The Va Stole From Me

[Rockhound]

Like some if not most of us who are not 50% or better SC'd, I think it is anyway, we have Co-pays to make for our medications, if our income is more than what the VA allows one to receive and not be required to pay Co-pays.

I'm one of those, but I am pretty close to that amount, but my expenses to live takes all that I make on my combined SSDI award and my 10% SC'd disability compensation. Anyway, I have built up a bill as a result of which I had an aggreement in place for a repayment schedule and a income hardship that keeps me from having to pay or accrue additional Co-pays. This has to be updated every three months so that the additional charges can be waved and once a year for the hardship so I won't have to pay these new charges.

Suffice it to say, I still have past owing charges for which I pay a small amount, to pay down and eventually pay off these prior charges. Someone or somehow, wires got crossed and it was believed that I had reneged on the agreement and they attached a percentage of my SSDI to the toon of $138.00 and change. By the time I noted the amount missing from this months SSDI direct deposit and got into see someone about it and even though I called and reported the day the deposit was made, I am being told the amount cannot be recovered this time, but they will make a note on my account so that future problems like this don't or shouldn't happen.

To add to my pain and suffering, I have to update both my income means test and my income hardship, to insure that I will be safe from incurring any additional charges, at least for the next 90 days, when I have to go in and personally talk to a clerk, so they can take any accrued charges in that 90 days and put those charges in the do not have to pay colum.

Mind you, I have cognitive and memory issues that make doing something in 90 days an iffy proposition at best, even if I note it on a calender, which I may or may not remember to look at, if I don't have other appointments or things other than pay bills, listed for that month.

They have nothing in place for consideration of people with similiar issues, that make doing something, even less than a week away, a problem in remembering it has to be done. It's almost gottem to the point that I may have to turn my accounts receivable and accounts payable, to a stranger, just so I can keep up with all that is going on with my bills and such. I only have one person who I would trust, that I have known for a long time, and one brother who is fit to take on such a task, but both, I am sorry to say, have family issues that take up more than a normal amount of their free time to be able to have the time to help me out, so I am left with a stranger who does this for a living and I can ill afford to pay someone to do it, when I can hardly meet my obligations as it stands.

Does anyone know if their is a way to appeal this taking of my money and who I should address it too? Even if I somehow missed a due date or time limit, my problems with my hardship and/or ability to pay hasn't changed, I still pay the agreed upon payback amount each month and I am up to date with that, it is only the information they want, that has to be updated at prescribed times that may be in question.

The letter, saying they are taking the money, came the day after the deposit of the money. I did not get any prior notice that I was in any kind of default at this time. I only received such a letter the first time, which was some time ago, which led to filing the hardship and getting it into place and where by a payback amount and schedule was arranged. I need that money back to stay on schedule, for the repairs needed to my bathroom and for added charges I will incure this coming winter for electricity and propane for heating. Otherwise, I have to somehow find a way, since this amount, although seemingly not that large, when every nickle and dime for bills and living costs are already accounted for, any deviation puts me behind schedule in paying future bills or trying somehow or someway that doesn't cost anything to reduce them.

At this point what I say is no more than a rant and doesn't add any help, it only goes to show my frustration and helplessness to things I can't control or have any power to change as far as I know. Besides, I need to try and, at least get in a nap before I have to get ready and make it to an 0800 a.m. appointment with my PCP.

Rockhound Rider :P :D B) :) B)

Edited August 25, 2009 by Rockhound

[deltaj]

Like some if not most of us who are not 50% or better SC'd, I think it is anyway, we have Co-pays to make for our medications, if our income is more than what the VA allows one to receive and not be required to pay Co-pays.

I'm one of those, but I am pretty close to that amount, but my expenses to live takes all that I make on my combined SSDI award and my 10% SC'd disability compensation. Anyway, I have built up a bill as a result of which I had an aggreement in place for a repayment schedule and a income hardship that keeps me from having to pay or accrue additional Co-pays. This has to be updated every three months so that the additional charges can be waved and once a year for the hardship so I won't have to pay these new charges.

Suffice it to say, I still have past owing charges for which I pay a small amount, to pay down and eventually pay off these prior charges. Someone or somehow, wires got crossed and it was believed that I had reneged on the agreement and they attached a percentage of my SSDI to the toon of $138.00 and change. By the time I noted the amount missing from this months SSDI direct deposit and got into see someone about it and even though I called and reported the day the deposit was made, I am being told the amount cannot be recovered this time, but they will make a note on my account so that future problems like this don't or shouldn't happen.

To add to my pain and suffering, I have to update both my income means test and my income hardship, to insure that I will be safe from incurring any additional charges, at least for the next 90 days, when I have to go in and personally talk to a clerk, so they can take any accrued charges in that 90 days and put those charges in the do not have to pay colum.

Mind you, I have cognitive and memory issues that make doing something in 90 days an iffy proposition at best, even if I note it on a calender, which I may or may not remember to look at, if I don't have other appointments or things other than pay bills, listed for that month.

They have nothing in place for consideration of people with similiar issues, that make doing something, even less than a week away, a problem in remembering it has to be done. It's almost gottem to the point that I may have to turn my accounts receivable and accounts payable, to a stranger, just so I can keep up with all that is going on with my bills and such. I only have one person who I would trust, that I have known for a long time, and one brother who is fit to take on such a task, but both, I am sorry to say, have family issues that take up more than a normal amount of their free time to be able to have the time to help me out, so I am left with a stranger who does this for a living and I can ill afford to pay someone to do it, when I can hardly meet my obligations as it stands.

Does anyone know if their is a way to appeal this taking of my money and who I should address it too? Even if I somehow missed a due date or time limit, my problems with my hardship and/or ability to pay hasn't changed, I still pay the agreed upon payback amount each month and I am up to date with that, it is only the information they want, that has to be updated at prescribed times that may be in question.

The letter, saying they are taking the money, came the day after the deposit of the money. I did not get any prior notice that I was in any kind of default at this time. I only received such a letter the first time, which was some time ago, which led to filing the hardship and getting it into place and where by a payback amount and schedule was arranged. I need that money back to stay on schedule, for the repairs needed to my bathroom and for added charges I will incure this coming winter for electricity and propane for heating. Otherwise, I have to somehow find a way, since this amount, although seemingly not that large, when every nickle and dime for bills and living costs are already accounted for, any deviation puts me behind schedule in paying future bills or trying somehow or someway that doesn't cost anything to reduce them.

At this point what I say is no more than a rant and doesn't add any help, it only goes to show my frustration and helplessness to things I can't control or have any power to change as far as I know. Besides, I need to try and, at least get in a nap before I have to get ready and make it to an 0800 a.m. appointment with my PCP.

Rockhound Rider :P :D B) :) B)

Since you are receiving SSD I assume you are also receiving Medicare, a benefit normally received after 2 years of being disabled. If you look aout your Medicare handbook you'll find information on state programs you can apply for which pay your Medicare part B premium. As you know most states now have a deficit but if you can somehow get your state to pay your Medicare part B premium then your income will go up.

[retiredat44]

I have VA disability at 50% and Medicare Part 'A' (I have SSDI and Part A' came with it..) and have been through both private hospitalization and hospitalization at a VA hospital. If I did not have VA health insurance.. and only had Medicare part 'A' and not part 'B' my life would have been ruined more than it is financially.

If I did not have VA insurance (or had VA with a cop-pay.. and not 100% covered) and only had Medicare Part 'A' I would seriously consider part 'B' medicare for the cost,, because the high cost of health care and much much greater cost of energency care would ruin my life (more than it already is health wise and financially..). Calculate the cost of Part 'B' medicare and see if it may pay for itself for any health problems and bills that you might end up with.. If you feel lucky and that youy are better off without paying Part 'B' that's good.

I have spent time in both VA and private hospitals under emergency care and found out the hard way that medicare part A' alone is close to worthless..

[deltaj]

I have VA disability at 50% and Medicare Part 'A' (I have SSDI and Part A' came with it..) and have been through both private hospitalization and hospitalization at a VA hospital. If I did not have VA health insurance.. and only had Medicare part 'A' and not part 'B' my life would have been ruined more than it is financially.

If I did not have VA insurance (or had VA with a cop-pay.. and not 100% covered) and only had Medicare Part 'A' I would seriously consider part 'B' medicare for the cost,, because the high cost of health care and much much greater cost of energency care would ruin my life (more than it already is health wise and financially..). Calculate the cost of Part 'B' medicare and see if it may pay for itself for any health problems and bills that you might end up with.. If you feel lucky and that youy are better off without paying Part 'B' that's good.

I have spent time in both VA and private hospitals under emergency care and found out the hard way that medicare part A' alone is close to worthless..

If your are totally disabled due to non service connected conditions perhaps you should look into your eligibility for nonserviceconnected disability pension, which as far as I know offsets medical costs.

[LarryJ]

Hey, Rockhound. I've just had a brain fart! You know, the VA purchases these GPS systems for people like us that get easily confused and have trouble finding our way to places. Why would they not purchase a person one of these nice PDA's, for people like you and me that have "memory deficits"?

Has anyone ever heard of such a thing happening?

I've got one (The Wife bought me one as a gift) and I depend upon it and it works. You just have to REMEMBER to enter the data IMMEDIATELY (for example, immediately when your Primary Care Physician tells you to make an appointment in December, to see him in January (which just happened with me) then I WHUP that little puppy out and make the entry...........bingo, on Dec. 15, this baby tells me to "call, make appt with PCP for Jan".............shazzzzzammm!

Heck, it even makes me "look smart" and "with it"!

[purple]

The VA will buy me a GPS???...I take topomax, I'm always confused.

[Pete53]

I already have a GPS its called a smart phone and my kids and wife can track me if they want.