I've got such a headache. Options

[Guest_ohsteve_*]

This is a tale of how to bang your head up against the bureaucratic wall of Federal Government, and come away dazed and confused.
I am retired military and receive a sum from the DOD/AF every month. Out of that amount I pay Federal taxes, and a discounted amount for veteran and spouse health insurance called Tricare, {mine was Tricare prime so I can use the base hospital} which covers hospitalization, pharmaceutical, ER, and most specialist if I can find one on the base along with my Primary Care giver. I just recently filed and received Social Security disability because my health is keeping me from working. This disability was backdated to when I first filed.

Now comes the wall.

Because I have contract insurance through the Department of Defense via the AF, I am required by law to have Medicare 'A' (Hospitalization) and 'B' (Primary Care) to remain a Tricare Prime. I can hear your wheels turning... not through yet.
Now because SS automatically starts Medicare they also are required by law to notify all Federal agencies that have health plans, when Tricare as a contractor receive this notification they automatically dis enroll a Tricare Prime to a Tricare Standard, without notification to such candidate. A Tricare standard can not get Primary Care at a military hospital.
Tricare also backdated this change to reflect that it start the same date as my disability. To become a tricare prime again I must receive a form from Tricare, fill out said form and return it. Then it must be processed to restart, during which time I can not see my Primary Care giver who is a military doctor at the base hospital.

Now, not knowing all of this beforehand, I thought, when I received the notification of the disability, to check NO on the block of the postcard asking if I wanted Medicare, I mean why pay for health coverage when I already have it through Tricare...HAH! I must fill out a form for reinstatement to Medicare and it must be done before the end of March. Because this is not something one can do at any time, but must follow the SS rules/law. So I have to not only physically go down to the local SS office and do this, I have to find someone to take me, because I can't drive.

After talking with my PC giver's nurse, I find that I can not submit the form to Tricare until I can assure them that my Medicare is back on the books. And I have no idea when or how long that might be.

So if I am sick or just need to speak to a 'Regular Doctor' I have to go find one that 'A' doesn't know me, 'B' doesn't know my history, 'C' will probaly try to prescribe something I either can't take or don't want. And will need weeks to review my records after having to submit more forms to the military hospital to release the records.

The thing that really gets to me is this:

I was paid while in the Military by taxpayer money.
I am paid retirement by taxpayer money.
Social Security is a form of taxes.
Medicare is a form of taxes.
Tricare is subsidized by taxpayer money through the AF/DOD.
Military hospitals are subsidized throught tazpayer money and the DOD

I have had to not only pay taxes on my pay while in the military.
I pay taxes on my retirement.
I paid medicare taxes.
I paid SS taxes.
Now they tell me my Medicare is going to be paid by taking it out of my SS disability.

And this is how America honors its veterans?

Doesn't make any sense to me.
Steve

[vessq]

Hi Steve,

This makes me so mad I could, will, and did spit.

I did not serve being born at a golden time, too young for Korea and crippled. Too old for Viet Nam, crippled and married with children.

I do not know what my Dad and uncles went through because they never said. I remember a room going suddenly silent when I walked in. They might have talked to each other but never to any family member who was not there. My mother and my aunts don't know any more about it than I do.

An old cowboy friend once told me his mother asked him, on his return, to tell his war experiences to her ladies club who rolled bandages and kept victory gardens to help support the war. My friend said he refused and told his mother. "If I told the truth, I'd have the old bitches throwing up in their tea cups. Don't knock the crust off that horse turd. Leave it alone."

His bizarre behavior and drinking binges when he first returned caused his mother to say, "It might have been better if you had died over there."

We lazy and ignorant voters should keep voting the bums out and replacing them every cycle with new bums until they learn to tell real debts from pork for power and pay the real debts first.

Your story is a great endorsement for government run health care.

Vess

[Guest_ohsteve_*]

Vess, I am a very lucky veteran, and not a war vet, as I was never sent to Vietnam, but had my first tour in Lybia then England. I had a lot of friends that never came back or came back with scars both physical and mental. Most of them didn't want to talk about the war, either. I have my own opinions about Vietnam and Gulf wars, unfortunately it always seems the military that gets the stinky end of the stick. I would love for some of those politicians to have gone thru the short end of the things they voted for. Thanks for the read and for the reply..
Steve

[Sekhmet]

Oh Steve - what a horror story! It should not be necessary for anyone to have to negotiate a bureaucratic maze when they are elderly and ill. I am so sorry that you have this nightmare to deal with. I wonder if there are cuts in service to Vets because the US Military Hospitals are so full of the wounded service men, back from Iraq & Afghanistan? Their essential treatments must eat up a lot of the medical budget.
I now realise how fortunate I am to live in France - where superb medical treatment is free to all Seniors.
The French pay fairly heavy taxation for their health service - but they get the very best when it is needed.
I had a major op - which kept me in a French hospital for ten days, and my only expense was $25 for a single room. I had opted for a four-bed room, but they insisted that I should have a single room because isolation cuts down on the MRSA infection rate.
And of course,as you know, in UK there is the, 'free at point of need' National Health Service - A bit wobbly nowadays,and they do have long waiting lists; but at least no one has to worry about how their treatment will be paid for.
Have you managed to sort something out? I do hope so.
Take care,
Leo

[Guest_ohsteve_*]

Leo, I don't think there is much I can do except go with the flow. I have written to my congressman and senator but I have not got an answer and don't expect to get one, after all I am only one person not a powerful lobbist representing millions.
Sorry ranting again.
Steve

[merle]

Hi Steve,

I'm a little late replying but I can relate. My husband is a Vietnam Vet (2 tours) and he went through something very similar. We (my husband and I) were told (off the record) by a military counselor, the government creates this maze in hopes the elderly (usually ill) vet will die before the paperwork can be sorted out. Horrible isn't it? My suggestion to you, if you haven't worked this out yet, is to find a military counselor you trust. They know the ins and outs to help you navigate this nightmare.

Robin

[Guest_ohsteve_*]

Robin, thanks for your reply, nothing that the government or military does suprizes me much anymore. And if you protest too much they label you as paranoid.
Steve