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

[Inarticulate&Distorted]

Wow, totally blows me away how shit is so different on west coast, guess they think a shuttle between two hospitals 9 miles apart counts as transportation. I was told VA mandatory appts only at my local. I really appreciate the info, glad to stand corrected

[seminoles]

21 hours ago, JustGettingStarted said:

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)].

They will not pay you if you are just going to pick up glasses, they have it posted.  I personally, don't care.  I am picking up what would cost me easily over $500 worth of glasses yearly.  I am rated at 100% so it has nothing to do with rating it is policy for eyeglass pick up, they do pay travel for your exam of course. 

 

[JustGettingStarted]

13 hours ago, seminoles said:

They will not pay you if you are just going to pick up glasses, they have it posted.  I personally, don't care.  I am picking up what would cost me easily over $500 worth of glasses yearly.  I am rated at 100% so it has nothing to do with rating it is policy for eyeglass pick up, they do pay travel for your exam of course. 

 

I wouldn't have an issue with the travel pay if my clinic would mail the glasses like most other VA clinics do.  That's what I am really asking for.    

That still doesn't explain how an institution can refuse to follow their own laws by writing memorandums and/or posting a sign.  

[broncovet]

VA, time after time, does not follow its own regulations.  They have a fox guarding the hen house with the VAOIG.  However, Im unaware of a regulation which requires them to mail out glasses or pay you travel pay to pick them up.  

[JustGettingStarted]

"38 CFR 70.4 - Criteria for approval

(c) When a claimant requests payment for beneficiary travel for care or services that were not scheduled with VHA prior to arrival at the facility and were not emergency treatment and the travel did not include a special mode of transportation, VA will not approve round-trip payment under this part but will approve payment for the return trip if VHA actually provided care or services."

According to this statement, VA is supposed to pay 1-way travel for medical services that do not require an appointment.  I have been searching Title 38 and have found no exceptions for picking up eyeglasses or prosthetic equipment.  

[JustGettingStarted]

I've decided to try another tactic.  Since Tallahassee and Gainesville say they will not mail glasses because of Florida statute, I have sent an inquiry to the Florida Board of Opticiary responsible for the statute.  I've explained that some VA clinics mail eyeglasses in Florida and some don't and explained this is a hardship on veterans that live a long distance from VA clinics.  I have received acknowledgement of my inquiry and now my fingers are crossed they can provide some good clarification that will help with this issue.  

 believe there are many optical companies that mail eyeglasses to Florida residents.