Champva

[Papa]

Need help with Champva. I retired from the Government and kept my health insurance (Humana HMO). My wife had to retire from her job due to Cancer, and has been on Social Security Disability for about 10 years. She is now 63. She automatically got a Medicare Part A card.

Now, Champva wants her to get Part B before they will complete the processing of the application. I have also heard that Part B would be the primary payer, humana second and then champva.

My effective date for my 100% P&T was Feb 16, 2010, and I had hopes of getting some of the wife's co-payments reimbursed, but it does not look like it now. Is it a waste of time to even complete the champva application?

I can not give up the humana insurance due to my son.

Papa

[Berta]

Glenn Johnson of VA CHAMPVA, has done
many shows here and I believe he even gave his phone number out on the shows . (The
shows are in the SVR archives.)

They full explain CHAMPVA and the CHAMP
VA web site is excellent

http://www.va.gov/hac/forbeneficiaries/champva/champva.asp

The info is current as of Oct 2012.

“My effective date for my 100% P&T
was Feb 16, 2010, and I had hopes of getting some of the wife's
co-payments reimbursed, “

What steps have you taken so far on
that? She isnt enrolled yet is she?

My experience ( CHAMPVA beneficiary)
since 1991)is that once I turned 65 I had to have Medicare A & B,
and Medicare pays their end and then CHAMPVA is the kicker.

I pay a $50 co pay via my meds re this
program, every January, and then I pay about 20 bucks every 3-4
months for a 90 buck med I only have to take twice a week.(preventive
low dose statin med)

I have had CT scans, bone scans, other
procedures and between Medicare and CHAMPVA, I didnt have to pay
anything except the 50 annual co pay.... as far as I recall.

She will need a copy of your 100% P &T award letter to go with the Application..

Hopefully others will chime in here with
more personal info on their experience with this GREAT VA benefit.

I wish every veteran could be on CHAMPVA.

Dont hesitate to contact Glenn. He told
me they owed me some money but he thought I got meds by mail from VA
(which your wife can request too)

I prefer going TOPs market pharmacy every 3-4 months for refills as I can order the refill right on line at TOPs web site and it is ready when I get there.

I could get my meds instead via VA med mail program There might be no co pay for that.....I forget And your wife should be
eligible for that as well.

My eye exams are covered comletely but I have to pay for frames of course.

My podiatrist is covered but my 600 buck orthonics are not.covered by Medicare or this VA program.

Neither are my sports braces. Recently they added some changes but I have not gotten my annual CHAMPVA bpook yet......

She will get the current benefit book when they process her application.

However, Almost all spouses of 100% P & T vets are covered.....but some aren't...... the site will explain that.

It doesn't take long as I recall to get the PArt B Medicare added. Part B is mandatory to retain this benefit after turning 65.

Edited January 27, 2013 by Berta

[Teac]

Need help with Champva. I retired from the Government and kept my health insurance (Humana HMO). My wife had to retire from her job due to Cancer, and has been on Social Security Disability for about 10 years. She is now 63. She automatically got a Medicare Part A card.

Now, Champva wants her to get Part B before they will complete the processing of the application. I have also heard that Part B would be the primary payer, humana second and then champva.

My effective date for my 100% P&T was Feb 16, 2010, and I had hopes of getting some of the wife's co-payments reimbursed, but it does not look like it now. Is it a waste of time to even complete the champva application?

I can not give up the humana insurance due to my son.

Papa

I don't know if Champva can make her get part B... but under tricare retirees must purchase part B or lose tricare.. Perhaps Champva is the same as tricare since in reality they are almost the same program except one has to be retired military for tricare.... But since you also have private insurance I don't see how they can require anything. Under tricare the law states we must get part B... what law covering champva va says she much get part B...... I don't know of one but a little research on the net and it should be to hard to find champva rules.....

Edited January 27, 2013 by Teac

[jbasser]

Listen to one pf the older shows and contact glen directly and he will put you in contact with the right person. Glen is a nice guy. Champ VA is not at all like dealing with the VARO. It is a different world. These are the good guys.

If you need his contact info, shoot me a PM.

Basser

[Jerrel]

Glenn Johnson 303 331 7864

[broncovet]

I agree. Champva is to VA as a bunny rabbit is to a Grizzly bear. They are very very different in their attitude towards Vets. VA insurance has better than a 96% satisfaction rate and, well the VA does not keep track of Veteran's "satisfaction rate" with VA, and for very good reasons.

I especially agree with Berta that I wish Veterans could get Champva. My wife can and she gets much better medical care than I do. Why? Since our VAMC allows spouses of disabled Vets to use it (this appears to be an individual VAMC decision), my wife can use the VA or private medical care through Champva. I only have ONE option and that is the VA. Guess who gets better medical care? More choices = Better care.

By limiting Champva to spouses, Veterans are forced to use VAMC care even when it is inferior to private medical care. While I agree there are some good VAMC's that, sometimes give better care than private health care, it still would be nice to have either option, since many times the VAMC is, by far, inferior to private health care.

We got our copays back from Champva, no problem. Champva is on the ball and does not take 10 years to pay claims. More like 3 weeks, like it should be.

[SP4RVN1971]

Papa, Once she is on ChampVA you have six months to apply for all your back copayment to February 16, 2010. This is for doctor's and medicine. So stay on top of that. My wife received a nice check.