses to reimburse me, they have to do so in writing and advise me of my rights to request consideration or appeal. 

I have posted some of this on a Veteran's Facebook page, and veterans all over the country tell me their VA will mail their eyeglasses to them, or they receive travel pay to pick them up.  The only issue I have found is where the optical shop is contracted to Superior Optical Labs.  

This isn't just about me and $40 in travel pay.  I hope to get the unfair practice by Superior Optic Lab and the Tallahassee and Gainesville clinics changed because it is affecting many veterans.  If there is any other action I should take, I am open to suggestion.  Thanks.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I have been going to Tallahassee eye clinic for at least 10 years, they won't mail mine either or pay me travel when I pick them up.  I just don't pick them up until I am going to be there for another appointment.  If you end up finding out otherwise, I would love to know. I receive 3 pairs a year for free (single vision, bifocals and polarized sunglasses).

 

Edited by seminoles
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Moderator

I can appreciate that its inconvienient for you, however, you chose where to live.   You had choices of homes to buy or rent, and you elected one some distance from VA, and you likely had good reasons.  However, your reasons were not the fault of the VA.   

My VAMC wont mail eyeglasses either.  There is a reason for that.When you order glasses, they measure you and your glasses are custom "fitted" to your face.  When the glasses arrive, the optomitrist "tweaks" them so they fit properly on your face.  If the glasses do not fit properly, it can make you somewhat crosseyed or cause vision and other problems.    I got headaches once...and adjusting my glasses fixed the problem.  They get bent out of shape somewhat easily.  If the new glasses can not be adjusted properly, then they will have to be sent back for a remake.  This is what happened to my wife once.  

If this contractor mails you your eyeglasses, and they dont fit you correctly, and in adjustment, there is some liability for them if you tried to sue them.  

They are not trying to do you wrong..they want to make sure the glasses fit.  I dont like it when they mail them out, on more than one occassion my "brand new" eyeglasses did not fit right and had to be adjusted.   It is not particularly easy to "measure" someone's face...try it some time.  

Optomitrists and technicians go through training to fit your glasses, and it is unlikely you attended this training, and may not even be aware whether your glasses fit you correctly or not.    I was not.  

Edited by broncovet
Link to comment
Share on other sites

31 minutes ago, broncovet said:

 

My VAMC wont mail eyeglasses either.  There is a reason for that.When you order glasses, they measure you and your glasses are custom "fitted" to your face.  When the glasses arrive, the optomitrist "tweaks" them so they fit properly on your face.  If the glasses do not fit properly, it can make you somewhat crosseyed or cause vision and other problems.    I got headaches once...and adjusting my glasses fixed the problem.  They get bent out of shape somewhat easily.  If the new glasses can not be adjusted properly, then they will have to be sent back for a remake.  This is what happened to my wife once.  

If this contractor mails you your eyeglasses, and they dont fit you correctly, and in adjustment, there is some liability for them if you tried to sue them.  

They are not trying to do you wrong..they want to make sure the glasses fit.  I dont like it when they mail them out, on more than one occassion my "brand new" eyeglasses did not fit right and had to be adjusted.   It is not particularly easy to "measure" someone's face...try it some time.  

Optomitrists and technicians go through training to fit your glasses, and it is unlikely you attended this training, and may not even be aware whether your glasses fit you correctly or not.    I was not.  

Do they pay you any travel pay when you pick them up?

I heard from many vets that do get their glasses mailed to them.  A couple have said they get them adjusted for free at Walmart.  The eye clinic at Pensacola mails glasses and tells vets they can get them adjusted at Walmart--I talked to them last week.  I chose to live near a military base where I can get my glasses adjusted.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

You wont be paid for ANY travel to and from a VA Hospital unless it is demanded of you by the VA(i.e. C&P Exams)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, Inarticulate&Distorted said:

You wont be paid for ANY travel to and from a VA Hospital unless it is demanded of you by the VA(i.e. C&P Exams)

I don't understand where you are coming from on this.  I already get paid mileage for my scheduled appointments at the VA in Tallahassee, such as eye exams and physicals.  This is per Title 38 because I am rated at over 30% disability.  Title 38 also says that for medical services not part of a scheduled appointment should be paid one way travel [70.4 (c)].

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

Guidelines and Terms of Use