Fee-based Payments

[purple]

I had surgery at a "real" hospital in Dec07. It took almost 2 years to convince the VA that I truly needed this procedure though...(whole different story).

Anyway...it took 9 months for the VA to pay this hospital!!!! And out of over a $15K bill (which kept coming to me in my name!) the VA paid $1,900. Their payment was "lost" from February until just last week and I had to be the one to call each week to the fee-based office to ask them the status and remind them to look for this payment.

I know that some physicians and facilities are getting upset with Tricare & ChampVA due to payments and processing times...somehow I foresee the VA being next. Nine months is ridiculous.

Anyone else have this kind of problem with fee-based care?

[Pete53]

VA Fee Service adjusts Hospital Bills and pays at same rate as Medicare. For many Hospitals its about 10% of what they charge some poor person who has to pay cash.

My experience with Fee Service has been that once they approve which is not easy they pay fairly quickly.

They are also very difficult for the Veteran as they are most confrontational not exactly a good recipe for many of us that try to pay our bills in a timely manner.

[SeattleShay]

Boy, they sure are jonnie-on-the-spot though when they (the VA) bill your civilian insurance for procedures that were service connected, and they have no legal right to bill for.