I know we have veterans here in these forums. Wondering if any of you currently use an VA benefits? I turned 70 last week and never had used the VA till now. One of my prescription medications is Viberzi for IBSD (Irritable Bowel Syndrome). The Viberzi actually works well but is a tier 1 drug. Every new year in January myself and my primary care doctor have to go through the hoops with my supplemental insurance (I have my medicare) to get them to pay and even once that is approved my co-pay is about $622 a month. Last year I had $7,500 out of pocket. That above and over what my wife and I pay for Medicare and the supplement. Friends suggested I go to the VA so I did. Really kind and great people and I enjoyed the environment of other vets, many like myself, old Vietnam guys. Saw my new primary care VA guy yesterday and come to find out all my meds are covered but I will need to see a GI Specialist before I get the Viberzi but I am good with that. I had a full physical yesterday including blood work and also discovered the VA will even provide hearing aids. Anyway I was wondering how many here may be using VA Healthcare here in the US?

Ron

 

I don't think I'm eligible for any VA benefits; I was enlisted RA from 1970-1973, but they didn't send me to Vietnam. Stayed stateside the whole 3 years.

 

I don't think I'm eligible for any VA benefits; I was enlisted RA from 1970-1973, but they didn't send me to Vietnam. Stayed stateside the whole 3 years.

I have friends who got as far as Okinawa and one who never left Camp Lejune NC and they use the VA. Their biggest concern with me was not so much income but that I did serve in Vietnam. I filled out the forms and provided my 214 forms, I have two since I did reenlist. All in all just over 9 years. I was surprised I was eligible for anything. I visited twice for paper work and getting my benefit card, yesterday was my first see a doctor and that doctor and a nice LPN spent over an hour each with me. The one administrator looking at my past out of pocket told me over the past three years I could have saved the $21K i used out of pocket, and hell $7,000 a year buys a nice cruise during these winters.

Ron

 

@Reloadron , I you are unfortunate to get diagnosed with prostate cancer, the VA has a nice benefit for those who served in the Vietnam war zone (agent orange exposure). A friend, who served on a ship, gets the benefit even though he never stepped on land.

@OBW0549, Even if you were stateside, you count as a veteran. Eligibility for medical benefits gets complicated (https://www.va.gov/health-care/eligibility/ ), but it is worth checking out.

 

@OBW0549, Even if you were stateside, you count as a veteran. Eligibility for medical benefits gets complicated (https://www.va.gov/health-care/eligibility/ ), but it is worth checking out.

All vets should get a VA online account if you don't qualify directly today. Income limits and service requirements can change.

 

@Reloadron , I you are unfortunate to get diagnosed with prostate cancer, the VA has a nice benefit for those who served in the Vietnam war zone (agent orange exposure). A friend, who served on a ship, gets the benefit even though he never stepped on land.

@OBW0549, Even if you were stateside, you count as a veteran. Eligibility for medical benefits gets complicated (https://www.va.gov/health-care/eligibility/ ), but it is worth checking out.

My sister married a Marine while she was in the Marines. Mike was an all around great guy. He completed his BS and went LDO (Limited Duty Officer) and made Captain (03). As a young Marine he served two tours in Nam with USMC Force Recon. Mike retired after 20 years as a captain and at retirement was with HMX 1 Quantico (Presidential Helicopter Squadron One) as in charge of security. Mike was really a Marine's Marine.One of the hardest working men I have ever met. Mike retired and there were always two things Mike disliked intensely, that was social workers and lawyers. He got accepted into Virginia Law and became an attorney. I will say he was passionate about the law and well read, the guy loved to read.

Mike, after over 20 years with Steptoe & Johnson (large law firm in West Virginia) started cutting back and looking towards retirement. During a physical a large colon tumor was found but not the common colon cancer, it was the strain of Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma directly attributable to that damn agent orange. It killed him. All of my sister's dreams of their retirement together were gone. I remember Agent Orange coming in to DaNang in 55 gallon drums, it was a powder and got mixed with water. The mixing guys would be covered in the stuff. They stressed it was only harmful to vegetation which it sure as hell was. Even once the truth was known we continued to use it and were fed the lies it was not harmful.

What amazed me is Mike is not the only friend I lost to Agent Orange. There are guys like me in their 60s and 70s just now developing Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma and dying including a few close friends. Oh yeah, my sister gets a monthly check for $1,200 as a surviving widow's benefit. It only cost her her husband. Years ago the government argued these claims but now they have conceded.

Another spooky thing was the damn Camp Lejune water nightmare. I have a close friend who spent his entire 4 years at Lejune and has developed a form of adult Leukemia the same type associated with those who served at Lejune August 1953 through December 1987. How could water quality go unchecked that long?

I always just assumed that VA benefits were reserved for those who retired of were discharged with a service related disability. That's why I never gave the VA a thought. I am glad friends encouraged me to check it out.

<EDIT> just posted and just got a call, March 9th I will see a GI specialist at 9:00 AM. These guys are great and right on things. </EDIT>

Ron

 

Thanks, guys; I'll check it out.