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+--- Thread: [Equipment] Does Anyone Use VA Healthcare? (/Thread-Equipment-Does-Anyone-Use-VA-Healthcare)
RE: Does Anyone Use VA Healthcare? - me50 - 10-06-2013
(10-06-2013, 08:56 AM)ZZDave Wrote:(10-05-2013, 09:58 AM)me50 Wrote:(10-05-2013, 09:37 AM)ZZDave Wrote: Well, it must be a "Florida thing" because I do get the Extra Help but it's only for the prescription drugs. As far as I can tell, Florida didn't want to be part of any Federal Program telling them what to do; this I got from reading the newspaper. I used to get limited Medicaid benefits until this year. Florida is one of those States that doesn't want Medicaid; I've seen a progressive change over the years that has reduced spending and benefits on Medicaid. Re: Supplemental insurance; I found that through AARP I could get a supplemental plan through United Healthcare that would pay for many things and it was relatively inexpensive so if the VA can't take care of me 100% then I'll do that.
Just remember the deadline for supplemental, etc. is dec. 7 and if you don't go that route, you have to wait until next October. One thing that you may not know is that when you get extra help, you can change your plan every 30 days. If you are not getting a reduction in your insurance premiums this year, I would ask why you didn't. I get a reduction in my premiums b/c I get extra help.
Maybe they will discover they overcharged you and they will reimburse you for the overpayments. One can hope.
I will call Medicare today as well as investigate any other avenues. I do feel "ripped off" and want an answer to this. Social Security used to give me 100% Extra Help then changed it to 75% after I got a measly increase from them. I even had to go through all kinds of paperwork and even a telephone 'inquisition' about this with someone that wouldn't disclose what gov't agency he worked for. I suspected that it was the ACHA that was behind all of it because the local SS Branch Manager denied, in writing, that the SS was not involved in lowering my "Extra Help". Recently, I was sent a form by SS that was aimed at determining whether or not I should get "Extra Help". My SS income has effectively stayed the same, or gone down, due to the increase in prices of everything and the changes of the Poverty Index.
If you were on straight medicare in 2013, you would not get a reduction in the $105 but if you have a medigap plan or a medicare advantage plan, you definitely are supposed to get a decrease in those premiums. I don't recall if you mentioned a medigap or medicare advantage plan. If you currently have one of those, please share what company you have one with. It would be that company that you would need to notify. Also, on extra help, you can change your plan each month if you desire to. Just be careful about going from an HMO to a PPO because if you have changed your plan and for some reason they put you on dialysis, you cannot change back, at least not in my state.