Va Stealing Money From Veterans Through Private Health Insurance!

[Troy Spurlock]

Moderators....not sure if this is the right forum for this discussion, but it does fall under the issue of disability compensation since it is directly related to it. So I made my best guess, but if I am wrong feel free to move it to the appropriate forum.

Anyhow, I, as the veteran, who is 100% service connected for a bladder disorder, chronic thoracic, cervical, and lumbar muscle strain, degenerative disc disease of the entire spine, fibromyalgia, IBS, and several other conditions just learned that the Department of Veterans Affairs has been billing my 3rd party private insurance company since July 2009 for examinations, blood tests, an MRI, and follow-up office visits for these service-connected conditions to a tune of over $5,000!!!!

On May 17, 2009 POTUS Obama proposed that he was considering having the VA charge 3rd party insurance for service related conditions; however due to the intense backlash, he nixed that idea on May 18, 2009.

http://www.cnsnews.c...px?RsrcID=45117 (May 17, 2009 article)

http://tpmdc.talking...health-care.php (May 18, 2009 article)

Despite the POTUS rescinding this plan, the VA is doing it anyway; and now I have just become a victim of it.

Has anyone else discovered that the VA has been charging their private health insurance for service-connected disabilities? I want to hear your story, as I am preparing an op-ed to submit to every newspaper and media outlet physically possible. I want to reignite the hail storm Obama got on May 17, 2009 for such an asinine proposal by proving it's happening nonetheless (probably under secret order of his Administration to do so regardless of his public announcement that he wouldn't do it)!

T.S.

Edited July 31, 2010 by Troy Spurlock

[Chu Lai69]

I'm 100% P&T, and the VA should be providing for all my health needs 100%. Now unless things have changed and you haven't updated your profile info which says your SC at 70%, I don't see how the VA is giving you 100% free medical insurance. Please elaborate.

T.S.

Get up to date my friend, VA pays 100% health care for any Vet that is 50% and above with Service Connection. With no co payments or deductibles. I get 100% MC from the VA same as you do.

[Troy Spurlock]

Get up to date my friend, VA pays 100% health care for any Vet that is 50% and above with Service Connection. With no co payments or deductibles. I get 100% MC from the VA same as you do.

I am up to date, and that 50% to 90% does not include dental; for which you have to be 100% to get that care.

Notwithstanding, so long as you do not have private insurance, or Medicaid or Medicare for them to bill, then yes the VA covers all medical health care.

However. Non-service connected conditions don't count in that 0 to 100% rating, as the VA will bill whatever other insurance you have.

What the VA is not suppose to do is bill your insurance for SC conditions; and that's the point of this discussion by my disclosure of the VA doing just that to me.

[Troy Spurlock]

Troy,

Those were not my words.

Understood. Notwithstanding it's clear that they do, and given other responses I'm not the only one it's happened to, and continues to happen to.

T.S.

[Chu Lai69]

I am up to date, and that 50% to 90% does not include dental; for which you have to be 100% to get that care.

Notwithstanding, so long as you do not have private insurance, or Medicaid or Medicare for them to bill, then yes the VA covers all medical health care.

However. Non-service connected conditions don't count in that 0 to 100% rating, as the VA will bill whatever other insurance you have.

What the VA is not suppose to do is bill your insurance for SC conditions; and that's the point of this discussion by my disclosure of the VA doing just that to me.

Troy once again lets try this. I did NOT say nor did I mention to you I get free Dental. I do not. I quoted in my post, I am 70% SC and get FREE 100% MEDICAL CARE THROUGH THE VAMAC. DENTAL CARE IS DENTAL CARE, MEDICAL CARE IS MEDICAL CARE. They are NOT one of the same. I agree in order to get free dental care you have to be rated 100% But you only have to BE rated 50% or above to receive 100% free MEDICAL TREATMENT!

Edited August 5, 2010 by Chu Lai69

[john999]

I have service connected DMII, CAD, PN and chronic pain disorder. Somehow the VA charges my insurance every time I see my PCP or pain doctor. My insurance gets billed for blood work, AIC, urine tests, office visit everything. The way I see it all my care at the VA is related somehow to the conditions I have that are SC. The VA has managed to shift the entire burden of my care to my insurance. I just don't think that is right. Plus they bill for all the heart and pain meds. I am IU P&T. Why should priority one vets get billed for anything just because they have insurance?

[Chu Lai69]

I have service connected DMII, CAD, PN and chronic pain disorder. Somehow the VA charges my insurance every time I see my PCP or pain doctor. My insurance gets billed for blood work, AIC, urine tests, office visit everything. The way I see it all my care at the VA is related somehow to the conditions I have that are SC. The VA has managed to shift the entire burden of my care to my insurance. I just don't think that is right. Plus they bill for all the heart and pain meds. I am IU P&T. Why should priority one vets get billed for anything just because they have insurance?

You need to check and verify with your Private Insurance and confirm what they pay the VA. They do bill private insurance companies for a fact, but my private insurance does NOT pay them a dime. By law if you do have private insurance they can and will send them a bill. But MOST all private insurance will NOT pay them anything. They don't have to. At least mine does not pay them. Again, confirm with your private insurance that they actually paid the VA(wrote a check) anything and let me/us know that they did write them a check. Be most interesting.

Edited August 5, 2010 by Chu Lai69