Champ Va - Scared.....can't Go Back.

[Spent warrior]

Since last December I have been rated 100% totally and permanently disabled due to my service connected disability. Health care costs for my family are killing me and I want to switch them to CHAMP VA but am worried about something.

If the VA were to ever downgrade my rating and they would no longer be eligible for CHAMP VA it would be a disaster because once I cancel my federal health care benefits (retired early due to my SC problems) I would not be able to re-enroll them again. I'd have to get insurance for them on the open market at sky high rates.

Is 100% total and permanent generally that..."permanent"? My condition only worsens... but still I worry about this. Your thoughts and advice would be so appreciated.

Thank you

[Spent warrior]

I just noted that the VA rating letter doesn't say "no further exams are scheduled", it says "no further exams WILL be scheduled" (my caps)

My conditions are PTSD and major depressive disorder. My wife (Debra) helps me with these notes.

[JR Reihs]

Since last December I have been rated 100% totally and permanently disabled due to my service connected disability. Health care costs for my family are killing me and I want to switch them to CHAMP VA but am worried about something.

If the VA were to ever downgrade my rating and they would no longer be eligible for CHAMP VA it would be a disaster because once I cancel my federal health care benefits (retired early due to my SC problems) I would not be able to re-enroll them again. I'd have to get insurance for them on the open market at sky high rates.

Is 100% total and permanent generally that..."permanent"? My condition only worsens... but still I worry about this. Your thoughts and advice would be so appreciated.

Thank you

Spent,

You may want to check with OPM on this.........It has been my understanding that YOU must never cancel the insurance for yourself as you would never get it back. I am not so sure that as long as YOU maintain coverage that you could never go back an re-enroll into another family plan should the Champ VA disappear for whatever reason.

Regardless, you need to get them under Champ VA as a secondary..........it is at no cost so why wait?

[georgiapapa]

Spent,

Check out the following link: www.opm.gov/insure/health/eligibility/tricare.asp

According to info on this link, FEHB coverage can be suspended rather than cancelled. By suspending FEHB coverage you could avoid paying FEHB premiums but still be able to restart FEHB coverage in future if Champva coverage is lost. This link pertains to Tricare, Champva, Medicare, etc.

Hope this helps.

Georgiapapa...

[rentalguy1]

Permanent and total written in a rating decision, along with a dollar bill, will get you a cup of coffee. In other words, no, it is not really permanent until the rating has been in effect for 20 years. If you are concerned about losing your current insurance forever, I would not drop it. I agree, though, that you should look into picking up ChampVA as a secondary insurance for your dependents. It isn't the best insurance we've ever had, but there is no monthly premium and the administrators have always been pleasant and helpful. You may want to wait and see what the Supreme Court does in regards to Obamacare, also. If they uphold all or part of it, pretty much everything will change. Some say for the better, others say for the worse. We'll just have to wait and see which holds true.

[deltaj]

It is my understanding that CHAMPVA is secondary to all other health insurance except medicaid. Accordingly, you should discuss this with a supervisor at CHAMPVA by telephone at 1 800 733 8387. Perhaps you could enroll your family in CHAMPVA and still have your federal health insurance as a federal employee be your family's primary coverage. If you are enroll your family in CHAMPVA, you will need to immediately obtain and complete an Other Health Insurance form from CHAMPVA and mail it back to CHAMPVA immediately.

[jbasser]

Spent warrior, You are in luck. you can discuss this issue tomorrow at 2pm central time as you listen to Glen Johnson Live on the SVR broadcast. (He is one of the top gogs and has help-ed many a hadit member with champ va issues,

You can call in or We can ask it for you.

As long as your p and T dont worry about losing ChampVA

You can also get a supplament that pays the remaining costs.

Let me know what you want to do,

Basser