Recieved A Call From Finance Officer.

[tagandbag]

Not sure where to post this. My financial advisor called me and said for me to go down and do a "means test", which I did. She said to call her after I've done this. I will call tommorrow. The reason she was calling, is that I filed for hardship and that was the reason for the "means test". I hope it goes through, I noticed they credited my last 3mos. of co-pays. This will definitely help out the finances around 100 a mos, depending. At least its something to look forward too. I should find out more when I talk to the finance people. Soon as I here something I will post it.

T&B

[carlie]

t&b,

They aren't charging you any co-pays for treatment

or meds for anything SC'd are they ?

carlie

[deltaj]

Yes, thats me, a poor vet trying to get out of paying his co-pays. Even though my wife is doing fairly well. I still lost a signifacant amount of income last year and have a lot of debt. Living on SSDI isn't living high, off the fat of the land. Just trying to get some financial assitance in the fourth quarter here, never ask for nothing from anybody, until three years ago. I will take what scraps they throw on the ground, beggars can't be choosey. If they throw some crumbs my way I'll let you know.

Thanks Pete.

After 2 years on SSDI there is Medicare to help pay medical bills. There is a provision in the Medicare handbook that states that there are programs to pay Medicare premiums each month if your income is low enough. I do wish to point out, however, that with 47 states having budget deficits right now it may not be easy to get that monthly Medicare premiums paid through a state program in the state where you live.

[tagandbag]

t&b,

They aren't charging you any co-pays for treatment

or meds for anything SC'd are they ?

carlie

Carlie,

No they aren't charging for my sc meds or visits. I did talk to finance and the women told me this was for the waiver of co-pays and is sending it back for approval/disapproval and that could take three more months, which would take this up to six months for a waiver. So all my co-pays are suspended up to the point I have talked to her. If it doesnt get approved I probably owe them about six or seven hundred dollars at the end. Here is some info she gave on her own, She told me that she is one of two people handling the waiver request in finance. She said that with this economic crisis she is swamped with waiver/hardship cases and she takes care of names with letters A-M and that she cannot see her desk from all the applications piled on top. I think she let the cat out of the bag. Goes to show you how under staffed and under budgeted they are.

T&B

[spike]

Ok, I after reading the thread....I think I am sure what is going on here....

If you are not over the 50% SC disability....anything you are treated for that is not a SC disability can have co pays to include your medications. In addition to include more confusion on this issue....let's say your being treated for example PTSD....but it is not SC and during the whole time they are making a decision on your SC at the Rating Board, your treatment, medical co pays and co pays for medicine add up.....if they start a collection or you paid those co-pays....and you become SC your entitled to a refund of the co pays. SOME VA's are good and put the co pays in suspense but rely heavily on the veterans to tell them they applied for SC....you can find that person in eligibility in your Veteran Service Center at the VAMC.

A means test is also done if you apply for financial hardship. In order to waive the co pays to help relieve you of some costs, they ask you to do a means test...to make sure you have the means to pay.

NSC pension is for low income. However, if you are receiving income, you are best advised to cease the payments of the NSC Pension. NSC pension is offset by the income you make.....SSD and SC Disability is considered income in this sense. YOU WILL OCCUR A overpayment and I've I've seen/heard overpayments in the amounts of over 50k range.....no waiver request usually gets you out of this jam because it says specifically that you are to report all income........when making application....