VA Healthcare vs Medicare

A few weeks ago, I came very close to giving up my medicare. This was because the $96 I am paying for it is about 10% of my entire income. My income is all Social Security. After all I had better care under the VA and free prescriptions. If I had to go to a non-va facility in emergency the VA is supposed to cover it if they are notified within forty-eight hours. Notice there is an (if) in that last sentence. However, since this is a big step, I decided to research this some more on the net. I learned that there is another important (if) in getting VA care for emergencies. That is (if) the Va gets enough funds to cover emergencies. Considering the over extension of our forces in the War with Iraq and the need to support our troops this second (If) could be a big one.

A second consideration which I have experienced in the past is what I call a semi-emergency. This is where you need to find out what is going on with, a severe pain, strange bleeding, dizzyness, sudden vision change or anything that could be serious or not. If you go to the emergency room and it is diagnosed as not a true emergency we have another (if). Will the Va cover it. I have had emergency room treatment where the cost ran into thousands of dollars but was covered by the special medicare I had.

Another factor about keeping medicare is that all the Va Clinics that I know of have very limited hours, 7 to 4 and only five days a week. The Pahrump Clinic is the best I have ever seen, yet I have been there twice when Vets have come in with what they considered an emergency but could not be seen because of the understaffing.

After thinking about these considerations I decided to do further research. I learned two very important things. I learned that I might be able to get help with paying that $96 a month. I also learned that both Senior Dimensions and Secure Horizons have some very important advantages. I have used both of these services for years when I have been too far way from Va facilities. The final day for making medicare selections for the year was December 31. At close to the last minute, I found an important reason for keeping medicare and changing from Secure Horizons. I learned that both of these services have a facilty that is open seven days a week from 8Amto7PM.

Additionally, I can see the same doctor I see at the VA who is definitely my preferred doctor. Of course he is not going to be available 11 hrs a day seven days a week but my chances of seeing some doctor is far superior to seeing someone at the overworked Pahrump VA clinic.

The reason I chose to switch from Senior Dimensions to Secure Horizons was because they are the choice of AARP and Secure Horizonz had a medicare advantage plan that has no copay to physicians or specialists. They are able to do this because this plan has no prescription coverage. Since I get my prescription from the Va this is not a problem.