How To Get Rx Paid By Va

[seapup]

My father is 100% for Asbestosis (Navy). Recently, he was admitted to hospital with Bronchial pneumonia had a fever of 104 went to local hospital. This was at 8:00 pm at night. He was hospitalized for 5 days. Upon, release he was given RX for breathing medication to keep his lungs open and help with his breathing. The RX was expensive and he paid out of pocket. My question is can he get reimbursement for the med's he had to pay out of pocket by the VA. Another, question is what does he do on a weekend if he needs medical attention. He lives in small town and the VA clinic has a long wait to see DR. He took the RX to VA clinic and they told him he had to see DR. before he could get VA to pay for it. What do you do when you need the RX immediately, you have to wait up to 2 weeks to see DR at VA and on a weekend. He has had to go to ER a few times but has a battle to get bills paid by VA.

He applied for a "hard ship card" beings he lives in a rural area but they denied him (not sure why).

What is his best option since I am sure he will have other problems in the future when he will not be able to see a VA DR. in a timely manner. He lives 1.5 hrs away from the nearest VA hospital and clinic is only open Mon-Fri.

[stillhere]

I have had a similar problem and this is how I solved mine.

I go to a private cardio doc and he often prescribes meds, first he gives me samples to cover two weeks. I then take his prescirption and fax it to my pcp and they authorize it to be filled and I get it in about ten days in mail form the MC.

If he can not get samples for a few days have the attending doc write two scrips one for like a 10 supply and the other one for the regular supplied needed. Fax that one to your PCP.

As fars as the er goes whenever he goes to the ER it has to be or should be an emergency. When he is first checking in he has to make sure and tell them he is under VA health care and the hospital will contact the VA for payment or the VA will send transport to get you and bring you back to the VA for care.

The VA has a program that is called fee basis just for this problem. If he is having problems with getting this set up he should contact the patient advocate at the MC for help in doing this.

Good luck to you and your dad!

[carlie]

If I were him I would apply for fee basis care.

jmho,

carlie

[LarryJ]

yup.

[Capt.]

Hello everyone ,,,, I am interested also in this pharmacy process. They are paying for all my other meds. The VA was paying for my heart meds but now say that I don't "meet the requirements" and they will not be more specific. Can a letter from my doctor saying that it is a "medical necessity" get the meds from VA or is there another way. I don't know if fee basis is open for me. Maybe Carlie or Larry can be specific. I am sure there are alot of us like Seapups dad and myself that are having these types of problems. Also my sleeping pills are nonformulary but every 3 months, I think it is , allows me to get 10 from the VA. How can I get both of mine on the list again as these are expensive?? Concerning seapups dad , I thought that if he is 100% he is suppose to get all of meds taken care of. Maybe I am wrong but doesn't this fall under the guidelines of VA. God Bless, NEVER GIVE UP. C.C.