Injured military veterans and private insurance

Munchkin03 · #1 03-20-2009, 09:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by epchick

Now he's suffering complications from those surgeries, but everytime he gets an appointment at VA, it either gets cancelled or postponed (and it's always scheduled 6 months or longer away).

IDK if this is VA or just veteran's benefits in general, but anyone who has family that are recently retired (or about to be retired) need to make sure that the gov't/VA (i'll have to ask my dad which one it is) acknowledges your marriage, and acknowledges your children (and whether or not they are in college).

The cancellations/postponements are a serious problem, and are based more on facilities, but it's a widespread issue. Like I said, I can't imagine how annoying it would be if that was your only source of healthcare.

As far as the marriage/children thing, that is a VA-specific problem, since the DOD keeps pretty good records of marriage and children stuff--they have to for a lot of reasons. I don't think the VA knows or cares about my existence; my father isn't in that bad a condition where they could have gotten financial assistance with college.

AGDee · #2 03-20-2009, 09:48 AM

I should have added that I also know people whose HMOs denied them certain treatments saying that they were things the VA should cover.

Munchkin03 · #3 03-20-2009, 09:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AGDee

I should have added that I also know people whose HMOs denied them certain treatments saying that they were things the VA should cover.

Aren't HMOs known for being horribly restrictive?

AGDee · #4 03-20-2009, 09:55 AM

yes, but if that's the "private insurance" that the VA wants to bill... well, I can see there being big issues. I can see private insurances denying veterans with combat complications coverage, as they do for people with AIDS. It could really be a mess.

Munchkin03 · #5 03-20-2009, 10:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AGDee

yes, but if that's the "private insurance" that the VA wants to bill... well, I can see there being big issues. I can see private insurances denying veterans with combat complications coverage, as they do for people with AIDS. It could really be a mess.

Aren't there forms of private insurance other than HMOs? I've never had an HMO, and I've already had a few insurers between my parents and several employers.

AGDee · #6 03-20-2009, 10:14 AM

HMOs are becoming the prevalent insurer because they are the least expensive. PPOs can be just as restrictive. The only insurer in my area that is common that is NOT an HMO is Blue Cross and they can still be pretty restrictive and they can refuse to pay for things after the fact. The insurance world is a big huge complicated mess, honestly.

AKA_Monet · #7 03-20-2009, 08:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AGDee

I should have added that I also know people whose HMOs denied them certain treatments saying that they were things the VA should cover.

Quote:

Originally Posted by AGDee

HMOs are becoming the prevalent insurer because they are the least expensive. PPOs can be just as restrictive. The only insurer in my area that is common that is NOT an HMO is Blue Cross and they can still be pretty restrictive and they can refuse to pay for things after the fact. The insurance world is a big huge complicated mess, honestly.

I've heard this issue, too... And I have seen where current serving military clinicians are restricted from moonlighting, while there are quite a few who do it, though... Working for the VA has to be a labor of love, 'cuz they sure don't pay much...

epchick · #8 03-20-2009, 12:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Munchkin03

As far as the marriage/children thing, that is a VA-specific problem, since the DOD keeps pretty good records of marriage and children stuff--they have to for a lot of reasons. I don't think the VA knows or cares about my existence; my father isn't in that bad a condition where they could have gotten financial assistance with college.

Ahh thanks for the clarification. Yeah, my dad should be (because of all the combat related issues) almost 100% disabled--in the eyes of VA. But they WILL NOT raise his disability. He has to throw a fit w/ his back & neck surgeon just so his disability could be raised to 40%. He just came back to the VA today and they are thinking of raising it to 60%.

I don't think my dad's condition is that bad, but then again, i'm not in his body. I know that he can't sleep for more than 3 hours w/o getting pains, so he's constantly tired, his hands & feet are completely numb and he can't feel them, and something is constantly hurting him.