3 Mistakes Veterans Make With Medicare

3 Mistakes Veterans Make with Medicare

Here is our webpage explaining Medicare for Veterans:

Click here for my full-length Medicare 101 seminar:

Download the 2021 Medigap guide here:

Ron Ray is a licensed insurance agent with Turning 65 Solutions.

He specializes in helping people who are turning 65 get the education they need to make a wise Medicare decision.

He is not affiliated with or endorsed by Medicare or the federal government. Texas insurance license #1564340​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​.

[rayhageman]

I am a 60% disabled Veteran. I had Robotic Prostate surgery and they were happy to do it. I was on the table for 7.5 hrs and they spared the nerves. They treated me well.

[Donald-cz]

I'm a veteran enrolled in the VA healthcare system with no service disability and they do cover for prostate procedures I just have to copay only since I'm over the income threshold

[dennissutton]

Took me 37 years….now the VA takes good care of me….100%

[multitieredinvestor]

I am 100% disabled plus I receive SMC housebound. I receive Care in the Community - cardiology, urology and sleep. I am a retired Army Officer.

[MAtildaMortuaryserver]

I am a 100% disabled vet and opted out of Medicare. Of course I do have part A but do not need it. Everyone on disability gets part A automatically. I turn 65 in less than 2 months and I have had about average 3 or 4 pieces of mail every day the USPS delivers it trying to get me to get on one plan or another, started about in November, and even had phone calls trying to get me to sign up. Of course, I have the VA with no premiums, no copays, no deductibles, I do not pay for tests, diagnostics, prescriptions, dental, or eyeglasses. If I need hearing aids those will also be free, as well as medical devices. If I am sick or injured outside the VA system they will also cover that. In mid 2021 I had aortobifemoral bypass surgery and just all the appointments and tests leading up to it would have been somewhere around 80 or 90 thousand in billings, the surgery itself at least a quarter million and probably a lot more since I was supposed to be on the operating table 4-6 hours but was in the OR for 12 hours, then ICU for 12 days, and then on the ward for another more than 2 weeks, then in a nursing home for a month and a day. My bill, zero. Given my social security is only $1, 300 per month I do not know how I could possibly pay a Medicare premium out of that and still get by, in fact if I had to get by on just that I would be eating in a soup kitchen and living under a bridge.

[boobear]

I am a veteran with 60% disability so the VA covers 100% of everything but dental. My biggest is I have had chronic hives for over three years now. They put me on steroids which has caused heart problems, diabetics, kidney dysfunction (down to 45%), weight gain (50 lbs) and swollen feet and ankles. My main problem is that I have had seven doctors in the last year, some I never got to see before they left and all have different opinions. So I never get any progress to get better.

[dragracingwithmary]

They are covering my spouse's cancer treatment through Community Care, they also covered both of his pacemakers & the hospitalizations at non-VA facilities.

[DIAMONDGIRL]

What does a veteran do if he is still working at age 65?

[larrylynn]

I realize the is a year old; but as a Veteran on Social Security and 70+years old. I filed a10-10E Z. Granted I'm working on my disability. But still get all kinds of medical treatment through the V.A. Clinic, Plus 5 surgeries, from time of enrollment. At no cost to me,

[tomschmidt]

Late to the party but good advice.

I'm a Vietnam vet, I signed up with the VA years ago but have never used them and rely on my Medicare and supplement. It is nice having VA benefits as a backup. When I applied learned the VA ranks (triage) vets into classification based on disability and service.

[daviddobson]

I am a veteran and to years ago I was diagnosed with cancer and the VA took care of mine.

[californiaslastgasp]

Either than vet is lying to you or you misunderstood him. Just because the VBA denied him service-connection doesn’t mean that the VHA won’t treat him. This is close to slander. What might have happened is that the VHA doctors told him that his prostate cancer is Stage I and very slow growing, so it doesn’t need to be treated. He didn’t like hearing that.

[calbob]

I retired from the Air National Guard after 22 years and 4 years AD. At 65 I bought a zero premium Medicare advantage plan. TFL was secondary. Did not use VA. I had a year of serious medical issues and hospitalization. Hundreds of thousands of dollars care and treatment.
Bottom line. With the Medicare advantage plan and TFL secondary……zero out of pocket.!!!

[roberts.]

My prostate issues are currently and effectively being treated by the VA. In my case there has never been a denial of coverage, never a maybe or lets wait and see. Options were articulated early and concisely and once my course of treatment was determined there was never any question about coverage.

Not sure why this person you mentioned is having issues but it seems like a worst-case scenario. Things like this can and do happen often in the civilian world as well, for example; when my brother was diagnosed with leukemia a private insurer denied the only medication he responded well to as being experimental. The doctor would not discharge him from the hospital until the insurer agreed to continue with the life saving treatments.

So, this is not a VA problem specifically as denial of treatment can just as easily and probably more often occur from a civilian insurer providing an Advantage plan. You have to remember insurance companies are for profit and the VA is non-profit. Right there that tells you something about the chance of denial of benefits.

There are many veterans satisfied with VA healthcare and the constant drumbeat to sell advantage or supplement plans goes on with the cherry picking of certain situations such as was portrayed in this video.

[kevinbush]

Dude. I heard you talk about the VA and the care vets recieve. What is VERY important what % a veteran has and for what. Are they 100% P&T? Also is the vet rated for the condition they are getting treatment for? Are they getting treated based on income? Those are all important questions and with the example you gave you did not give enough detail to make the broad sweeping statements you did regarding at least one you three mistakes you mentioned..

[dimasgarcia-utfy]

Knowledge is Power and the information provided in this video serves its purposes to an extent!
First of all, the scenario used in the video is misleading. The video is about VA benefits working in conjunction with Medicare.
I worked and retired from the VA after 20 years (Health Administration) so l gained extensive knowledge pertaining to VA benefits. There’s a humongous difference between having a service condition of Cancer and receiving treatment vs being diagnosed with Cancer and trying to make the condition a service connected disability in order to receive treatment and compensation. It’s not the same!
My point is the VA in any case, will never tell a veteran “ you are on your own “. With or without Medicare coverage, the patient is entitled to proper treatment. A patient who’s Cancer is service connected will have no copays to make, a patient who’s Cancer is not service connected will have a copay but that’s it all….

[paulthomasshepherd]

You have avoided covering veterans who are 100 percent Service Connected Disabled Veterans.

[TheShadowman]

Need to cover information when married (as most are). I’m 100 P&T enrolled in VA w Tricare for Life. Also have Medicare as does wife. Wife wants supplemental so we can get Silver Sneakers.

[FrankieAngels]

I have TRICARE For Life plus Medicare parts A & B. I have 80% VA disability after five years of appeals. I am 67 years old.

Can I put the VA in my rear view mirror or am I required to get a physical or checkup at least once a year? I’m really sick of the VA and, now that I’ve won my case, I’d rather not deal with them ever again.

[jollygreen]

VA benefit should offer health insurance outside of the VA hospital also