Jump to content

Ask Your VA Claims Questions | Read Current Posts 
Read VA Disability Claims Articles
Search | View All Forums | Donate | Blogs | New Users | Rules 

  • tbirds-va-claims-struggle (1).png

  • 01-2024-stay-online-donate-banner.png

     

  • 0

How Do I Contact The Va During An Emergency

Rate this question


captain soggy

Question

example: Let' say I have an illness that requires me to go to a civilian hospital ER. How do I contact the VA to let them know I went to the ER and I am being admitted to the hospital for an emergence surgery. I know I am suppose to contact them as soon as possible but what department do I call?

Also should I call the finance dept.so they know they are going to get a billing from the hospital as my only insurance is the VA?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Answers 28
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Top Posters For This Question

Recommended Posts

  • HadIt.com Elder

You need to call the VAMC within 24 hours of admission to the hospital if you are staying and then within a few days they will transfer you to the VAMC from private hospital. If you go to a private ER you will have a big fight on your hands to get money from the VA unless the VA sent you there. How long were you in the hospital? You can probably get the VA to pay for emergency if it is life or death. I know it is not easy. Many probably know more than me. Just call the main line and tell them what you want or need and they should transfer you. You got to get it documented that you called. If you want to get the VA to pay for your care you will end up at a VAMC.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • HadIt.com Elder

You are only rated 40% so having the VA pay for your care is highly unlikely, in my opinion.

pr

example: Let' say I have an illness that requires me to go to a civilian hospital ER. How do I contact the VA to let them know I went to the ER and I am being admitted to the hospital for an emergence surgery. I know I am suppose to contact them as soon as possible but what department do I call?

Also should I call the finance dept.so they know they are going to get a billing from the hospital as my only insurance is the VA?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Maybe I have misunderstood, but I thought that in the VA handbook, you had 72 hours to nitify the VA. I never knew what department to call.

You know that "It Is What It Is" and I really am Doing the Best that I can ..taking one day at a time.

God Bless all!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • HadIt.com Elder

rockman - you do have 72 hrs but the sooner they are notified the better. Generally it is handled by the fee basis office. The receiving hospital is required to ask if you are a veteran and if so, are you a VA patient. They then notify the VA, however don't count on them doing it. You should call the VA yourself and note the time and who you spoke with.

pr

Maybe I have misunderstood, but I thought that in the VA handbook, you had 72 hours to nitify the VA. I never knew what department to call.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now


  • Tell a friend

    Love HadIt.com’s VA Disability Community Vets helping Vets since 1997? Tell a friend!
  • Recent Achievements

    • Lebro earned a badge
      First Post
    • stuart55 earned a badge
      Week One Done
    • stuart55 earned a badge
      One Month Later
    • Lebro earned a badge
      Conversation Starter
    • Sparklinger earned a badge
      First Post
  • Our picks

    • Caluza Triangle defines what is necessary for service connection
      Caluza Triangle – Caluza vs Brown defined what is necessary for service connection. See COVA– CALUZA V. BROWN–TOTAL RECALL

      This has to be MEDICALLY Documented in your records:

      Current Diagnosis.   (No diagnosis, no Service Connection.)

      In-Service Event or Aggravation.
      Nexus (link- cause and effect- connection) or Doctor’s Statement close to: “The Veteran’s (current diagnosis) is at least as likely due to x Event in military service”
      • 0 replies
    • Do the sct codes help or hurt my disability rating 
    • VA has gotten away with (mis) interpreting their  ambigious, , vague regulations, then enforcing them willy nilly never in Veterans favor.  

      They justify all this to congress by calling themselves a "pro claimant Veteran friendly organization" who grants the benefit of the doubt to Veterans.  

      This is not true, 

      Proof:  

          About 80-90 percent of Veterans are initially denied by VA, pushing us into a massive backlog of appeals, or worse, sending impoverished Veterans "to the homeless streets" because  when they cant work, they can not keep their home.  I was one of those Veterans who they denied for a bogus reason:  "Its been too long since military service".  This is bogus because its not one of the criteria for service connection, but simply made up by VA.  And, I was a homeless Vet, albeit a short time,  mostly due to the kindness of strangers and friends. 

          Hadit would not be necessary if, indeed, VA gave Veterans the benefit of the doubt, and processed our claims efficiently and paid us promptly.  The VA is broken. 

          A huge percentage (nearly 100 percent) of Veterans who do get 100 percent, do so only after lengthy appeals.  I have answered questions for thousands of Veterans, and can only name ONE person who got their benefits correct on the first Regional Office decision.  All of the rest of us pretty much had lengthy frustrating appeals, mostly having to appeal multiple multiple times like I did. 

          I wish I know how VA gets away with lying to congress about how "VA is a claimant friendly system, where the Veteran is given the benefit of the doubt".   Then how come so many Veterans are homeless, and how come 22 Veterans take their life each day?  Va likes to blame the Veterans, not their system.   
    • Welcome to hadit!  

          There are certain rules about community care reimbursement, and I have no idea if you met them or not.  Try reading this:

      https://www.va.gov/resources/getting-emergency-care-at-non-va-facilities/

         However, (and I have no idea of knowing whether or not you would likely succeed) Im unsure of why you seem to be so adamant against getting an increase in disability compensation.  

         When I buy stuff, say at Kroger, or pay bills, I have never had anyone say, "Wait!  Is this money from disability compensation, or did you earn it working at a regular job?"  Not once.  Thus, if you did get an increase, likely you would have no trouble paying this with the increase compensation.  

          However, there are many false rumors out there that suggest if you apply for an increase, the VA will reduce your benefits instead.  

      That rumor is false but I do hear people tell Veterans that a lot.  There are strict rules VA has to reduce you and, NOT ONE of those rules have anything to do with applying for an increase.  

      Yes, the VA can reduce your benefits, but generally only when your condition has "actually improved" under ordinary conditions of life.  

          Unless you contacted the VA within 72 hours of your medical treatment, you may not be eligible for reimbursement, or at least that is how I read the link, I posted above. Here are SOME of the rules the VA must comply with in order to reduce your compensation benefits:

      https://www.law.cornell.edu/cfr/text/38/3.344

       
    • Good question.   

          Maybe I can clear it up.  

          The spouse is eligible for DIC if you die of a SC condition OR any condition if you are P and T for 10 years or more.  (my paraphrase).  

      More here:

      Source:

      https://www.va.gov/disability/dependency-indemnity-compensation/

      NOTE:   TO PROVE CAUSE OF DEATH WILL LIKELY REQUIRE AN AUTOPSY.  This means if you die of a SC condtion, your spouse would need to do an autopsy to prove cause of death to be from a SC condtiond.    If you were P and T for 10 full years, then the cause of death may not matter so much. 
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

Guidelines and Terms of Use