Backdated Claim Awarded; Do i get my co-pays refunded?

[MikeHunt]

Situation is I just got 50% + 10%.

I understand that puts me in priority group one. Further, I understand VA treatment and med co-pays are waived.

1. Do I understand correctly?

2. Will they refund everything back to my grant date- ITF late 2015?

Furthermore, can I get the cost for IMO/IME refunded, that I used to get the award?

Thanks!

[Berta]

https://www.va.gov/healthbenefits/resources/priority_groups.asp

Sounds like you are definitely Priority# 1!

This is the new co pay criteria

http://www.military.com/benefits/2017/01/13/va-copay-rates-change.html

I would think you could ask for a refund of any past co pays that fell into the 50% EED.

And PS Congrats!!!!!!

If you are a retiree -lifer , check out the CRDP CRSC info here.

 

Edited July 6, 2017 by Berta

[MikeHunt]

Thanks Berta, sounds like mt answer!

[broncovet]

Yes.  In our VAMC you go to a special guy to apply.  He is located near "travel pay" in our VAMC.  It may be the same people who do something called a "needs test".  (I think they changed the name of "needs test", but I dont know what they changed it to.)  

The needs test is how VA establishes and collects co pays.  In a nutshell if you make a lot of money, and still use VA and are not service connected, then you have to pay a co pay on prescriptions.  

However, if you make very little, or are service connected, then you dont have co pays.  Read Berta's link for more details on that.  

I went to him, and he applied for all my back copays.  I took my new VARO decision awarding benefits with me.  About a month or two months later, I got a check for over $1000, but I dont remember the exact amount.  

The VA had "taken" my copays out of my tax refund check, as I could not afford them.  I got all that back.  I had no idea VA could take that money out of our tax refunds.  But they do.  

So, you may have been paying copays and not even known you are paying copays. 

Edited July 7, 2017 by broncovet

[MikeHunt]

Yes, DMC (Debt Management Center) in St. Paul will send delinquent VA debts to TOP (Treasury Offset Program). From there it can go to private collections or private :(

VA Hospital has it's own system before it goes to DMC

Private will jack the actual amount way up and, well, you can guess the rest ...

[broncovet]

Great answer, MikeHunt !   Yours was better than mine!  I did not know that Va could sell its collections to private people where they jack up the amount.  

As far as I know, they did not do that to me, but it would not suprise me one bit.  I think somebody in Va told me that I could get rid of some/all of my copays by doing a needs test, and I did, so most of them went away.  (At that time, I was broke and near homeless)  

VA had a homeless Veteran program, at that time, that consisted of ensuring that as many Vets as possible were "converted" to homeless Vets, by delaying or denying their claims for as long as possible.    As far as I know, VA continues using their "homeless initiaitive" by delaying Vets claims even longer now,  in appeals, so that as many Veterans as possible are homeless.    The BVA is now taking about 5 years or more, and few Vets can keep their home for 5 years without income.