Veterans Health Care Bill Introduced

[68mustang]

I saw this on the internet and thought some vets with medicare might be interested

in it. Thanks.

68mustang

H.R. 3365 to allow veterans to use their earned Medicare benefits to receive health care and services from the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) at the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA)

http://www.military.com/veterans-report/ve...uced?ESRC=vr.nl

[billy2]

I'm not quite old enough to be on medicare. I am retired and have medical insurance thru my employer and my wife works and I am also on her health insurance. Her insurance pays my co-pay at my private doctors.I now get all my meds from the VA except my diabetes stuff which is free on her policy, janumet and 100 test strips a month. I am an ex federal employee and pay around a $140 a month for single coverage. I will never drop my private insurance because I don't feel comfortable with the VA health care system. After reading these posts I was wondering if the VA bills my private insurances when I go to the VA. I only see some medical doctor or nurse once a year and vist the mental health people every four weeks.

Bill

[cowgirl]

Jbasser, isn't it 'by law' they do or try to bill insurance companies? for any care? I posted a while back my story about a clerk that had to read through my clincal notes to 'decide' what to send out to be billed. That involved a test the VA doctor ordered for care associated with my SC condition.

I would advise all Service connected Vets to look at your EOB's.

I know for a fact that they bill for SC conditions and are getting away with it. Insurance companies dont realize how much money they are being bilked fior when they are not even responsible.

When they do something against the law it is called an oversite.

When we do it, it is called a crime.

Go figure.

J

[Pete53]

Truth is Medicare is much better than VA but the prescription coverage sucks

[jbasser]

Jbasser, isn't it 'by law' they do or try to bill insurance companies? for any care? I posted a while back my story about a clerk that had to read through my clincal notes to 'decide' what to send out to be billed. That involved a test the VA doctor ordered for care associated with my SC condition.

They have the right to bill for Non SC treatment and Medicines. Many are contientious enough to separate the two as Sc or NON SC. It is suposed to be coded into the system as to SC or not. The bottom line is that they bill what they want to.

A person could ask their insurance company to summarize all payments made to the VA and using the ICD 9 codes, distinguish the different conditions.

It could become one of the largest SNAFU's in history. Once the insurance companies find out they have been had we all know what will happen. They have the resources and political backing to recoup every dime as well as they should.

http://www.legion.org/documents/resolutions/2009s027.pdf

J

Edited August 19, 2009 by jbasser

[BoonDoc]

jbasser

I'm Sc over 50% and never had Medicare billed...yet. I do have new insurance from my wife's work that I haven't even used yet.

I read your link to AL position on private healthcare, and would imagine that the VA would be searching for any insurance that they could charge, don't blame them, and it wouldn't matter to me.

BoonDoc

[jbasser]

Boondoc, currently the VA is not allowed to bill medicare for any condition.

Your wifes insurance is the one that they will bill. Watch it closely.

Some insurance policies have yearly or lifetime maximums and that billed money comes off of tha total.

It also raises Insurance rates.

Be aware that the VA may be allowed to bill medicare in the future and the VA is fully aware of it. They have already started checking for medicare cards on Every Vet at my VAMC. ( Conicidence?)