Better Call Va Before Going To Emergency Room

[Gastone]

John: Copy that. Can you imagine the number of Vets that think the SC 30% free VA Med Care is the end all. I think the VA Med Ctrs do a great job generally but a Vet has to keep his options open. Like I said before, if I have the need for the "Knife" I want the "Pros from Dover" doing the procedure. At the VA Det, they pull the majority of Surgeons from nearby non VA Hospitals but the vet has no idea what their credentials and experience level is. $1500 or so $'s for the full Medicare B coverage is cheap when it might be your life on the line.

I find it extremely difficult to understand 100% SC rate Vets refusing to even consider the Non VA Dr and the need for Medicare Part B. In discussions, it's always about the cost, they fail to comprehend it's about the possibility of life or DEATH. Like most of us, I'm sure they waste more money each month than the cost of Part B Max coverage. It's very difficult getting through to some of us "Old Dogs."

Semper Fi

Gastone

[Notorious Kelly]

I only recently switched back to the VA because it has been darn near impossible finding a doctor accepting new medicare patients for years now in the western states I've tried; you can call dozens and hear all "No"s.

A very brief trip to non-VA ER last year was $1500 so, yes, I can see where it'd be easy to go into lifelong debt if you didn't follow proper procedure for the VA to pay.

Fortunately Medicare covered most of that because I was nowhere near a VA facility that was open.

Thanks for informing all readers of how important it is to contact VA about outside care.

[Pete53]

Sad thing is even when they tell you to go to nearest they fight l;ike hell not to pay

[john999]

I am afraid unless I was dying hospitals here in Florida would turn me away unless I have medicare,, medicade, or insurance. That is the first question they ask at the ER...."What is your insurance?". A hospital put a lien on my wife's old home due to medical bills as result of being half killed by drunk driver. Medicare A & B is the best deal in town. However, Part D is sad joke with doughnut hole and all that. So I keep expensive Blue Cross just for pills and because I earned it as a benefit from being a government worker at USPS/Hell for many years. Fishburger of the year goes to the VA for being cheap, miserable bastards. They want my old CPAP back because I had operation to cure apnea. They should have paid for the operation, but they did not even know it existed. I know more about Inspire device than their sleep clinic or pulmonology dept. It is cutting edge so you would expect VA to be in the dark (ages).

[Notorious Kelly]

Ha- they tried keeping my old CPAP (issued by VA in another state) and I said "That's my property" and kept it.

This time around with the VA- I'M drivin.

[bobz]

In 2012 I called the Reno VA needing ER type care. Their natural first responce was well come in, cute trick considering i was 5 hours away.So they told me to go to the closest hospital which I did. We, wife and I informed the check in person I was covered by the VA for medical care. Informed them that I was a patient of the Reno hospital and provided copies of what they needed. Then I was taken to the ER. Shortly after they had me all hooked up the clerk came in saying they told me they don't have you listed there. I asked who she called she said the VA in Vegas. I asked her to look at the paperwork and read what y wife wrote, she goes oh Reno not Vegas. So I get treated for a TIA and released. Fast forward to 2014 now all of the sudden this is on my credit report as unpaid. Never got any bill or anything else from them. Also in 14 the hospital goes bankrupt with county moving in to take over. This TIA caused my VA rating to go to 100% after the battle with the VA. So now to battle with both about this bill, who wants to bet I will get stuck with it?