Va Medical Care & Medicare

[autumn]

now sure where to post this so i'll start here.

i'll be getting my medicare starting the end of this year. VA always asks if one has medical insurance so do i tell them when i start on medicare?

i ask, due to some years ago when i was able to work i told the VA i had medical insurance. The VA then proceeded to send bills to the insurance carrier for appts and stuff i was SC'd for which didn't make any sense to me.

thanks

[autumn]

There is no crossbilling with Medicare and VA. I use part A and part B for outside hospitals and doctors. There is no charge for part A but part B will cost you about $100.00 a month. It"s agood deal if you don"t want all of your care to come from VA.

if/when? my MS secondary issues get rated i may be able to afford the 100.00 for part B that you mention. i would surely get it. the VA has its good & bad points but in my particluar experience the place makes my nerves tweak due to the years of falling through the craccks.

i hope i can do the 100.00 a month some day, quality of life means something to me. thank you for your reply. helps my education with this

[john999]

If you don't take part B right away it will cost you more later. I would do just whatever I had to do to get part B. Do you really want the VA cutting you open doing surgery on your colon or heart? I talked to a guy yesterday who almost died at the VA when he was having nasal sinus surgery. He is 72 and said he would never let them cut him again for anything.

John

[boomer2]

Do what John says, do what ever you have to to get plan B. Also, You will get inundated with mail from companies wanting you to purchase supplemental insurance to cover what medicare doesn't. I'm pretty sure you also have to sign up for plan B three months before you are elligible. If you are getting SSI or SSDI they will automatically deduct the 100 from your payment.

[autumn]

If you don't take part B right away it will cost you more later. I would do just whatever I had to do to get part B. Do you really want the VA cutting you open doing surgery on your colon or heart? I talked to a guy yesterday who almost died at the VA when he was having nasal sinus surgery. He is 72 and said he would never let them cut him again for anything.

John

yes, i just read about this. i don't want the VA ever cutting on me. from my MS journey with them, to posts on hadit and vawatchdog and conversations with other veterans and even federal employees, i wouldn't let them cut on me. i already get tweaked just going to appointments at VAs. i'm telling ya, an i know people think i'm off base saying this, but VA is close to a criminal entity and no accountability. so no, no cutting.

i think i read they will auto deduct from monthly check the 99.99 for Plan B. i'll keep that. from what i read they will penalize one anyway if one doesn't sign up or something like that

[autumn]

Do what John says, do what ever you have to to get plan B. Also, You will get inundated with mail from companies wanting you to purchase supplemental insurance to cover what medicare doesn't. I'm pretty sure you also have to sign up for plan B three months before you are elligible. If you are getting SSI or SSDI they will automatically deduct the 100 from your payment.

i get SSD and from a mailing is how i found out medcare would be avail later this year to me. happy for that as i will then be able to see a real MS specialist who isn't under the legal thumb of the VA to ration health care/benefits at any cost. thanks for the help