Injured military veterans and private insurance

[Munchkin03]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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.

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...

[UGAalum94]

I'm bumping with this link. It's not directly connected to the topic of the thread but it's connected to VA hospitals and quality of care, etc. I glanced at recent topics to see if it was listed but didn't see it. I apologize if this duplicates a discussion elsewhere.

Three patients treated at VA facilities have tested positive for HIV after being treated with equipment that the VA hadn't properly sterilized.

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/...I6AlAD97KFK101

As the article notes, they don't have proof that the patients contracted HIV at the facilities.

ETA: The article says something about around 5,000 people having already been notified of their follow up test results. Am I correct is assuming they mean the HIV test results? If so, isn't 3 in 5,000 a really low HIV rate by any standard? (We've got about 300 million folks in the US, and I think that the estimates are that about 1 million are living with HIV, right?) I'm not suggesting that it means the VA issues aren't a problem or anything nuts like that. I just found the rate kind of interesting. I guess people careful enough about their health to submit to colonoscopies are living really low risk lives for the most part.