Should I drop my medicare supp. and use VA health

[Steve s]

Im 71 and good health and just received my Bankers Fidelity Prim. increase to $250 for g. I was notified several years ago that I qualified for VA Health priority 8 with deductibles. I have trouble making the move because presently I can go to any doctor anywhere in the States that take Medicare vs having to find VA health services. But It sure would be nice to save those premiums! If I dont make the change I will contact Boomer Benefits for price comparisons.
If there are any Veterans here using those benefits, could you let me know how your experience had been? Good or bad. I live in Iowa in a small community so I guess I will have to commute to get VA services. Thank you Steve

 

[ls99]

Some time ago got mailed via Penndot motor vehicles, application for VA health care. Filled it out, was accepted. Then last week got latter informing me that I make too much money, they got my previous years IRS income reports. In the letter I was informed that I am dropped. Though they noted that if I become destitute they will re-instate me.
Meantime the VA is treating border crossers.


Thus, for the OP, they will pull your IRS earnings and will let you know

 

[5Miler]

I turned 70 this past July and have been using the VA for my health care since July of 2014. Living in the Atlanta Metro Area (Duluth) I fortunately have access to the regional hospital and several nearby clinics so health coverage is readily available.

The primary consideration is that VA health coverage is not creditable coverage for Medicare so you must maintain Medicare coverage or you will be liable for the lifetime penalties if you ever wish to enroll in Medicare again. I know many vets have no other coverage as I didn't before becoming eligible for Medicare. Others resort to Medicare Advantage with zero premiums to keep costs low while maintaining Medicare.

VA health coverage does count for creditable coverage where Medicare Part D is concerned so no need to continue that coverage if receiving care via the VA.

I maintain regular Medicare and a United Healthcare Plan G and just enrolled in the cheap Wellcare Part D plan so I would have no issues if for some reason I would lose my VA healthcare benefits.

When I signed up in 2014 my income was under $30K as I was in the early days of my retirement living largely off of after tax funds. The VA is supposed to check income with the IRS annually but either that isn't happening (It is the government after all) or they just don't boot you if already enrolled as my income has gone up significantly due to Roth conversions and SS. I am enrolled as priority 7.

 

[5Miler]

When I did sign up for my Medicare Part D plan with Wellcare, I was notified that I was going to be billed monthly for the late enrollment penalty as I had no creditable drug coverage for the entire 5 1/2 years since I had become Medicare Eligible. I called Wellcare and did a telephone appeal since I had VA coverage the whole time and my appeal was approved within a few days so no late enrollment penalties. Medicare has since notified me my monthly charge of $0.50 will be taken from my SS payment with no penalties.

 

[grayv]

if possible, try out VA healthcare before cancelling anything. especially if cancelling something that you cannot get back.


many locations have medicare advantage plans with "give back". this is a rebate, and would lower the cost of keeping medicare.


btw, for vets using VA healthcare, they have a very nice ER and urgent care benefit. for the urgent care benefit, you have to use one in the VA network. I recommend finding which ER s and Urgent Cares are in the VA network and near your home/work.

 

[Steve s]

Thanks for the replies. In the past I have received income verification checks from the VA and was notified I would have to pay the deductible. Should I change to VA I was planning to keep my medicare A&B was just planning to save the supplement G payment.
One concern I have is since it is the low priority 8 and the VA for some reason unqualifies me due to Budget cuts would I be treated the same as an individual where his supplement plan has been discontinued and is eligible to the same treatment as open enrollment there by avoiding underwriting?
Thanks again
steve

 

[Donno]

Im 71 and good health and just received my Bankers Fidelity Prim. increase to $250 for g. I was notified several years ago that I qualified for VA Health priority 8 with deductibles. I have trouble making the move because presently I can go to any doctor anywhere in the States that take Medicare vs having to find VA health services. But It sure would be nice to save those premiums! If I dont make the change I will contact Boomer Benefits for price comparisons.
If there are any Veterans here using those benefits, could you let me know how your experience had been? Good or bad. I live in Iowa in a small community so I guess I will have to commute to get VA services. Thank you Steve

If you're in good health, you may be able to pass underwriting and change your supplement plan to a lower cost plan like an N plan with a different company. I would definitely look into it, it doesn't cost anything to browse.

 

[Out of Steam]

I wouldn't. You may not get the choice of going to a VA hospital if you're not near a VA hospital when you get sick, or not in a condition to tell someone where you should go for treatment. The second happened to a friend of my father's.

Using VA care as an option to find a less expensive Medigap plan seems reasonable.

 

[ivinsfan]

Thanks for the replies. In the past I have received income verification checks from the VA and was notified I would have to pay the deductible. Should I change to VA I was planning to keep my medicare A&B was just planning to save the supplement G payment.
One concern I have is since it is the low priority 8 and the VA for some reason unqualifies me due to Budget cuts would I be treated the same as an individual where his supplement plan has been discontinued and is eligible to the same treatment as open enrollment there by avoiding underwriting?
Thanks again
steve

Unless you can't afford the medicare supplement payment, i can't see a huge benefit to your changing. I'm assuming your plan was to use the unspent G payment for your copays for the VA. That would work. Have you searched on the VA website for co clinics and such in your area. In MN we have quite a few local VA clinics. Only you can decide if it worth it.

 

[ivinsfan]

I wouldn't. You may not get the choice of going to a VA hospital if you're not near a VA hospital when you get sick, or not in a condition to tell someone where you should go for treatment. The second happened to a friend of my father's.

Using VA care as an option to find a less expensive Medigap plan seems reasonable.

What happened with this gentleman...in an actual emergency VA will usually cover bills like this.

 

[5Miler]

There is no downside to going online and completing the application for your VA health services which would quickly eliminate any doubt about eligibility. When I applied in 2014, I completed the online application over the weekend and received a call on the very next Monday letting me know I had been approved and had coverage.

You living in a small community with limited access to local VA services would be my biggest concern. Although the VA has implemented a program to provide community based medical services in situations where there were long waits for an appointment or long travel distances were involved, I was just reading a article this morning about a VA study that found this policy was not having the intended results. The study concluded the health outcomes were significantly below those of VA provided services due to, among other things, fraud.

https://washingtonmonthly.com/2024/01/03/vas-private-health-plan-faces-huge-cost-overruns/

Surprising as it may seem, since the VA does not monitor health procedures once the community health resource takes over, patients are frequently over prescribed and/or subjected to higher cost or unnecessary tests/procedures. VA staff is all salaried and most community based health care providers are motivated to generate revenue.

I will say that I have used community based services once for a couple of MOHS procedures for cancer on my nose and had no complaints. I did see a copy of the payment to the provider and it looked legit to me but what the heck to do I know. They could just be one of the good providers.

 

[Gumby]

....
Meantime the VA is treating border crossers.
...

Actually, it's not. Pursuant to a long standing (since 2002) agreement between ICE and the VA, the VA merely provides claims processing services to ICE. The VA does not provide or fund any health care to immigrants. See this article for more information. https://www.foxnews.com/politics/va...-scrutiny-advocates-border-crisis-intensifies Don't let people get you spun up with false information.

 

[ls99]

^^^ Thanks for the correction.


Though from the same article:
"But the arrangement has surprised some advocates for veterans, as well as ICE and Border Patrol agents Fox News Digital spoke to who are themselves veterans. VA officials were also asked about the arrangement at a Senate hearing last month by Sen. Jerry Moran, R-Kan., and said they were not aware of it." See hearing @00.31 of the video.

 

[ivinsfan]

^^^ Thanks for the correction.


Though from the same article:
"But the arrangement has surprised some advocates for veterans, as well as ICE and Border Patrol agents Fox News Digital spoke to who are themselves veterans. VA officials were also asked about the arrangement at a Senate hearing last month by Sen. Jerry Moran, R-Kan., and said they were not aware of it." See hearing @00.31 of the video.

You know a lot of posters including myself come here for advice on VA care and cost. Would you mind not going down this road as it adds no value

 

[braumeister]

I'm a long time user of VA healthcare, and have always found it very good. But I only use it as a supplement to my primary coverage (now Medicare/TFL).

For the most part, I just go in for a checkup once a year, and I would encourage anyone eligible to do the same. One good reason is that showing up every year or two keeps you in your local VA region's "active" list, and helps with their financing. I believe it's important to keep your local clinic/hospital funded so they can better treat those who really need their services.

 

[ivinsfan]

I'm a long time user of VA healthcare, and have always found it very good. But I only use it as a supplement to my primary coverage (now Medicare/TFL).

For the most part, I just go in for a checkup once a year, and I would encourage anyone eligible to do the same. One good reason is that showing up every year or two keeps you in your local VA region's "active" list, and helps with their financing. I believe it's important to keep your local clinic/hospital funded so they can better treat those who really need their services.

Is TFL your Medicare supp. I don't know the initials.

 

[braumeister]

Yes, Tricare For Life (TFL) is essentially a Medicare supplement. It pays what Medicare doesn't. I'm retired military.

 

[grayv]

unqualifies me due to Budget cuts would I be treated the same as an individual where his supplement plan has been discontinued and is eligible to the same treatment as open enrollment there by avoiding underwriting?

I don't know, but I doubt it. VA is not considered insurance.

 

[ncbill]

Im 71 and good health and just received my Bankers Fidelity Prim. increase to $250 for g. I was notified several years ago that I qualified for VA Health priority 8 with deductibles. I have trouble making the move because presently I can go to any doctor anywhere in the States that take Medicare vs having to find VA health services. But It sure would be nice to save those premiums! If I dont make the change I will contact Boomer Benefits for price comparisons.
If there are any Veterans here using those benefits, could you let me know how your experience had been? Good or bad. I live in Iowa in a small community so I guess I will have to commute to get VA services. Thank you Steve

Does your state have the birthday rule?

If so you could alway drop without having to pass underwriting from G to a lesser plan like N, or G-HD if you can handle the max OOP.