I am by no means an expert on the VA or it’s health care system. However, given the recent controversy, especially the delay in veterans receiving care, I thought I do some checking.
The fact is virtually any veteran can receive care through the system. Health care does not have to be related to a service related injury or illness, you don’t have to be retired from the military, you don’t have to be low income and you can have other health insurance.
The system was set up before Medicare and Medicaid existed, before there was wide-spread employer based coverage and certainly before the Affordable Care Act.
To illustrate eligibility I went on the VA website and put in some information to check eligibility. I used my military record and constructed an income structure.
So, I answered “no” to all the following questions: POW, service related condition, VA pension, Purple Heart, discharged with disability, Medicaid, discharged in last 5 years, served in Vietnam or Southeast Asia, exposed to nuclear tests, Medal of Honor winner.
I entered three dependents, a $70,000 income, $3,000 in medical expenses , $500,000 in the bank and $400,000 in home equity.
The calculator said I was eligible for benefits including:
Medical, dental, eyeglasses, hearing aids, home improvement for medical care needs up to $2,000, no premium, a $1184 hospital deductible for 90-days inpatient and $10 a day co-pay, primary care for $15, specialty care for $50 and $9.00 for a prescription.
On top of direct VA care is TRICARE, the health insurance plan for active military and their families and retirees. This program has several options and can be a quite generous program. For example:
Tricare for Life was first incorporated as part of the then-seven regional Managed Care Support Contracts of Tricare in May 2001. The benefit was enacted by Congress in response to growing complaints from beneficiaries that as Medicare out of pocket costs increased a benefit was needed to pay these costs in lieu of Tricare retirees being required to purchase Medicare Supplemental Coverage to pay for prescriptions, physician and hospital dispensed drugs, cost shares and deductibles. Source:Wikipedia
I have to ask why a military retiree or reservist retiree should receive this level of benefit and not be subject to deductible and co-pays or purchase supplemental coverage like other Americans? But here is the real point …
Shouldn’t the VA hospital system focus on providing the best care and most efficient care to our wounded veterans and those suffering service related illness, including mental health issues?
Why should any veteran without such conditions and not retired from service receive any benefits from the VA health care system? Veterans like me who served a couple of years or perhaps a couple of tours are no different than other Americans and should receive health care through one of the systems we all use, Medicare, Medicaid, employer-based private coverage, an Affordable Care Act Exchange or individual coverage.
In fact, one can argue that any veteran for any condition should have a choice of health care plans beyond the VA with a mechanism for the government to reimburse for service connected care.
A lot has changed since 1930 when VA hospitals were established. Isn’t it time to rethink our priorities and how to best meet the health care needs of veterans living with injury and illness incurred serving their country?
QUINNSCOMMENTARY 
We join the Service for 4 years not knowing if a War is going to break out during our Time in service and just because we are not all screwed up from the service this jerk wants to take away the one simple thing we get. We already have Obama screwing with our lives now this clown wants to jump on the band wagon I just don’t understand what this world is coming to. I can tell you I live strictly off Social Security and don’t make $70,000 a year as this man say he put in his report I make $20520 a Year.
LikeLike
And what makes you different from all other Americans your age who have Medicare and pay for supplemental coverage and live off Social Security?
LikeLike
Mr. Quinn I usually (>90% of the time) agree with what you put in your blog. Today, I am a little confused by what I read. I am assuming you want to do away with Tricare For Life because a military retiree or reservist does not pay a deductible or copay and why should we be any different than the general populace. First let me say I learned something today. I never knew I was elegible for the VA even if I did not have a service related injury. Now why am I different…(a subjective view of course)…I am a 20yr Navy retiree, two tours off Vietnam picking up downed pilots, moved myself and my family every 2-3 yrs to a new and uncertain place, sometimes living in conditions now called “ghetto”, made many dollars less than $70,000 or anything close to it, started my civilian career yrs after you and others graduated college, and ended up with a small IRA and Social Security (please remember this is on lesser pay than many many others, and thus a smaller check). The income, savings in the bank, and home equity you state in your column is/was a dream for me. I hope you are lucky enough to have those $$ figures in your life but most of the retired enlisted I know just dreamt of those. The government upon my elistment “promised” me health care when I retired. At age 18 that went in one ear and out the other, until the birth of my son. If I remember correctly, I earned $75 per month and the birth of my son cost $25. My friends have Medicare, as I do. They also have an Advantage program that they pay a monthly premium in addition to their Medicare costs (annual deductible and co pays) and if the administration has its way (through Obamacare?) the Advantage programs are on their way out. Am I privileged, NO, did I sacrifice some, YES, do I deserve what I have (Tricare for Life), I like to believe I do but there are others out there, like yourself, questioning why. I am just like everyone else, if the govt makes a promise than keep it. I did for 20yrs they can until I am 6ft under. Thank you for listening.
LikeLike
I am on no way saying TRICARE should be eliminated nor am I saying retired military do not deserve medical benefits. However, there is no reason for a military retiree to be treated differently than others with Medicare many of whom don’t even have a pension.
Dick
Richard D Quinn Quinnscommentary.com
>
LikeLike
I’m sorry but I disagree with you on this one. We don’t do enough for the men and women who volunteer to defend this great nation and potentially put themselves in harms way. Most of us never made that sacrifice and for that the least this country could do is provide good, cheap healthcare for them (yes, better than average). this is not the crux of our healthcare problems.
LikeLike
There are some things like this issue where we can’t separate emotion and perception from logic. There are many types of veterans. Those who volunteered and served in combat or an area of risk deserve the utmost consideration. At the other end are people like me who joined the national guard for six years and ended up on active duty for two years, but never left the country. There are those who joined for three or four years, but never left the US or served around the world in peacetime or out of harms way. There are those who were drafted, did their duty for two years and got on with their lives. Military service was once thought of as an obligation of citizenship, not something special providing benefits for a lifetime. Retired military were promised health care and should receive what they were promised, but there is no reason that should be greater than others (except service related care) and certainly anyone with service connected conditions should receive free care for life. Without setting reasonable priorities, we end up short changing the most deserving.
LikeLike