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

[Commander Bob]

The last time I went to the VAMC for treatment of a SC combat disability, and was asked for my private insurance info. I refused and got the evil eye and a lecture from an apathetic clerk. An hour later, I was seen by the Dr.

Edited August 1, 2010 by Commander Bob

[Chu Lai69]

The rule is that the VA can bill even 100% vets for NSC treatments. That is not really ok with me. A vet who is 100% service connected disabled should have all this medical care paid for by the VA. The VA got their foot in the door on this. Recently, a bill to charge insurance even for SC conditions was defeated. The VA is good for two things: cheap pills and documenting your treatment for disabilites. I wonder how the VA decides which of my treatments are NSC since I am SC'ed for CAD, DMII, Chronic Pain, PN and mental health conditions. They don't bother. They just send the whole bill to my private insurance.

Chulai

Would you go to the VAMC if you needed open heart surgery since you have the option of using your private insurance, and picking your own doctor? I know you say you are happy with the care you get from the VA, but if your life depended on it would you use the VA?

Sorry John999 your off on a different topic now??? We were talking about VA requesting private insurance companies to help with cost of treating a veteran. I understand some of you do not like the VA health care that you get. Sorry about that, but there are tons of people here that VA insurance is the only insurance they have!! I can understand people get frustrated with the VA, but I also understand that people get frustrated with private insurance companies too. What would YOU, ME, and others do if we had NO VA?? The VA is NOT all bad. They are no different then any other private medical institutions when it comes to treating patients Vets or non vets in my opinion. There is good and bad in both. And yes if my life depended on it, I would use the VA. I am doing that now and they have been a big help in getting my LIFE back in order. Again there is good and bad in any medical facility. I am just am not one of those that continue to bash the VA at every chance I get. Sorry!! What happens at the VAMAC happens at other private medical faculties also. Just pick up the local paper and read about them. They don't get as much publicity as the VAMAC because they are private and not Federal. Getting back to the point, I think its fine the VA tries to recoup from private insurance companies. In-fact if you have 2 private insurance companies, they do the exact same thing!! What one does not cover, the other will!!!

Edited August 1, 2010 by Chu Lai69

[*Bergie*]

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.

I gave my private ins. info when I enrolled in the VA system, but to my knowledge they have never billed my private ins. Not sure why...

JMO,

Bergie

[carlie]

https://iris.va.gov/...hZ2U9MQ**&p_li=

Will you bill my health insurance carrier?

Inquiry Will you bill my health insurance carrier?

Answer The law requires VA to bill insurance carriers for covered veterans.

Some veterans may have health insurance coverage under a spouse's policy.

If you are receiving care for a non-service-connected disability and have health insurance, your insurance carrier will be billed.

VA does not bill your health insurance carrier for VA-adjudicated service-connected disabilities.

(An adjudicated service-connected disability is one for which you have filed a claim and VA has determined that you are service-connected)

https://iris.va.gov/...hZ2U9MQ**&p_li=

Inquiry

Do enrolled veterans have to pay the deductibles that their insurance carrier requires when treated at VA?

Answer

No. VA does not require veterans to pay those charges.

In fact, many insurance companies will apply VA co-payment charges toward satisfaction of their annual deductible.

[Commander Bob]

...I am just am not one of those that continue to bash the VA at every chance I get. Sorry!!

Chu Lai69, I am glad to hear that you are satisfied with the VA in your area. That is encouraging, and gives me hope for the future of the VA.

However you should not label the many vets that are having problems with their claims or treatment as "VA bashers". Over the last four + decades, I have witnessed too many cruel & unusual actions against vets, at the hands of the VA. Behavior that would not be tolerated in a private setting. JMHO... It is the nature of this massive beast, the VA,

JMHO. the over-all quality of the VA experience is unacceptable, and is in need of some serious oversight.

I agree that some people will complain about anything, however, we cannot discount those vets who have legitimate complaints and issues with the VA...

edited for grammatical corrections.

Edited August 3, 2010 by Commander Bob

[Pete53]

The heart and soul of Hadit is the recognition that the VA has mistreated or left Veterans out in the cold