Posted on Apr 27, 2020
CPL Michael E. R.
3.17K
29
22
2
2
0
Fd46ec9a
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.
Avatar feed
Responses: 5
SGT Robert Pryor
6
6
0
Edited 4 y ago
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.
(6)
Comment
(0)
SGT Robert Pryor
SGT Robert Pryor
4 y
CPL Michael E. R. - I can see you and I have way more in common than you might realize. My 15 year-old daughter is not my biological daughter and I have spent tens of thousands of dollars fighting her birth mother. The courts here in Texas have little sympathy for guys like you and me. After two different law firms told me I couldn't win, my wife and I prepared to accept the inevitable. But my daughter, 13 at the time, did the impossible, fought harder than anyone, and we, make that SHE, won. Now bio-mom is just filing frivolous motions to make out lives miserable, but my soon to 16 year-old daughter gives the finger to bio-mom and the courts. The judge threatened my daughter last December for refusing to see bio-mom and my daughter's response was, "Bring it on." My daughter figures she has the father and mother she wants in my wife and me, and is close enough to the finish line to crap in anyone's mess kit that stands in her way. Good luck with your niece. I know from first hand experience you'll needed it.
(0)
Reply
(0)
Cpl Thom Famularo
Cpl Thom Famularo
4 y
You will have co-pays until you hit 50%. Talk to a Service Officer at the VA. I've had the best experience with the American Legion. After you've submitted a reasonable claim, and been turned down, you can start talking to your Congress Critter. And always file a disagreement when you are denied. It will help make your point with the Congressman.
(2)
Reply
(0)
CPL Michael E. R.
CPL Michael E. R.
3 y
SGT Robert Pryor - Just a very late update. I did get guardian ship of my niece. She went from 350 pounds to 140 pounds and from 7 medications to just 1 for allergies. Cov19 delayed the process but I found a nice ranch in East Texas ( Mt. Pleasant) and we moved about a month ago.
Good news bad news: I was suppose to close on the sale of my house in Houston today but Sunday a pipe in the attack burst flooding the walls and all but one room. The good news is that my niece and my 3 dogs were not hurt since they were here with me in the new house, I am also thankful that my large and valuable comic book collection was moved already, also the man buying the property still wants it after I repair . Lastly great job on the love and teaching of your daughter... You must be super proud because I got proud chills just hearing the story ... Stay Frosty!
(0)
Reply
(0)
CPL Michael E. R.
CPL Michael E. R.
3 y
Cpl Thom Famularo - Great advice .. Thank you .. I will do that very thing once were settled in from the move
(0)
Reply
(0)
Avatar small
SrA Ronald Moore
3
3
0
Apply for all the Beni fits offer, that are yours to have
(3)
Comment
(0)
CPL Michael E. R.
CPL Michael E. R.
4 y
Copy that SrA Moore ... Thank you ... more important then any of this... all of you stay alert, stay hopeful, stay healthy and alive :)
(1)
Reply
(0)
SrA Ronald Moore
SrA Ronald Moore
4 y
Thanks for sharing, butitusuallyworksout thatyou turnout nedingthe benefits, more so after you get it ausethe life it’s is a less structured life, and one is more prone to over do it, See what brights are left for you, apply and still stay abreast to taking care of your self.Example, I never figured I would need medical benefits, but later I had to have double hernia surgery and thenRight rotor culp surgery and I was strong as an ox,Stay safe out there.CPL Michael E. R.
(1)
Reply
(0)
SrA Ronald Moore
SrA Ronald Moore
4 y
Correction : But it turns out that you need medical benefits more so after you get out of the more structured life style....SrA Ronald Moore
(1)
Reply
(0)
CPL Michael E. R.
CPL Michael E. R.
3 y
SrA Ronald Moore - TRUTH !!!!I finally got my new place
(0)
Reply
(0)
Avatar small
PO3 Phyllis Maynard
3
3
0
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.
(3)
Comment
(0)
SGT Robert Pryor
SGT Robert Pryor
4 y
PO3 Phyllis Maynard, here's a little more information that may be of benefit to CPL Michael E. R. and others facing similar situations: https://www.va.gov/health-care/eligibility/priority-groups/
(1)
Reply
(0)
PO3 Phyllis Maynard
PO3 Phyllis Maynard
4 y
SGT Robert Pryor absolutely, during, I believe, former President Clinton's administration, the Veteran Health Care access was placed on an eligibility criteria that essentially examines income, if the veteran is not service connected.
(2)
Reply
(0)
CPL Michael E. R.
CPL Michael E. R.
4 y
Thank you so much for he advice PO3 Maynard & SGT Pryor. I keep putting myself on the back burner and I get frustrated because I work hard . pay my taxes, chair for my precinct....... anyway, what I mean is I keep my word and do the right thing. OOPS almost dropped them in the grease. Someone I know makes more then I do , they dont pay taxes, or their child support ( not that I have any of that ) and they get their FULL no pay anything benefits ,and he got his VA card 6 months after me because I pushed him to get it.
(0)
Reply
(0)
Avatar small

Join nearly 2 million former and current members of the US military, just like you.

close