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

[rentalguy1]

Yes, ChampVA will pay for your dependants. You are still liable for 25% of the allowable charge until your deductible is met, though. If you drop your existing insurance, you would have to rely on the VA system. You could probably drop your dependants from your existing insurance, and just use ChampVA for them, while you kept it for yourself. That would lower the cost of the premiums and allow you to obtain medical care within the system that you are used to. If you are also getting Social Security disability, then you are eligible for Medicare (after the first year). They have several plans to choose from, and one of them may be less expensive that keeping your current insurance, and you would still be able to get care outside of the VA system. Again, all of this is subject to change when the US Supreme Court announces its ruling on Obamacare.

[john999]

ChampVA will always be secondary but it works very well with medicare and with BC/BS in my experience. I have medicare and my wife has BC/BS as primary. She has ChampVA. She almost never has to pay for anything. She had cataract surgery and BC and ChampVA paid it all. I may drop her off BC when she can get medicare since it does cost me about 400 extra bucks a month for family BC. That is federal group plan and it is cheap for what we get I think.

[SP4RVN1971]

My wife is on ChampVA, I,m P&T. I think the insurance is OK. So far they are taking care of her and I'm filing back to the date of P&T. The first check for the prescription will be in the thousand.

So at lease do the ChampVA, but for now keep your other insurance!!!