Did you know A Veteran may be eligible for Beneficiary travel

[paulstrgn]

Did you know A Veteran may be eligible for Beneficiary travel services if the following criteria are met: (this information located at https://www.va.gov/healthbenefits/vtp/beneficiary_travel.asp)

• you have a service-connected (SC) rating of 30 percent or more, or
• you are traveling for treatment of a SC condition, or
• you receive a VA pension, or your income does not exceed the maximum annual VA pension rate, or
• your income does not exceed the maximum annual VA pension rate, or
• you are traveling for a scheduled compensation or pension

YOU QUALIFY FOR SPECIAL MODE TRANSPORTATION 
(Ambulance, Wheelchair Van etc.) IF:

• you meet one of the eligibility criteria in the left column, and
• your medical condition requires an ambulance or a specially equipped van as determined by a VA clinician, and
• the travel is pre-authorized (authorization is not required for emergencies if a delay would be hazardous to life or health)

Just wanted to pass this on in case a veteran was not aware of this benefit.

[GBArmy]

I was told recently that you only have 30 days to submit for reimbursement by the travel folks. I also was told by someone else when I applied for direct deposit for travel pay 2 months ago that the VA was doing away with sending out reimbursement checks directly to the veteran. Don't know if that is in effect yet though. One more thing about not bothering to submit because it isn't very much and not too far: a friend of mine told me once that WE have to be sure that WE ask for and receive every benefit that we have. Not to do so will allow the VA guru and anti-vets to say "it isn't needed because they don't use it "(whatever the benefit may be.) That is how I view using VA Health care. If we don't use it and end up going to private doctors and clinics, they are going to start to consolidate and reduce the number of VA hospitals and clinics. Think how bad that will be for some of our brothers and sisters throughout this great nation of ours.

[vetquest]

4 hours ago, GBArmy said:

If we don't use it and end up going to private doctors and clinics, they are going to start to consolidate and reduce the number of VA hospitals and clinics. Think how bad that will be for some of our brothers and sisters throughout this great nation of ours.

@GBArmy, I understand fully this sentiment but my civilian doctors recognized my disabilities ten years before the VA did and I get complicated care outside the VA, including medications the VA will not dispense.  I can truly sympathize with vets that get all of their care at the VA.  I just cannot afford to do this.  Now I am trying to get one non-formulary medication through the VA.  They sent me to an outside neurologist and he approved the medication but so far the VA has not been forthcoming.

[GBArmy]

You know full well that the VA is always going to try and keep the costs down, especially when it comes to meds prescribed by non-VA docs that are not in their formulary. The VA basically is saying that if you chose to go to the outside, we aren't going to help you. Not a lot you can do,  Sometimes, they just don't have the best interest of the veteran in mind, and simply just don't want to help get over the hump.Just try to go up the chain of command; ask the pharmacy and/or the patient advocate who to go to next and just emphasize that you went to the outside doc they directed you to so why don't they honor the prescription now. Best of luck Vetquest.

[paulstrgn]

@vetquest You may also want to contact the drug company to see if they can offer any help, a lot of drug companies do. Good luck and hoping the VA approves your med.

[jfrei]

I am going to try this can’t hurt other then my a No...I’ll bring in a copy of my appointments from the past year off Ebenefits 

Edited June 22, 2019 by jfrei

[Buck52]

On 6/18/2019 at 8:23 PM, vetquest said:

@GBArmy, I understand fully this sentiment but my civilian doctors recognized my disabilities ten years before the VA did and I get complicated care outside the VA, including medications the VA will not dispense.  I can truly sympathize with vets that get all of their care at the VA.  I just cannot afford to do this.  Now I am trying to get one non-formulary medication through the VA.  They sent me to an outside neurologist and he approved the medication but so far the VA has not been forthcoming.

Vetquest

Do you have private insurance for this complicated care you get outside the VA? OR IS VA picking up the Cost?

Choice  Card  or the New Mission ACT (I understand the choice card went out  EXPIRED on June 6th 2019  then Mission ACT takes over for outside care?

I get medicare  if I want to use the outside Dr's but with medicare there is co pay ...so this is one of my reasond to use the VA  .

Now if i ever have Heart problems or brain problems   like brain cancer  ect,,,ect,, I will use the private Dr''s  I just think they have better care  but that's just my opinion.