Feel like Uncle Sam let me down

[HarryWeezer]

Retired last fall and of course have a Medicare advantage plan but I have a condition, medication for which is exceptionally costly and therefore not fully covered. So I thought I'd sign up for VA health care at age 70, see their doctors only for this condition, and get the meds through them at much reduced cost.

But VA has turned me down because I earn too much in retirement income. Because I managed to get out of Vietnam without getting shot, I can't get VA health care? What about that promise that in return for your service, your country will take care of you?

I've never used any of my veterans benefits. I even declined a tax exemption for veterans on our first house because I didn't want other taxpayers to subsidize my taxes. I was paid for my service.

But I'm disappointed, to say the least. Sorry, just felt like venting here because lots of you guys are veterans (and yes, I admit I'm an idiot for not knowing about an income level for VA health care.) 

 

Edited April 17, 2017 by HarryWeezer

[AyaqGuyaq]

Bummer, Mr. Weezer.

By the way, thank you for your service to your country, sir. 

I tried to join the U.S. Marine Corps when I was 17, but my perforated eardrum got me disqualified.  Ayaq

[2_MANY_BEERS]

That sucks Harry. My son wrecked a 6X6 in Korea and is getting 80% disability for his back. Got out of service after that cause Korea wanted to know how he was going to pay for shutting down the highway he was on. He said it was like a drainage ditch concreted to look like a highway. He was drunk too I think. Gov. sucks

[TeknonTheos]

28 minutes ago, 2_MANY_BEERS said:

Gov. sucks

Amen to that.

[Bosun]

That's crappy Harry.  My mother in law is 85 years old and the widow of a veteran, been paying into VA home/personal insurance for 50+ years without a single claim.  Had some minor flooding at home as a result of heavy rainfall - claim denied. 

She was always entitled to get a free cab paid for by the VA  to/from her medical appointments but most times I would either drive her or she would pay for one herself.  These days she makes sure she takes the free cab all the time.

Maybe it's time you looked at using whatever benefits you're entitled to - you certainly earned them.

Cheers

Bosun

 

 

[Sammy]

Yea thats totally bs on them and it shouldnt even be an issue.

Next step, contact your House rep. Most are often glad to try and help for things like this. Especially if they are vets themselves. For others more political than anything else but 'fix the VA' is popular.  Might require doing some kind of appeal first, if they have a method for that. The bureaucracy wants your money but wont give it up unless they have to or it makes them look good. Income or not. Taxes paid or not. Not to us so much. But to those that control the money they get. Your rep also wants to look good to the voters in your district.

I have to tell you however that you are wrong on one thing. Taxpayers SHOULD help subsidize vets in one way or another when it comes to things like housing. At one time they did without asking too many questions. You risked your life for your country so they didnt have to. You werent simply a govt employee.  They should at least help you when it comes to getting a place for your family to live in.

There was an interview I saw a long time ago of a woman in the army that was deployed to the ME after 9/11. She said she signed up mostly for the benefits. Things like help with college. It was a good deal. She also thought that, keeping in mind the times, we wouldnt be going to war anytime soon. But I didnt look at her situation as a negative because when push came to shove, and the time came, she went there without hesitation to do her duty instead of trying to find ways to get out of it. The govt... and the taxpayers... have their own duty to support and help her.

[HarryWeezer]

Thanks. Checked it out and the VA is right. I don't qualify based on my retirement income. But why should that matter? Where does the federal government get off punishing veterans for having some success in life by denying them health care other vets receive? ALL veterans should get VA health care, period. Nothing else should factor into it.

I think I will write my federal lawmakers and suggest that a means test for VA health care is BS, not that it will do any good.

Thanks for listening! 

[PimpedOutPete]

I could not agree more Harry,  You did what was asked of you and much more. You put yourself in harms way for your country and the in return your only requesting benefits that all vets should get, without question.

I agree that you should press the issue with your law markers. Good luck my friend, hopefully your concerns with be heard by sympathetic ears and something will be done.

[Smeggie]

Harry I truly feel for you, and you're right...Uncle Sam did not hold up their end of the deal.

TYFYS!

-Smeg

[RobMc]

Harry, register as a drug addict, say Nam made you do it, people will trip over themselves to help you, at least they do in UK my wife is a nurse and constantly disgusted that the wrong people get help and those who deserve it get nothing, we even jail our soldiers for killing people (true), don't know your systems over there but with research theres usually a way, you just don't have to be honest I'm afraid.

PS ask Beers for some biscuits to help you get started, this type of thing we hear over and over again, I'll bet the draft dodgers live in luxury?

Edited April 18, 2017 by RobMc

[Sonovabich]

Change your religion, become a refugee move to the UK and we will sort you out a £1million house and barrels full of benefits no problem Harry.

[TeknonTheos]

Agent Orange fucked my old man up and he can't get help. 2 tours in Nam. Retired Lt Col

[YACCster]

Sorry to hear this Harry.  My Father retired after 20 years in the Army and is on Medicare Part A and B and Tricare for Life, don't seem to pay for almost anything always telling us about how much the plans don't make them pay.

Edited April 18, 2017 by YACCster

[RobMc]

3 hours ago, Sonovabich said:

Change your religion, become a refugee move to the UK and we will sort you out a £1million house and barrels full of benefits no problem Harry.

Sonovabitch ain'y lying, we are so stupidly politically correct in my country we are desperate to give our money away, but unfortunately as you are hard working, honest and have served your country you wouldn't stand a chance sorry. This is true, my eldest son when he left school wanted to be a policeman, he wrote after the job and this was in the letter he received back ' we are sorry Mr. ........., however at present we are only recruiting ethnic minorities, homosexuals and disabled ??? applicants, please try later', he didn't. In the papers today we still give £4 million a year in aid to North Korea, we gave £6 million a year for 6 years to a girl band in Ethiopia until a public outcry stopped it, we give around £400 million a year to Pakistan and India, both nuclear powers and India puts men into space. Meanwhile our Ghurka regiments, brave troops who have served the British army for generations don't get a penny in pensions. So you're not alone in the States with your own country putting you last my friend, morale of the story is to encourage draft dodgers isn't it logically?? we're barking mad!

[JohnnyNashville]

Harry, sorry your having issues with the government. Check out this site...

https://www.disabilityadvisor.com/va-disability-claims-2/

 

Thank you for your service,

 

johnny

[reddog955i]

We all have issues with the VA, Just read a book Semper Cool : one Marine's  Fond Memories of Vietnam,by Barry Fixler, Never wonded,was at Khe sanh,,, its a good Read,he is and has help a few vets ,,,, the one that got him started was , local vet who was shot in the head by friendly fire, he was lucky to live ,but was in a veg state and at VA long term care, but nothing was being done ,Barry raise 100,000.00 and more and set up a funds for vets,with his and many others help he went home ,,,, I have been to the VA for drug trement ,3 times ,but i was out of work and had no money ,If not for the VA I would not be  Here ,,, my life would not be what it is to day,,,,If not service conneted ,its all ways been on your income. The Goverment has all ways be short on VA benfits ,

[Unchileno]

I am sorry you got LOW blow like that Harry,  a man or woman that serves his country should NOT have to worry about anything after the fact..You risked your life for others man..Gov. will never see like that though.

 

God Bless and good luck to you..

 

[HarryWeezer]

1 hour ago, Unchileno said:

I am sorry you got LOW blow like that Harry,  a man or woman that serves his country should NOT have to worry about anything after the fact..You risked your life for others man..Gov. will never see like that though.

 

God Bless and good luck to you..

 

Appreciate that Chile!

 

[BigPapaDean]

I am not a vet but stories such as yours Harry infuriate me. I have an idea why don't we all call or write our reps and senator and get a movement going? I live in Washington state and don't know how to contact my reps and Senators. Would someone be so kind as to post how to get thos rolling such as who in each state to contact? I would definitely join the fight. I had the same difficulty with getting disability. I am sick of the gov mind set that unless you are a immagrant or of a certain belief that you don't deserve the benefite you desperately need!

[RobMc]

54 minutes ago, BigPapaDean said:

I am not a vet but stories such as yours Harry infuriate me. I have an idea why don't we all call or write our reps and senator and get a movement going? I live in Washington state and don't know how to contact my reps and Senators. Would someone be so kind as to post how to get thos rolling such as who in each state to contact? I would definitely join the fight. I had the same difficulty with getting disability. I am sick of the gov mind set that unless you are a immagrant or of a certain belief that you don't deserve the benefite you desperately need!

Looks like we all have the same problem?? the ordinary people in the western world are not only being ignored they are being ridiculed, it absolutely infuriates me to see the comments from socialists and liberals that people who voted for Trump and Brexit were morons, no they weren't. These are the people who built those countries telling you loud and clear, enough, our patience is running out with our own people worse off than people who have done nothing and will do nothing for the countries they say they hate but are happy to live in. Democracy is just that, if it doesn't go your way accept it, don't riot, don't whine next time, vote for someone else, it's dead simple, and ordinary people have the same rights in voting as the 'elite' who consider only they are fit to rule and everyone else is a redneck (is that the right term) and shouldn't be allowed to tarnish their visions. Remember one simple fact in nature, and the lessons of history, only the strong survive - and get to write their version of history - stay strong, fight back Harry, even if you lose it may benefit the next generation of vets, and tell the next generation not to fight unless their welfare is guaranteed.

Edited April 19, 2017 by RobMc

[DEEJAYKEG]

22 hours ago, RobMc said:

 Meanwhile our Ghurka regiments, brave troops who have served the British army for generations don't get a penny in pensions.

Indeed they do.  All that have left the Army since 1997 receive exactly the same as other British Army soldiers.

Where we did not get the result desired by supporters of these brave men was in relation to pensions paid to previous retirees

who still receive less.  Elsewhere, the cry would be "racial discrimination" but, apparently, that does not apply to those from Nepal!

Ayo Gorkhali!

[RobMc]

Hmmm? this was only after a protracted campaign which was not implemented until 2007, and only since then has their pension been linked to the UK forces where they serve as a regiment, previously it was and still is for the majority linked to the Indian army. It is an undisputed fact that loyal brave soldiers serving Britain directly retired to near starvation levels, yet another example of how we treat our own people, yet we place so called refugees in luxury accommodation and give them spending money, they all have mobile phones etc guess who pays for those , absolutely barking. One example of how far gone we are is I visited the doctors yesterday, the signs were in 16 languages with a notice that an interpreter would be supplied if necessary, now I thought that living in the UK we would speak English, apparently not? Hoooooooooooowl!

[Olive]

Sorry to hear that Harry,when it comes to reward those who fought for the country it looks like governements are all the same.here in France we have our Ghurkas too they are called "senegalese riflemen" and were enrolled in the French army,most of them by force,and fought during WW1 and WW2.About 50000 of them died for France.In a tremendous act of generosity our governement decided to give to the the survivors a French passeport and French citizenship...it happened last week ! yes in april 2017 when only a few of them are still alive.What a fucking shame.

[RobMc]

Hmmm yes this seems like a common theme amongst governments doesn't it? quite depressing must admit I'd forgotten about these, I read a book about them some years ago, how times change, if you fought in the first real army (the Roman) you were rewarded with citizenship and land, kept them faithful. It would be interesting to see how many of the people let into our lands by our politicians would fight for our countries if it came to that, I'll wager very few if any, probably a reverse immigration called an exodus.

Edited April 19, 2017 by RobMc

[Largecarz]

Thanks for your service Harold.