Medical Bills

[bulldogpete]

My insurance is covering a lot of my current medical bills, but I am still responsible for quite a bit. Once the VA grants my disability claim (being optimistic), can I file to have the VA reimburse me the cost of my medical bills (The ones related to my service related injury).

[Pete53]

You can but good luck. However new legislation recently passed is supposed to make it easier. I just have not heard any news as to how it has improved or not. Fee Service are masters at dodging bills they should pay.

[carlie]

Have you tried to get medical service's provided by the VAMC

or do you choose to go there ?

Just asking.

[bulldogpete]

I have not tried going to the VA to get medical treatment. I did not know I could if I was not receiving VA disability. How would I do this? Would they charge my insurance?

Also, I was sent a letter by my private insurance stated they wanted info on my military accident, so they could try and bill the VA. Is this something I should give them now, or should I wait until the VA makes there decision. I am afraid if my insurance gets involved in might slow things down with the VA.

[john999]

I can tell you from my own experience that once the VA knows you have private insurance they will attempt to bill it for everything.

[LarryJ]

My insurance is covering a lot of my current medical bills, but I am still responsible for quite a bit. Once the VA grants my disability claim (being optimistic), can I file to have the VA reimburse me the cost of my medical bills (The ones related to my service related injury).

What the VA is going to say is: If you had let us treat your "disability/injury/illness" then we would have had some sort of control over the costs involved, but, seeing as how we didn't get that chance, then you are responsible for your health costs. Now, if you HAD been going to the VA for your healthcare and then you are found to be eligible for disability compensation for a service-related cause, then you can get your "co-payments" reimbursed, to include your prescription drugs, etc. But, you gotta give them the opportunity to "take charge of your healthcare". I can see and agree with their reasoning in such a case as this.

They wound up sending me a rather large amount of reimbursed healthcare costs once my disability(s) were "service-connected" (which the Navy said would NEVER HAPPEN (don't EVER tell me "NEVER"))!

[COOL BREEZE]

I can tell you from my own experience that once the VA knows you have private insurance they will attempt to bill it for everything.

I have tricare insurance-when they ask me if I have any medical insurance, I tell them no. It is none of their business. They are very, very noisy. Last week after they asked me again-I told them to check my disability, I believe I am rated 50% correct-they shut their mouth. One must remember that once you walk into a VA facility you must think twice before you open your yap as someone is watching,writing down everything , and most importantly watching how you walk. Also the common phrase "and how are feeling today". Hell, I am in so much pain, I can't sleep, ect, ect.