Obamacare and veteran healthcare
I’ve had some questions about ObamaCare since this whole thing began, but I guess they had to pass it to see what’s in the bill as some famous crone said once. Mostly, I was concerned that since veterans don’t really pay much for VA and Tricare, are we going to be hit with penalties? Well, Ex-PH2 got a brochure from the VA that says we’re covered in that regard;
I’m guessing that Tricare will cover us, too. But the Military Times is less certain about that. I get the sense that the Department of Defense will try to push military retirees into ObamaCare eventually, but in the near term, it’s relatively secure. Well, until the hammer drops.
Category: Veteran Health Care
I’m taking this at its face value. If you aren’t enrolled in VA health care, then get the application and fill it out. Never mind what your claim level is, just get enrolled.
And while I’m on it, the VA should be allowed to charge Medicare for anything it covers for senior veterans. That’s an oversight. I’m putting something together, short, sweet and to the point. 🙂
I got the same letter.
At the time the health care bill was passed, Army Times reported that there was language in the bill that specifically said that TRICARE met the requirements of the bill, and is not to be considered a “gold plated” plan. The idea was that a) that would prevent them from having to pass additional legislation directing that things that are not (or are) covered by TRICARE currently be adjusted to comply with requirements in the law, and that b) retirees wouldn’t get slapped with the fee (tax?) for having a health care plan that was too generous.
I received the letter as well. As a disabled Vet, I was more concerned about the cost to print and mail the worthless letter, the third grade grammer, and what will happen to my private insurance (govt controlled).
I suspect I will get letter soon notifying me that because the VA is a qualified health plan my private insurance will be cancelled by the government so 3 hood rats, a crack dealer, 7 illegal Mexicans, and 4 teenager single mothers with multiple children for different fathers can get health care according to the Bill of Rights.
@MCPO. You probably have no worries. Remember that DOD wants to raise the cost of TRICARE for “working age” retirees so that we will use private insurance instead of government supplied health care. I imagine they’d do the same thing with VA. Apparently the idea that some of us, after 20 or 30 years, would want to stay in a system we actually understand and can maneuver through rather than switch to some new system. But then, what do I know? I’m just a military retiree, taking from the government when I could be buying my own care. Sigh . . .
I got the same brochure and letter, called the number listed and got a guy who was not employed by the VA, never served, was not a veteran of anything who told me that if I didn’t want the VA to be my healthcare agency I did not have to use them.
The same VA that has been denying, delaying and hoping veterans die before they help them. Or as the hearing aid audiologist stated before giving my one millionth hearing test and fifth set of hearing aids for my service connected hearing loss “Just to see if you are FAKING IT” ie the hearing loss I gained at 17 and was informed about at my RELACDU physical some four years later and 43 years ago.
“FAKING IT”, How would you like your everyday government franchised Obama healthcare provider saying you are faking your illness when you go in for treatment?
Lets not forget the VAMC in Decatur currently under fire for causing veteran patients deaths. Do I want them as my healthcare specialist?
No.
I go to dermatology for a presistant and chronic skin rash I got while in service.
Service connect also everytime I break out and go to Derma they say, “Well, that’s not what you got and we won’t treat it also YOUR FAKING IT!”
They do give me disability for this but have never, ever treated it.
Phuc the V.A.
Push veterans into Obamacare? Close. More like push veterans and retirees out of Tricare and into a very, very expensive insurance plan. Not that there will be many hospitals left open.
BOHICA… and the hits just keep on coming.