Does losing VA coverage, while covered under MA....

[LostDollar]

New people coming into the VA system are subject to a means test. When I enrolled in 1985 I was given the option of taking a means test or paying copays. I decided I would rather pay copays than have some GS-5 poking around in my finances. I have never been asked to take a means test since then. Sadly, you are both right.

I wish that I had understood a long time back that I might have been able to enroll as you described above. Had I been able to do so, I think It would have carried over into one of the Priority 8 groups that still allow current enrollment and would have saved me a lot of aca penalty stress and would be saving me on PDP costs now.

 

[Todd King]

New people coming into the VA system are subject to a means test. When I enrolled in 1985 I was given the option of taking a means test or paying copays. I decided I would rather pay copays than have some GS-5 poking around in my finances. I have never been asked to take a means test since then. Sadly, you are both right.

How are we both right? The means test that you speak of came AFTER your eligibility. Once again, YOUR INCOME HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH YOUR ELIGIBILITY!

Did I say it loud enough that time?

 

[somarco]

money has nothing to do with eligibility. If it did I wouldn't have access to VA care, I can tell you that!

OK, I'll bite.

How much do you make, Todd?

 

[LostDollar]

How are we both right? The means test that you speak of came AFTER your eligibility. Once again, YOUR INCOME HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH YOUR ELIGIBILITY!

Did I say it loud enough that time?

How then, do you explain that the Veteran's Administration specifically says I am unable to enroll for VA health benefits because my income is too high?

 

[Todd King]

How then, do you explain that the Veteran's Administration specifically says I am unable to enroll for VA health benefits because my income is too high?

Look, I don't know your particular situation nor do I pretend to. If you think you've been turned down simply because of your income, then you're no better at reading VA letters than you are at reading and comprehending posts on here.

Tell you what, email me a copy of that letter to Todd@TRKingIM.com and I'll see if I can get to the bottom of that for you.

 

[somarco]

OK, I don't have a dog in this fight, and I am no VA expert, but here is something I found when I Googled "VA benefits income based"

Enrolled Veterans are no longer required to provide their financial assessment on an annual basis if they had a current financial assessment on file as of March 24, 2014.

If the enrolled Veteran does not have a financial assessment on file as of March 24, 2014, the Veteran will be required to provide updated income information.

Enrolled Veterans who are eligible because their household income is below the VA income limit (e.g., NSC and 0% SC Veterans without any special eligibility) will:
Not be required to update their income on a yearly basis.
Be required to complete a financial assessment at their next health care visit if they do not have a current financial assessment on file as of March 24, 2014.

VA does not verify all enrolled Veterans' income. Only Veterans who receive free medical care and/or medications based on their self-reported household income are included in the income verification process.

Financial Assessment - Health Benefits

Doesn't the term ENROLLED imply these requirements apply to someone who is currently RECEIVING benefits?

 

[Todd King]

Doesn't the term ENROLLED imply these requirements apply to someone who is currently RECEIVING benefits?

You would think, but LD seems to think he knows something that the rest of the world doesn't.

 

[LostDollar]

OK, I'll bite.

How much do you make, Todd?

Here is a table of assorted income limits for various VA categories.

2018 VA National and Priority Group 8 Relaxation Income Thresholds

I did not run the benefits explorer multiple times to see which limit column applies to new enrollments. I suspect the priority 8 column, but don't know for sure.

 

[somarco]

I did not run the benefits explorer multiple times to see which limit column applies to new enrollments.

Just a wag, but it would seem you can run the report until the cows come home and never find an answer that deals with eligibility.

 

[LostDollar]

Just a wag, but it would seem you can run the report until the cows come home and never find an answer that deals with eligibility.

I could change the amounts of income and medical expenses I put in those question boxes so that the totals come out between various table amounts.

And I provided the precise information which Todd was fussing about seeing. Entering the name of the test which I put in that post will take you to the test, and the quoted text I provided is the exact text the VA system caused to be displayed on my computer screen after I completed the questionaire.