As DKos regulars know, I was laid off (again) in July. When a 56 year old person takes a job, even if it's as a permanent employee, you're one bad company quarterly statement from once again being on the dole. After all, the newest hire is usually the first person out the door, right?
Anyway, when I was laid off, I managed to negotiate with the company to carry my health insurance for a little while as part of my severance. The "little while" is coming to an end. Though I'm COBRA eligible, that's not a realistic possibility for me - my funemployment benefit amounts to a little over $1000 / month.
Fortunately, I'm in reasonably good health. I didn't intend to fly without a health insurance net at this point in my life, though, because at 56 you just don't know what tomorrow brings. Stuff breaks down unexpectedly. I was discussing this situation with someone recently, and guess what - they put me on the path toward decent healthcare coverage that I didn't even know I was eligible for.
Sharron Angle won't like it one bit...
I enlisted in the military in early 1974 after college. The Vietnam war was still ongoing, though winding down. I remained in the service until 1980, and because of the dates of my service, I'm considered a Vietnam era vet (even though I was never in the country). My first home purchase was with a VA loan. I received some more schooling with the real, true GI bill (not what passes for a contributory program now). And I haven't given the VA much of a thought since, other than being really pissed about the situation at Walter Reed a few years back. [Please see update below.]
A month or so back when I was whining to a friend about my decreased hearing and mentioned that I thought it might be service related, they suggested I call the VA. So I did - I called the local county rep, who almost seemed excited to hear from me. He was extremely helpful, explained what my potential healthcare benefits were, and he suggested that I submit an application to the VA. He also explained that if I got into the system, I would be evaluated for partial disability based on what I told him, and would likely qualify for 20% disability.
With no real expectations, I went to the VA website, and filled out a rather lengthy form. I honestly didn't think anything would come of it.
Late last week, I received a letter from the VA saying I had been approved for entry into the VA medical system. I couldn't believe it. I've heard both good things and bad about the VA system, but man, any kind of health care backstop was better than none. And then I got another letter today, from the local VA facility.
They sent me a form to set up an initial appointment with a GP for a physical and evaluation.
The letter detailed my maximum out of pocket expenses: $8 to $9 copay for a 30 day supply of prescriptions. Primary care at $15 copay. Specialty clinic care (I assume this would be my hearing) at $50 / visit copay. And I was previously told by the VA rep that good, state-of-the-art hearing aids would be provided at no cost to me (where every other health insurance I've ever had, even a previous 'cadillac plan', didn't cover hearing aids or audiology specialists).
So why am I writing this? I didn't even know I was eligible for this stuff - and that's my own fault, I suppose. I'm grateful to have this healthcare net, regardless of whatever flaws I might find with the system. If there are any vets on DKos who don't have health insurance, and wonder if they might be eligible for coverage, all I can say is fill out the form on the VA website (it's form 10-10EZ), submit it, and see what happens. You might be pleasantly surprised.
Update: As a commenter pointed out below, the deplorable situation at Walter Reed a few years back was not a VA issue, but rather a DOD issue. And part of the problem was a result of private contracting of medical care for returning Iraq / Afghanistan vets, as Ms. Angle wants to do with the VA. The diarist (me!) regrets the error.