Is there anything I can do to eliminate having co-pays for care from the VA?

CPL Michael E. R. — Mon, 27 Apr 2020 01:01:04 -0400

Hello my brethren, I am finally asking a question for me. I never used my VA medical benefits for the first 15 years after I got out I enjoyed a healthy preventive lifestyle. healthy diet, exercise, etc.etc. about the only problem I had were my knees, but having a very high pain tolerance and a couple of Ibuprofen I would fight through and after a week or so things were back to normal .anyway a about 3 years ago the leg buckles coming down stairs at the gym and I finally go to the Va . You all know the drill.get the card... told my knee has to be totally replaced ( honestly the actual work was amazing TY VA) get told along the way I am diabetic... I am shocked... how is this so? I am mr super health. well they say I am genetically predisposed. Metformin in the morning, atorvastin (sp) at night for cholesterol since your diabetics and for good measure some kind of super D vit once a week ( are you friggin kidding me? ) nope oh and by the way, how much do you make a year?
hHey Y’all,

I am finally asking a question for me. I never used my VA medical benefits for the first 15 years after I left the service. I enjoyed a healthy preventive lifestyle. healthy diet, exercise, etc.etc. about the only problem I had were my knees, but having a very high pain tolerance and a couple of Ibuprofen I would fight through and after a week or so things were back to normal .anyway a about 3 years ago the leg buckles coming down stairs at the gym and I finally go to the Va . You all know the drill.get the card... told my knee has to be totally replaced ( honestly the actual work was amazing TY VA) get told along the way I am diabetic... I am shocked... how is this so? I am super healthy. well they say I am genetically predisposed. Metformin in the morning, atorvastatin at night for cholesterol since your diabetics and for good measure some kind of super D vit once a week ( are you friggin kidding me? ) nope oh and by the way, how much do you make a year? mmm in the 40's I say why????
well... back around 08 during the Obama admin they change the rules so anyone making over 31K a year has a copay . what!!! but I ETS way before that. yeah but you didn't get your card until 2015-16 ...so what it was promised when I served . I say
They say talk to my congressman and hope this new guy Donald Trump wins the election. somewhere along this process... someone asked me if I wanted to claim disability. I said I am not disabled .I walk fine and I didnt want to take anything especially from some poor vet that really needs it
. I spend the next couple of years co paying for every visit and pill . I am more focused on my mamas and sister probate and final wishes and defying the odds to get the courts to grant me guardianship for my niece. me a single guy , never any kids of my own. not the easiest sell.but I wasn't going to accept defeat , she and her brother are all the family I have left unless you count my biological father in college station who left when I was 4 but .. I digress. I am currently attempting to get us a ranch and every dollar and penny counts right now. and have time on my hands like many of us do and wondered with my situation is there anything I could do or am I just stuck? DAMN I just read this and that's the thing with us Texas vets , were the most loquacious lot of the bunch. But y’all came this far .. so thank you for at least reading . Be smart, stay healthy, stay hopeful, stay alive.

Response by SGT Robert Pryor made Apr 27 at 2020 1:07 AM

SGT Robert Pryor — Mon, 27 Apr 2020 01:07:58 -0400

If you were ever sick or injured, you may be able to file a claim for service connection, even if it is not to a compensable degree it comes with benefits. At 10% or above you get rid of the co-pay.
Oh, and Congress can change the rules on vet's benefits anytime they wish. Our benefits are not protected by the Constitution.

Response by PO3 Phyllis Maynard made Apr 27 at 2020 4:05 AM

PO3 Phyllis Maynard — Mon, 27 Apr 2020 04:05:33 -0400

CPL Michael E. R. referring to SGT Robert Pryor I agree that you should file a claim for service connected illness or injury. Order your military records both medical and health. Read through them to see what ailments you were ever treated. Write them down. I was a Disabled American Veterans Service Officer (DAV) for 13 years. For seven years I have retired my volunteer status of working with veterans. But when I was actively involved, it was a very good veterans service organization. But you can always go to your VA Medical Center and ask if they have an in-house claims representative that can assist you.

Response by SrA Ronald Moore made Apr 27 at 2020 5:07 AM

SrA Ronald Moore — Mon, 27 Apr 2020 05:07:57 -0400

Apply for all the Beni fits offer, that are yours to have

Response by LTC Private RallyPoint Member made Apr 30 at 2020 1:03 PM

LTC Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 30 Apr 2020 13:03:21 -0400

I didn't even know people went to the VA who didn't have a service connected disability. I wouldn't go there of my own free will

Response by Cpl Ernest Thomas made Apr 30 at 2020 6:30 PM

Cpl Ernest Thomas — Thu, 30 Apr 2020 18:30:24 -0400

My 2 cents. Go through your medical records with a VSO and a fine tooth comb. File for everything. The copay goes away 3 ways. 1. Anything service connected is exempt from a copay. 2. Making less than the national poverty level and filing a request for copay waiver can eliminate the copay. 3. A VA rating of 50% or more eliminates the copay for everything.

That said, a VA rating of 30% or more gets you travel pay (@ 41.5 cents per mile) for your scheduled VA appointments.