Where do you get VA health care?

[JimFitz]

Thanks very much for a very informative email. And thank you very much for your many years of service for our veterans!!!!!

[Terry Luther]

I put 22.5 years in a combination of the USN and USAF. The Va won't even talk to me about health care. They say I have too much income!
On my own I think they would take me, but my wife is retired civil service. WE are both drawing retirements from the government plus Social Security. ergo too much income.
Does anyone else have these retirement incomes and still get service from the VA?

[JimFitz]

Originally Posted by Terry Luther

I put 22.5 years in a combination of the USN and USAF. The Va won't even talk to me about health care. They say I have too much income!
On my own I think they would take me, but my wife is retired civil service. WE are both drawing retirements from the government plus Social Security. ergo too much income.
Does anyone else have these retirement incomes and still get service from the VA?

How long since you have talked to them? I think a year or 2 ago they did away with the income requirements. So you might want to go see them again. I'm a retired 05 and I get all of my care at the VA in Portland

[Steve_Elliott]

VA Health Care is a contradiction in terms.

[MontyPP]

What JimFitz said. Plus why not use TRICARE and Medicare plus the Gov employee health insurance?

[lcangler]

Originally Posted by Terry Luther

I put 22.5 years in a combination of the USN and USAF. The Va won't even talk to me about health care. They say I have too much income!
On my own I think they would take me, but my wife is retired civil service. WE are both drawing retirements from the government plus Social Security. ergo too much income.
Does anyone else have these retirement incomes and still get service from the VA?

I do constituent work dealing with VA for a congressman. VA still uses the Priority Codes system to classify veterans for eligibility for VA healthcare. You likely fall under priority code 8 e or g. See link: https://www.va.gov/HEALTHBENEFITS/re...ity_groups.asp

[spock123]

Originally Posted by Terry Luther

I put 22.5 years in a combination of the USN and USAF. The Va won't even talk to me about health care. They say I have too much income!

On my own I think they would take me, but my wife is retired civil service. WE are both drawing retirements from the government plus Social Security. ergo too much income.

Does anyone else have these retirement incomes and still get service from the VA?

What you can do is go to the VA and apply for disability, apply for ringing in your ears. It’s only 10% but it will get you in the door at the VA. I’m retired army and social security plus I’m one day older than 65. I don’t use the VA, I could , I’m 100% disabled. That’s what I was told when I first applied that I made to much money.

[Mad Cow]

Originally Posted by Steve_Elliott

VA Health Care is a contradiction in terms.

I generally have felt that way to, but time has caused me to realize that even in that web of bureaucracy there are some folks inside the system that actually do care and try the best they can.

I have pretty much avoided the VA since the 70's. That era left too many scars both in service and out of service to want to play around with the VA system. I was given a medical retirement from the Army, but I even avoided using the old Champus and then Tricare up till the time that Obummercare mandate took hold and drove my insurance premiums into the stratosphere. So now doing the Tricare thing, but will switch over to Medicare and Tricare for Life soon.

Kind of off topic a little, but a movie called "Article 99" hits the VA pretty hard. They do take some liberties in the film, but they hit more than they miss. It has come as close as anything to what I remember of the VA from my younger days. I have no idea if it comes close to the VA of today.

[BuzzWolfAR]

I've had excellent are from the VA for more than 40 years.

Great care in California, now in Arkansas. I have a 60% service connected disability and they have been great.

[CaptnJohn]

Here is my story ~~ Discharged in 1968. At the VA I had a great doctor but the system sucked. Dr said if he would admit me the rating would go from 10% to over 50% where it should be. I ran.
In 2002 I got a letter for a physical and assigned a primary. By 2003 up to 40% and stopped using outside doctors. Retired federal and kept the healthcare so now have Medicare part A and that along with the VA. Between the clinic and Cleveland hospital I was very pleased. Now use a clinic in NC and could not be happier.