Why Does Our Spouse Get Superior Care?

[broncovet 4,214]

As most 100% Vets know, our spouse is eligible for CHAMPVA. (We are not eligible, however, for unknown reasons).

Champva enables our spouse to go to the VA for care (if approved by the local VAMC) OR go get private care as this insurance pays for it.

However, 100% Vets must go to their VA for care and dont have the choice to go for private care and have insurance pay. (Exception: Vets choice, if you meet eligibility requirment of living too far away from VA, or cant get an appointment in 30 days and get your doc to give you a note that he is too busy to see you. (As required by VA choice) Its still unclear how your doc is gonna give you such a note if he is too busy to see you and you cant schedule an appointment in 30 days.

More choices for care = Better care. So, why do our spouses who did not serve get better care than we do, when we served? Should not all Vets get "Veterans choice"? Oh, I know why! This is because VA care is substandard and VA does not want to pay for the good stuff! If the VA were truly "world class health care" they would not need "Veterans choice".

I know Vets who wont set foot inside a VAMC and they have very valid reasons for this.

Lots of Vets recommend signing up for medicare Part B. So, why should a Veteran pay for insurance (part B) if he gets VA care for free? I found out the hard way...VA care is substandard. I still can not figure out why a Vets spouse gets better care than the Veteran. Did I miss something?

Its also becoming increasingly clear VA wants to dump some of its burden for caring for vets on medicare. The VAMC always asks if we have other policies or medicare. And, even Champva insists on the spouse having Part B medicare if eligible. (Remember, Part B medicare costs about $104 per month this year, that is, if you dont have late penalties for not siging up in time.)

This means that Champva is not free for medicare eligibles. They must pay $104 per month.

I will add that I want my wife to have good medical care. Definately. I dont want them to worsen her care, I want VA to raise the level of our care.

Edited November 13, 2014 by broncovet

[stinger 16]

In my case, I want my spouse to get the best care possible; even if it seems better than mine. She deserves it by being with me. Lest we forget...our care is free.

[john999 974]

You get what you pay for in the USA. If I had ChampVA card I could drop BC/BS and instead of my paying $6000 a year of Medicare and Blue Cross family plan I could just pay for Medicare and my wife could pay for medicare and I would never have to set foot in the VA again. I only go there for pills. My dental has been outsourced to community and so has vision care. When my wife gets medicare I will drop family plan for BC. $460 a month as secondary payer is too much.

[broncovet 4,214]

Stinger, I humbly disagree our care is "free". We paid for this with our service. No service= no VA care. Its really not that much different than an employer providing insurance as a benefit, except that Vets can and should, get care for life. Why? Because the military is an exceptionally dangerous place and Vets deserve this insurance for risking our lives.

Our VA medical care is part of our salary when we served in the military, which we "earned". Im not a real big "entitlement" person, but if an employee risked his very life for me, it would be the least I could do for him to provide medical care for him.

Many companies pay extra for "hazardous duty", as they should. The NFL is exceptionally hazardous and the injuries are significant and often are blows to the head. They get paid handsomely for these blows. Millions of dollars. And the NFL is not as dangerous as the military...not even close. Have you heard of a running back running into a roadside bomb on the NFL field and getting killed?

Edited November 13, 2014 by broncovet

[broncovet 4,214]

Wow, john, you pay $460 per month so you dont have to go to VA? Thats a lot...a very nice car payment. Gee, since you are paying the car payment, dont you think you deserve to be driving the car???

[Buck52 3,235]

My spouse gets champ VA & uses VAMC...She has to hassle with them too if she had a choice or afford it she would prefer private care but this is all we have. so can't complain but other than the way the whole VA system is but can't do anything about it..if they thow us beans we just have to catch them and go on! (put up with there BS)

[john999 974]

Bronco

I pay for BC/BS for family coverage. BC is primary for my wife and secondary for me. When she hits the age she will get medicare and then I will get "self only" BC/BS which is about half of what it is now. We will both have Medicare and secondary insurance which means no co-pays or deductibles at all. That is worth it. I have this other insurance so that when I need surgery I don't have to use the VA. I want to live a little bit longer. The VA should be paying for it all but I know what kind of care I get from them. Yes, it is an earned benefit, but try and collect.