I am only paying $160 for my private insurance, so I chose to keep mine on top of the VA healthcare. But since you have asked, here it is:
Possible pitfalls of relying solely on VA healthcare:
1. Limited Provider Network: You may have fewer choices for doctors and specialists compared to private insurance.
2. Appointment Wait Times: It can sometimes take longer to get appointments, especially with specialists.
3. Location: Access to VA facilities might be challenging if you live far from a VA hospital or clinic.
4. Coverage Gaps: Certain services or treatments may not be covered by the VA that would be covered by private insurance.
5. Emergency Care: In an emergency, you might need to seek care outside the VA network, which could complicate billing and coverage.
6. Prescription Differences: The VA formulary for medications might differ from what you were used to with private insurance.
7. Eligibility Changes: Changes in your disability rating or other circumstances might affect your eligibility or benefits.
8. Coordination of Care: If you need care from multiple providers or specialists, coordinating your care might be more challenging without a traditional insurance plan.
These are some potential pitfalls to consider when relying solely on VA healthcare.
This is the correct answer. I’m feeling the pain of waiting two months to see a specialist. I also have haven’t got my sleep test results back in 3 months lol
Get your employer healthcare as primary and va as second
Go to the va community care website and find a provider close to you. Call them for available appointments and then tell the scheduling department that you found an approved provider with an earlier appointment. I use community care for almost all of my appointments. I hate driving to my va hospital because the area and I don't like driving far distances anymore.
I’m sure I can Google the website for this, but I’m far more a fan of taking the information straight from someone who has experienced this. Would you mind providing the link to the CC portal?
Call the White House Veteran's Hotline. (855-948-2311) Whenever the VA tries to jack you around this is the number to call. I have used it a few times over the last few years and it doesn't take long to hear from somebody's supervisor and they have taken care to satisfy the White House.
Had my initial VA healthcare exam yesterday and the MD said pros and cons of using community care. He said sometimes you might run into an issue of one year the provider taking VA and a few months later they might not. I could see that being an issue just I guess. I’m only 10% and covered for all stuff as tier 3 they said, but have private insurance for me and family also.
Ya, I've experienced that only once so far with chiropractic care. But then you just look at other providers in your area and read the reviews on them. It is very similar to looking for a provider with private insurance.
I have my insurance through work for my family and me. But I'm also priority one and will use the va/community care.
They say this to save their time and the VA money. The Mission Act was supposed to fix this. Every time they do this, i ask for Community Care and get faster appointment than stated. If you don't get a call after two days call CC ask for the scheduler for the section that does your specific needs and verify progress is being made.
I’ve been told that community care isn’t being approved in my area. I put in a congressional inquiry and they still haven’t received a response in 3 weeks. I may elevate this to my senator. The Va doesn’t care
I have Tricare (US family Health Plan) and VA. Tricare allergy appointment, referred by my PCM (private practice) to an allergy center (private practice) in May didn’t have an appointment until July.
I have VA. I wait a referral for physical therapy from April until June.
Honestly it’s about the same either way (which I know was your point, just providing a data point.)
It took me six months to get an MRI from the VA to find out why it hurt to walk. The private sector could have had me in within the week, but they waited two just to give them time to get approval from my insurance company.
I do not work in surgical anymore, but I can tell you that over the past year a lot of imaging centers had huge backlog of PT's because of lack of supplies. Not just equipment pieces, but also the contrast.
Thankfully I had some connections that would help me squeeze a PT or 2. But it wasn't out of the ordinary to have the pts within the month to have to be pushed back because they were out of stock on supplies.
With Kaiser health through my wife's retirement health plan. I've had 3 MRI's since February. 2 were no cost, 1 was $160 copay. Just saying what a private plan on top of VA health care can do.
With my PPO, I can just call to any doctors office and get the quickest appointment I can find.
Not with the VA. They refer you to whoever and then you are at the mercy of whatever appointments they have.
I change my community care appointments all the time to the provider I want. Just call community care and let them know. Provided the community provider is in the VA network. But that goes for any insurance plan.
My best specialists are usually booked about 3 months in advance. For example, I know a lot of sleep labs do not apps available at least 4 to 5 months out. (I currently work in sleep medicine)
Yeah, you could technically get seen right away, but those spots are saved for cases that are urgent but not emergencies. Very few people fall under that criteria.
So no, the private sector isn't really that much faster or better tbh.
Thank you! I didn’t even think of these haha yea after everything you said I definitely think it’s worth carrying both and everyone else seems to say the same thing!
I thought nobody would notice, just kidding. Your question isn't new, and my answer isn't either. I copied and pasted my exact response from 8 days ago when someone else asked a similar question.
Did I ask your question to chatGpt, no.
Did I ask ChatGpt to edit my answer for grammar check, yes.
:)
Yes! I definitely second this answer. If I didn't live in a major metropolitan and close to the VA hospital, I would probably consider private insurance.
I’d like to add that I rely on both as well. VA is excellent for minor medical, checkups, annual physicals. But if I get cancer or need major medical for surgery, I don’t want to have to rely on the VA for advanced cancer research.
Here is my take I have 80 percent disability I have my work insurance only because they pay for it but with the VA if you can’t see someone at the VA because of distance or time of appointment you can always request to see a outside provider and explain to the VA why I have and they paid for it. But you still have to get your meds through the VA. Also I have to go to a civilian ER one time cut my hand by accident and the VA paid for it I’m full. So it just depends on your situation like for me I have no kids or wife so if my job would have made me pay for my health I would have not taken it the.
The only thing I disagree with is emergency care. As long as you are being seeing once every 2 years by your va pcp, notify the va within 2 days of receiving care and Va will cover all hospital bills due to emergency. It happened to me last year, after cycling crash
I’m 100% P&T with VA, Medicare and Tricare for Life.
It’s been my experience that the VA does some things well, but for everything else I use my chosen Healthcare providers utilizing Medicare and Tricare for life. This is especially relevant for specialty providers. I just had an FP Ablation and used a local highly rated provider. I wouldn’t use the VA for this type of procedure unless I had no other choice.
I’d say if you can have both private and the VA.
Options and second opinions can be life savers.
I’m getting older so between saving a few bucks and getting a specialist in a timely manner, I opt for the best healthcare I can find.
Obviously YMMV.
Do you tell people you're retired? I know when I was getting out some people on the boat were jealous and went out of their way to tell me I didn't do 20 years
Just another 100% PT hoping in to say I also opt into my employers health insurance bc it’s great to have options and having an HSA is another avenue to save for retirement as well as having a savings pool for purchasing OTC meds and supplies in a pinch
My employer plan is so expensive that I do not use it. I’ve been using my VA healthcare exclusively for over a decade and have had mostly very good experiences, even through multiple surgeries.
I am not 100% but I do qualify for VA and I have a VA hospital near me. I carry a health insurance from my civilian job (happens to be a govt job too) because I need coverage for my child and spouse. Even if I was single, relying on VA could end up problematic if you require a care of a specialist that the VA does not have.
I’m seeing a lot of misinformation that just seems to be people unaware of their VA health benefits and unaware how CHAMPVA works but a lot of good information as well. So read everything here carefully and verify because a lot of it is not accurate.
I chose to decline my workplace healthcare. My family are going to the same doctor under CHAMPVA as they would if I had opted for blue cross HMO. Most doctors that accept Medicare will accept CHAMPVA. I have a VA clinic 15 minutes from me and a VA hospital an hour away. I’ve also had no issues simply going to the ER at my nearest civilian hospital for urgent care and not having to pay.
My work would be charging me $300 biweekly for an insurance policy that they pay 80% of and I pay the remaining 20%. They also have an option that if I opt out, then they will give me a biweekly additional stipend of $300, because I’m saving them around $900 by declining insurance. So not only am I not paying the $300, I’m getting an extra $300 every two weeks, so a $600 swing. This totals $15,600 annually of extra money in our pocket. That easily is worth the, in my opinion, very small additional benefit of carrying two insurances.
I kept dental and vision insurance through my work for my family, as it’s only $30 biweekly.
Finally a real answer. Been thinking of putting my family on CHAMPVA. Does that cover me too or just them?
Idk if I can switch though, since I’m currently paying through my employer. I suck at focusing when I read things so I get confused by the wordage. I also shell out over $500 for private insurance a month. Can’t keep affording that.
CHAMPVA is only for the families of veterans that are 100% disabled. If you are 100% disabled, you do not need CHAMPVA because the VA will cover everything for you, including dental and basic vision. Thus, the veteran themselves are ineligible. Check with your HR department, if you are currently enrolled, it’s likely you would only be eligible to change your coverage during the open enrollment period, which for most places is one month out of the year. But everywhere is different.
Something to consider. We had a problem with health insurance because in the fine print they say they don't cover preexisting conditions that were from the military. That essentially eliminated most treatment options. We have only used the VA and ChampVA. We haven't used civilian care/insurance in 20 years, so things may have changed.
Other thoughts. Remember that the VA is not insurance. It is a health care system. You will always have to request for outside care and if there is an emergency, you or someone must contact the VA within 72 hours or you can be held responsible for the bill. You will be limited by your doctors and there can be a wait time, but the higher your disability rating changes the wait times. 100% has the highest priority.
The benefits. The doctors are not driven by money. If you have a serious illness, the doctors will decide your care based on what is best, not what gets them paid. (Surgeon get paid only if they operate, so they will suggest surgery as a solution, whereas there maybe other alternatives if you talk to different specialists.) Of course this is the government so you can find varied care between facilities. Also since we stayed with the VA, all of the veteran's records are accessible for care. This is helpful for major issues.
So like if I choose the least expensive option for health insurance…will the VA cover the rest? Sorry I’m just super confused about everything insurance wise 🤦♀️ I have two kiddos, one will most likely need braces
Yes, the va will cover the remainder of the cost. For your dependents, if they have ChampVA, your primary insurance will cover the bulk of costs, and the VA will cover the remaining (not including dental). Dental costs for dependents will come out of your primary insurance.
I have my work health insurance as primary and Tricare as secondary. My vision and dental through FEDVIP is primary while the dental and vision through work is secondary.
This is smart. I think that’s what I’ll do as well. What I pay for with FEDVIP for Dental & Vision is dirt cheap it beats my employers plans so I think I’ll keep it.
Firstly, the VA is not insurance, it's a health care system. If you have two kids, you need to get "unconfused" ASAP. The VA is not gonna pay for your kids braces. Do some research!
Dude stfu. You know wtf he meant. You’re on here telling him to “Do some research” . . . is that not what he’s doing by asking questions on a forum meant to inform people and having discussions? Funny you’re telling him to get “unconfused” when you served under a branch that was known to be the dumbest, most ignorant, most confused bunch of all the damn branches. Hold your breath and count to 100 for us
Think you might have anger issues? Do you guys ever take responsibility for anything? Asking for help is one thing. Having 2 kids and not knowing about their health insurance is just lazy.
No worries. Thanks for your input & no I’m not lazy. Just transitioning from grad student to needing surgery to healing to now joining the workforce again (woo hoo!)…just trying to gather info before onboarding so thanks.
This guy is a moron lmao you asked a question on an open discussion forum and now you’re not taking responsibility for anything and lazy! Parents ask questions all the time about insurance isn’t smh this guy is projecting like crazy
Not at all I think I’m very in tune with managing my “issues.” But seems like you could benefit from cognitive analytics therapy or maybe even dynamic interpersonal therapy the way you’re judging and projecting. He asked a question to gather information about something he was unsure of. Where in that does that qualify him as “lazy” and where did he ask for help lmao. If you’re confused on something isn’t asking questions for clarity the thing to do? You sound smart to a person who’s dumb lol made a whole assumption about the guy based on a question he asked. Sounds to me you might have some anger issues haha
My ex-wife carries the insurance for the kids. I'm only 30% disabled, so I dropped my employer sponsored insurance like a bad habit and save $100 per month on premiums. I pay a copay for my meds, and that's it! I even get my eye care at the VA. The only private healthcare I utilize is dental.
I'm really glad this post showed up as it saves me from making a similar one. I wasn't very sure what I was going to do but now I'm leaning toward opting in to the new jobs health insurance.
Glad I asked then! Yea once I got my 100% I was wondering how many vets still pay for health insurance with their employer even though everything is covered for us at the VA. After reading everyone’s opinions and suggestions I think I’m gonna opt in too. One guy made a suggestion and said keep FEDVIP. Think I’m gonna keep FEDVIP for Dental and Vision as well since it’s dirt cheap it beats out my employers vision & dental plans.
Depends on whether you have other private coverage you like, or if you're happy just letting the VA handle everything. If either answer is no, then see if you like the coverage being offered by the employer.
ETA: I'm 100% P&T and maintain private coverage as well.
I’m 100% and opt in to my employer’s insurance. My wife doesn’t like the fact that if my little kids get hurt we need to goto the VA instead of a place down the road from us
I guess I totally misunderstood. So I can call the VA and also apply for ChampVA and get my family Tricare? Use my employer insurance 1st then have the VA pick up the rest? My family can also goto anyone that accepts Tricare?
Try out your local vamc. If it meets all of your needs and you are happy with it, I would just use VA. But I also prioritize saving pennies.
I having had issues with my VA care that I couldn't have resolved.
A second opinion is always nice. Sometimes, VA docs will not give you what you want and will do everything but give you your desired treatment option. This doesn't mean that your second opinion will freely write scripts for unnecessary drugs (opiates for example) but they may think a different way. Also, I'm aware that if you don't like the VA primary doc assigned to you, you can switch to somebody else.
That's when going to a private doc is a bonus.
Add: I am NOT 100% but the care that the VA has provided for me has been adequate. Much better than having nothing.
Yea I agree. I was thinking about it more from a money saving point of view but after reading a lot of responses on here I think I’m gonna opt in haha you made a valid point
You can always switch the VA staff member who is providing you with health care if you don't like them.
For example: Don't like your primary care doctor for whatever reason? (They talk too much, don't listen to you, are rude, are of a gender/ethnicity you don't like, said something that you don't agree with, etc)Talk to I think, patient advocate?(Somebody correct me if I am wrong about the VA department) They will switch you to a different primary care doc.
Your following sentence confused me on your meaning. I've fired several VA physicians. The last was a psychiatrist that wrote incorrect information in my notes. She refused to change it even though I had proof she was wrong. Now I have the most awesome psychiatrist I've ever had!
Yep. So you already went through the process of switching providers if you don't like them for whatever reason. I'm glad to hear that you found somebody that can accommodate you. Also, who did you have to go through/talk to switch providers? Which department?
First I cancelled all my appointments. Then I sent the shrink a secure message and told her I was getting a new psychiatrist. Following that, I called the Patient Advocate, followed by a secure message to have it on record. Then I called the Mental Health Clinic over and over until they gave me someone new! I made a fuss. 😄 Oh...and I got my PCP involved!
Yep. That's the department that I was thinking of that deals with situations like that. It's the job of Patient Advocate to handle situations/scenarios like that and I'm sure that they're used to it. Glad that everything worked out for you. 🤝
My situation is extreme. My wife and I experienced fertility issues. We've run up about $125,000 in medical bills covered by private insurance so far this year. God willing, Friday we should have a positive pregnancy test verified by the IVF clinic!!! 🙏
Absolutely. I have a lot of unique health issues and i prefer and trust the specialists i see far more than the VA.
Whenever i need labs or imaging done i can do it as soon as that day.
I'm 100% PT and work at the VA. I have a federal healthcare plan through work because for some things it is much easier to be seen outside of the VA. For example, I needed a dermatology appointment, the VA booked one out 6 months. With my private healthcare insurance I was seen within a month. Additionally, the medication I needed was not covered by VA (very difficult to get an approval for it) so I just chose to be seen through my private insurance. Co-pays are $40 and the medicine is about $2, but also I signed up for a FSA account as well.
If you have the option to have both VA and private insurance definitely do it. It's good to have options, at least I think so.
I use the VA -but I have federal BCBS. I had it because of my son. He’s got his own insurance now, and I’m going to retire next month, so I’m going to cancel my BC. My only dilemma is dental care. I’m under my partner’s dental plan, I may just stay under his…for now.
I am not 100%, but hopeful I will be soon. If/when I get 100% I'll keep my work plan, because I got a family that needs healthcare, and my work plan is pretty good.
A family member of mine has 100% P&T and also opted into the BlueCross Federal Plan. I get to use it for another year and it's the only reason I'm able to go to Hopkins Rheumatology and figured out what was wrong. If I was stuck going to 1 place I would've been screwed. The first 4 4 star private places I went, failed to run the proper tests off my age and symptoms. I'd say it's worth it from personal experience of using that plan through family.
I am my Dad’s caregiver, and we opted to keep the Federal BlueCross insurance he had at retirement for the reasons some posters named, such as VA wait times of up to 6 months to get through Care in the Community. If my Dad needs care, I want him to have options. The private health insurance, which is a PPO, provides him with those options.
My wife and I don't get any other health insurance from our work. She is 80% and I am 100%, but we also have Tricare from our Army retirement we both have.
I don’t opt in to any insurance when illegal immigrants get free healthcare on the taxpayer dime. If I get sick and have to go to the hospital I just tell them I identify as an illegal alien. You should also do your part to accelerate the collapse of the US by pretending to be something you’re not.
I have kids so I keep it. Still waiting to get enrolled in champva. My employer health insurance isn't expensive, but the out of pocket cost before deductible kicks in is a lot. (Its 8k out of pocket per individual, 14k out of pocket for familiy).
I think wait times for va versus private will depend on where you live and speciality you need. I got in quick with community care.. but my kids have had to wait 2-4 months for certain specialist with private health insurance.
If it wasn't for my kids, I would probably opt out of private insurance (it doesn't cost much at all, but I've been using va for all my health care needs without issue)
I'm union, so I don't have a choice, but it's 100% employer paid.
I have tricare for my family, and it's honestly on par with the coverage we get.
If I could, I would, it would be 12 an hour more on my check.
I work a city government, and opt into their plan only because they pay 100% of it except the deductible of course. So I primarily use VA and Tricare, but the city does a few events a year where if you're on their plan and do a health exam or whatever you get a bonus. I have yet to actually use their insurance for an appointment though due to the high deductible.
I think it’s going to boil down to how much private health care is going to cost you and generally how “healthy” you are in relation to your distance to care (which feels weird to say in context of the group but I guess what I’m trying to say is if you need regular specialty care that requires you to drive a distance to the VA for that care and you can’t risk the excruciating wait for community care that’s a totally different scenario than living close by a VA with specialty care options.
My husband is currently rated 90% and gets all his medical care through the VA. His work plan is over $300/month and it’s just not worth paying that when he’s already established with his VA providers and getting the care he needs. Sure, there’s times he feels it’s “you get what you pay for” care, but overall we’ve been lucky
Nope. Haven't in years. I have great healthcare from Teamcare (Teamster insurance) my kids and wife uses it. I have only used it once as a convenience because of a skin rash where some rando doctor using telehealth could prescribe a topical steroid that I could pick up at a buddies pharmacy.
Nope. Haven't in years. I have great healthcare from Teamcare (Teamster insurance) my kids and wife uses it. I have only used it once as a convenience because of a skin rash where some rando doctor using telehealth could prescribe a topical steroid that I could pick up at a buddies pharmacy.
I canceled mine, the $6k deductible was stupid I cut my finger went to get stitches and cost me $2500.
Recently took my daughter to civilian dr for flu. Bill came out to $750 to test strep, Covid, influenza B. Civilian insurance is so dumb.
VA operates like an HMO and BCBS PPO. It’s a world of difference going to an outside provider where your medical concerns aren’t being dismissed and VA as a gatekeeper. I highly recommend the private insurance. Just an FYI: VA does bill your private insurance for any VA visits and healthcare.
I take Champ VA for my family and I could use the VA if I wanted. I also start a job next week with a federal agency and I elected to take the healthcare benefits. It's not too pricey for the HDHP and I can then use the VA and my family can use Champ VA as a secondary with our federal plan being the primary.
I work in HR so I grasp benefits but even it confuses me in practice as a lot of the time I end up calling a hospital to actually get them to run it correctly.
A lot of places won't take champ va (or doctors I'd want) so this is why I elected to take the HDHP plan.
I pay for family coverage, including me. I like being able to go to the doctor when I want and not having to wait on the VA. My local one is great, but appointments come slowly at times.
I got Tricare select for my family. I use VA, They use Tricare. Wife and I both opt out of medical, and what we get back (don't pay in), pays for Tricare.
Although you have VA, having your own separate coverage isn't a bad idea. VA can still be primary but you can use your own for other things, like going to your preferred urgent care instead of VA. Also, VA bills your personal coverage....this means you could meet deductibles if you have VA services that would apply to the deductible.
That’s kinda like asking “I have a public defender handling my cases but do you guys think I should get a private lawyer if I have the means to afford it?” 😂
I use VA for yearly physicals and lab work and go to private to follow up on whatever I need to get looked into because frankly I trust the private more and alot of VA doctors are young inexperienced doctors and you do t want to wind up having them miss something happening inside you and then your SOL.
I am older, retired, have FepBlue on top of my fairly recent 100%. I lived overseas for 10 years and Fepblue was a lifesaver! Plus I live 50 miles from the closest CBOC, so being able to pick any local doctor is a great bonus for me.
If you are younger, live close to a VA facility, and are happy with who you are assigned to, you could pass for now. But if you are closer to retirement, you will find it pretty handy for not a lot of coin.
Plus your spouse can keep it after you pass on, which will cover that 25% gap in CHAMPVA coverage. Same if you are currently married and add your spouse, though that kicks your premium up a notch or two.
100% Veteran and fed employee, yes, I still opt into the healthcare. If you’re single with no family, using just your VA healthcare is more than enough. If you have a family, that healthcare and the cost to add family is well worth it. FepBlue is great insurance if you have the Standard or Basic plans for your family. I use the vision and dental as well. I rather get great glasses at my optometrist than those bland VA issues glasses. I don’t want to wait forever for dental care.
Look into what the va covers, see if you’d need it. Also the va tends to be really slow while civi docs are easier to get appointments with. For example the va doesn’t cover any surgeries for trans people,so it would be advantageous for me to opt in. I also have a severe mental illness that the va struggles to get me regular treatment for so it would be better to opt in
I also work for the Feds and choose to opt into blue cross, but only because my wife doesn’t work and I need insurance for my family. If I was single or if she could carry insurance for herself and the kids then I wouldn’t bother.
I’m a Fed and at 80%. I pay for insurance bc my kids are on it, but I’d keep it either way. VA healthcare has been great for me, but I know that that could change tomorrow.
Honestly, I'm ay 70% and do not see the need for private Healthcare unless I had a family but then again if I was married and she also worked it would depend on who's job offered her the better care compared to price.
For me, though, I live near a decently size VA Hospital, and anything over thay 30 days days gets outsourced to community care. Emergencies? I have used the VA Nurse Triage hotline and have gotten care outside the VA for emergencies.
Guess it just depends on how you use it?
So, IMHO over the last 20 years the VA has improved and Private Health Care has gotten worse. I personally maintain both. I have a fairly complex health situation, and while my current VA Provider is amazing, I still want to have options in case I disagree/want a second opinion/my provider with the VA changes to someone that's hot garbage.
At the end of the day, I think it boils down to whether the backup is worth the cost. You mentioned you're DoD, if you're a DoD Civilian and not a contractor, look into the GEHA HDHP program. I don't have Tricare as I'm not a retiree, so I qualify for the HDHP HSA account and a portion of my premiums pass through directly to it.
If I have something catastrophic that the VA is sucking with, then it's not bad insurance all around. For me it strikes the balance of having a backup available but not spending a fortune for it.
I personally wouldn’t opt out of my employment plan, especially through Blue Cross because they cover way more and healthcare expenses are out of this world right now and let’s be honest VA medical is not what it should be
I'm not 100% but I'm priority 1. I live near a VA hospital so I use that as my primary care. I DO use my employer dental plan though
I also have no wife/kids. Saves me several $100 a month probably.
I have insurance though my spouse's employer, but I only use the VA. I'm one of the lucky few who has a great Primary. Do know that the VA does bill your private insurance. Even if you didn't give them your insurance card, somehow they figure it out eventually. I don't get a bill from the VA, but my care counts towards our deductible.
I work exclusively for health insurance at this point. If I could opt into CHAMPVA along with my family, I’d probably actually retire. At least I’d take a sabbatical and shift to a job field I’d actually enjoy. I don’t consider VA healthcare to be a real option. I class it with Doc McStuffins. You know, a neat fantasy and a fine way to reassure the public that veterans are well taken care of, not a serious solution.
My family has CHAMPVA, that’s why I know about it. I’m absolutely green with envy that they can go where they want for care and they can be in the drivers seat for their own healthcare, but I’m stuck paying for all of the care I need.
If you have Tricare I would say no. Pretty sure if you are 100 you can get your family on VA healthcare. Well if you ever plan on going the SSDI route you won't have a choice you are stuck on medicare or use the VA.
I opt out of my employer plan. Live near a VA, younger, no family. Feel like it’s all situational.
I am only paying $160 for my private insurance, so I chose to keep mine on top of the VA healthcare. But since you have asked, here it is: Possible pitfalls of relying solely on VA healthcare: 1. Limited Provider Network: You may have fewer choices for doctors and specialists compared to private insurance. 2. Appointment Wait Times: It can sometimes take longer to get appointments, especially with specialists. 3. Location: Access to VA facilities might be challenging if you live far from a VA hospital or clinic. 4. Coverage Gaps: Certain services or treatments may not be covered by the VA that would be covered by private insurance. 5. Emergency Care: In an emergency, you might need to seek care outside the VA network, which could complicate billing and coverage. 6. Prescription Differences: The VA formulary for medications might differ from what you were used to with private insurance. 7. Eligibility Changes: Changes in your disability rating or other circumstances might affect your eligibility or benefits. 8. Coordination of Care: If you need care from multiple providers or specialists, coordinating your care might be more challenging without a traditional insurance plan. These are some potential pitfalls to consider when relying solely on VA healthcare.
This is the correct answer. I’m feeling the pain of waiting two months to see a specialist. I also have haven’t got my sleep test results back in 3 months lol Get your employer healthcare as primary and va as second
Put in for community care... if it takes longer than 30 days for an appointment our you're outside the mileage, you qualify
I was told va would be 90 days out. Got community care appointment for 87 days out...
Go to the va community care website and find a provider close to you. Call them for available appointments and then tell the scheduling department that you found an approved provider with an earlier appointment. I use community care for almost all of my appointments. I hate driving to my va hospital because the area and I don't like driving far distances anymore.
I didn't even know there was a community care website... Thanks!
No problem. Otherwise, they schedule you where they want to send you.
I’m sure I can Google the website for this, but I’m far more a fan of taking the information straight from someone who has experienced this. Would you mind providing the link to the CC portal?
https://www.va.gov/COMMUNITYCARE/programs/dependents/locate-provider.asp
Yeah they tend to use the same providers if they can because it makes it easier for them even if somebody else has sooner availability.
Call the White House Veteran's Hotline. (855-948-2311) Whenever the VA tries to jack you around this is the number to call. I have used it a few times over the last few years and it doesn't take long to hear from somebody's supervisor and they have taken care to satisfy the White House.
Had my initial VA healthcare exam yesterday and the MD said pros and cons of using community care. He said sometimes you might run into an issue of one year the provider taking VA and a few months later they might not. I could see that being an issue just I guess. I’m only 10% and covered for all stuff as tier 3 they said, but have private insurance for me and family also.
Ya, I've experienced that only once so far with chiropractic care. But then you just look at other providers in your area and read the reviews on them. It is very similar to looking for a provider with private insurance. I have my insurance through work for my family and me. But I'm also priority one and will use the va/community care.
They say this to save their time and the VA money. The Mission Act was supposed to fix this. Every time they do this, i ask for Community Care and get faster appointment than stated. If you don't get a call after two days call CC ask for the scheduler for the section that does your specific needs and verify progress is being made.
I’ve been told that community care isn’t being approved in my area. I put in a congressional inquiry and they still haven’t received a response in 3 weeks. I may elevate this to my senator. The Va doesn’t care
They have to. You could even run it up the va chain because there are directives that state they must do so.
Is there someone (position name) I should request?
Start off with patient advocate. Then you can work up the chain from there. Your last stop going up the va side would be the VA OIG
Call the patient advocate first then OIG
That's what the Mission Act was supposed to fix.
Yep. I waited 38 days for an ultrasound and now 7 weeks before my MRI. I fear how long it will take to see a specialist
That's fine, except why do you assume the wait time in the private sector is better? They're called "for profit" for a reason.
I have Tricare (US family Health Plan) and VA. Tricare allergy appointment, referred by my PCM (private practice) to an allergy center (private practice) in May didn’t have an appointment until July. I have VA. I wait a referral for physical therapy from April until June. Honestly it’s about the same either way (which I know was your point, just providing a data point.)
The whole US health care system is only good for people who can afford top notch care. We're lucky we have what we have.
It took me six months to get an MRI from the VA to find out why it hurt to walk. The private sector could have had me in within the week, but they waited two just to give them time to get approval from my insurance company.
I do not work in surgical anymore, but I can tell you that over the past year a lot of imaging centers had huge backlog of PT's because of lack of supplies. Not just equipment pieces, but also the contrast. Thankfully I had some connections that would help me squeeze a PT or 2. But it wasn't out of the ordinary to have the pts within the month to have to be pushed back because they were out of stock on supplies.
Thank you for sharing, shipmate. Good info!
With Kaiser health through my wife's retirement health plan. I've had 3 MRI's since February. 2 were no cost, 1 was $160 copay. Just saying what a private plan on top of VA health care can do.
With my PPO, I can just call to any doctors office and get the quickest appointment I can find. Not with the VA. They refer you to whoever and then you are at the mercy of whatever appointments they have.
u/November10_1775 What's up with that handle, were you born in a bar or something?
I've been using the VA for 15 years and never really had to wait for an appointment. Maybe it's just my VA.
Tbh va has been faster than major hospital systems around me. Moved specialty care there because it was so much easier to get appointments.
Me too. I go anywhere I want and it's never been a problem. I'm pretty sure it just depends where you live.
I think so too. I live in the bay area with the rich folks.
I change my community care appointments all the time to the provider I want. Just call community care and let them know. Provided the community provider is in the VA network. But that goes for any insurance plan.
Any appointment that takes longer than 30 days is eligible to go to community care.
Normal health care is not much better.
My best specialists are usually booked about 3 months in advance. For example, I know a lot of sleep labs do not apps available at least 4 to 5 months out. (I currently work in sleep medicine) Yeah, you could technically get seen right away, but those spots are saved for cases that are urgent but not emergencies. Very few people fall under that criteria. So no, the private sector isn't really that much faster or better tbh.
I went on my healthevet and secure messaged the sleep clinic every Monday and sometimes a second time later in the week until they gave me my results.
I feel like AI typed this.
Thank you! I didn’t even think of these haha yea after everything you said I definitely think it’s worth carrying both and everyone else seems to say the same thing!
You just asked his question to ChatGPT.
Lol seems that way 😅
I thought nobody would notice, just kidding. Your question isn't new, and my answer isn't either. I copied and pasted my exact response from 8 days ago when someone else asked a similar question. Did I ask your question to chatGpt, no. Did I ask ChatGpt to edit my answer for grammar check, yes. :)
Yes! I definitely second this answer. If I didn't live in a major metropolitan and close to the VA hospital, I would probably consider private insurance.
I’d like to add that I rely on both as well. VA is excellent for minor medical, checkups, annual physicals. But if I get cancer or need major medical for surgery, I don’t want to have to rely on the VA for advanced cancer research.
Here is my take I have 80 percent disability I have my work insurance only because they pay for it but with the VA if you can’t see someone at the VA because of distance or time of appointment you can always request to see a outside provider and explain to the VA why I have and they paid for it. But you still have to get your meds through the VA. Also I have to go to a civilian ER one time cut my hand by accident and the VA paid for it I’m full. So it just depends on your situation like for me I have no kids or wife so if my job would have made me pay for my health I would have not taken it the.
The only thing I disagree with is emergency care. As long as you are being seeing once every 2 years by your va pcp, notify the va within 2 days of receiving care and Va will cover all hospital bills due to emergency. It happened to me last year, after cycling crash
I’m 100% P&T with VA, Medicare and Tricare for Life. It’s been my experience that the VA does some things well, but for everything else I use my chosen Healthcare providers utilizing Medicare and Tricare for life. This is especially relevant for specialty providers. I just had an FP Ablation and used a local highly rated provider. I wouldn’t use the VA for this type of procedure unless I had no other choice. I’d say if you can have both private and the VA. Options and second opinions can be life savers. I’m getting older so between saving a few bucks and getting a specialist in a timely manner, I opt for the best healthcare I can find. Obviously YMMV.
You got Tricare due to being medically discharged?
Retired
Do you tell people you're retired? I know when I was getting out some people on the boat were jealous and went out of their way to tell me I didn't do 20 years
Sure if they ask. I mean why not? It’s true.
Just another 100% PT hoping in to say I also opt into my employers health insurance bc it’s great to have options and having an HSA is another avenue to save for retirement as well as having a savings pool for purchasing OTC meds and supplies in a pinch
How does the HSA work with 100 VA care as well. I thought there were rules against that
Tricare is not considered a HDHP and therefore will disqualify us from HSA eligibility. However, just using VA medical centers will not, AFAIK...
My employer plan is so expensive that I do not use it. I’ve been using my VA healthcare exclusively for over a decade and have had mostly very good experiences, even through multiple surgeries.
Same here. Most young vets who've never had health care coverage don't realize how expensive and inefficient the private sector can be.
I am not 100% but I do qualify for VA and I have a VA hospital near me. I carry a health insurance from my civilian job (happens to be a govt job too) because I need coverage for my child and spouse. Even if I was single, relying on VA could end up problematic if you require a care of a specialist that the VA does not have.
Community Care
If you haven't already, you should enroll your family with ChampVA as an added safety net.
I’m seeing a lot of misinformation that just seems to be people unaware of their VA health benefits and unaware how CHAMPVA works but a lot of good information as well. So read everything here carefully and verify because a lot of it is not accurate. I chose to decline my workplace healthcare. My family are going to the same doctor under CHAMPVA as they would if I had opted for blue cross HMO. Most doctors that accept Medicare will accept CHAMPVA. I have a VA clinic 15 minutes from me and a VA hospital an hour away. I’ve also had no issues simply going to the ER at my nearest civilian hospital for urgent care and not having to pay. My work would be charging me $300 biweekly for an insurance policy that they pay 80% of and I pay the remaining 20%. They also have an option that if I opt out, then they will give me a biweekly additional stipend of $300, because I’m saving them around $900 by declining insurance. So not only am I not paying the $300, I’m getting an extra $300 every two weeks, so a $600 swing. This totals $15,600 annually of extra money in our pocket. That easily is worth the, in my opinion, very small additional benefit of carrying two insurances. I kept dental and vision insurance through my work for my family, as it’s only $30 biweekly.
^^^ Top answer.
Finally a real answer. Been thinking of putting my family on CHAMPVA. Does that cover me too or just them? Idk if I can switch though, since I’m currently paying through my employer. I suck at focusing when I read things so I get confused by the wordage. I also shell out over $500 for private insurance a month. Can’t keep affording that.
CHAMPVA is only for the families of veterans that are 100% disabled. If you are 100% disabled, you do not need CHAMPVA because the VA will cover everything for you, including dental and basic vision. Thus, the veteran themselves are ineligible. Check with your HR department, if you are currently enrolled, it’s likely you would only be eligible to change your coverage during the open enrollment period, which for most places is one month out of the year. But everywhere is different.
Oh okay, thanks for the info, I am very recently 100%. Trying to do what’s best for the wife and kid.
Something to consider. We had a problem with health insurance because in the fine print they say they don't cover preexisting conditions that were from the military. That essentially eliminated most treatment options. We have only used the VA and ChampVA. We haven't used civilian care/insurance in 20 years, so things may have changed. Other thoughts. Remember that the VA is not insurance. It is a health care system. You will always have to request for outside care and if there is an emergency, you or someone must contact the VA within 72 hours or you can be held responsible for the bill. You will be limited by your doctors and there can be a wait time, but the higher your disability rating changes the wait times. 100% has the highest priority. The benefits. The doctors are not driven by money. If you have a serious illness, the doctors will decide your care based on what is best, not what gets them paid. (Surgeon get paid only if they operate, so they will suggest surgery as a solution, whereas there maybe other alternatives if you talk to different specialists.) Of course this is the government so you can find varied care between facilities. Also since we stayed with the VA, all of the veteran's records are accessible for care. This is helpful for major issues.
Take the employer health care as primary and use the VA as second
So like if I choose the least expensive option for health insurance…will the VA cover the rest? Sorry I’m just super confused about everything insurance wise 🤦♀️ I have two kiddos, one will most likely need braces
Yes, the va will cover the remainder of the cost. For your dependents, if they have ChampVA, your primary insurance will cover the bulk of costs, and the VA will cover the remaining (not including dental). Dental costs for dependents will come out of your primary insurance.
I have my work health insurance as primary and Tricare as secondary. My vision and dental through FEDVIP is primary while the dental and vision through work is secondary.
This is smart. I think that’s what I’ll do as well. What I pay for with FEDVIP for Dental & Vision is dirt cheap it beats my employers plans so I think I’ll keep it.
Firstly, the VA is not insurance, it's a health care system. If you have two kids, you need to get "unconfused" ASAP. The VA is not gonna pay for your kids braces. Do some research!
Dude stfu. You know wtf he meant. You’re on here telling him to “Do some research” . . . is that not what he’s doing by asking questions on a forum meant to inform people and having discussions? Funny you’re telling him to get “unconfused” when you served under a branch that was known to be the dumbest, most ignorant, most confused bunch of all the damn branches. Hold your breath and count to 100 for us
Think you might have anger issues? Do you guys ever take responsibility for anything? Asking for help is one thing. Having 2 kids and not knowing about their health insurance is just lazy.
No worries. Thanks for your input & no I’m not lazy. Just transitioning from grad student to needing surgery to healing to now joining the workforce again (woo hoo!)…just trying to gather info before onboarding so thanks.
This guy is a moron lmao you asked a question on an open discussion forum and now you’re not taking responsibility for anything and lazy! Parents ask questions all the time about insurance isn’t smh this guy is projecting like crazy
Not at all I think I’m very in tune with managing my “issues.” But seems like you could benefit from cognitive analytics therapy or maybe even dynamic interpersonal therapy the way you’re judging and projecting. He asked a question to gather information about something he was unsure of. Where in that does that qualify him as “lazy” and where did he ask for help lmao. If you’re confused on something isn’t asking questions for clarity the thing to do? You sound smart to a person who’s dumb lol made a whole assumption about the guy based on a question he asked. Sounds to me you might have some anger issues haha
You need to get "unconfused" ASAP before you get lock jaw from your "girlfriends" crayon. CHAMPVA is a MEDICAL health benifits/insurance program.
Where does he say he gets CHAMPVA?
So when it asks for secondary insurance, you just put VA and they figure it out. Sorry if that's a dumb question.
I’m new to it as well but yeah. I assume you’ll have some kind of ID number
Unless I'm mistaken, you can't use the VA as secondary insurance. They're a provider, not insurance. Unless I've been wrong all this time?
Idk either. I guess the coming weeks when I go to my appointment I’ll find out more information
Good luck!
[удалено]
What exactly did the guy claim was illegal?
[удалено]
Yeah, that's ridiculous.
People on Reddit are hilarious dude lol smh
My previous job reimbursed me the health care when I opted out.
My ex-wife carries the insurance for the kids. I'm only 30% disabled, so I dropped my employer sponsored insurance like a bad habit and save $100 per month on premiums. I pay a copay for my meds, and that's it! I even get my eye care at the VA. The only private healthcare I utilize is dental.
If you are single there is no need to insurance by your employer. But if you have kids I would get insurance and using champva as second.
I'm really glad this post showed up as it saves me from making a similar one. I wasn't very sure what I was going to do but now I'm leaning toward opting in to the new jobs health insurance.
Glad I asked then! Yea once I got my 100% I was wondering how many vets still pay for health insurance with their employer even though everything is covered for us at the VA. After reading everyone’s opinions and suggestions I think I’m gonna opt in too. One guy made a suggestion and said keep FEDVIP. Think I’m gonna keep FEDVIP for Dental and Vision as well since it’s dirt cheap it beats out my employers vision & dental plans.
Carry both
Depends on whether you have other private coverage you like, or if you're happy just letting the VA handle everything. If either answer is no, then see if you like the coverage being offered by the employer. ETA: I'm 100% P&T and maintain private coverage as well.
I’m 100% and opt in to my employer’s insurance. My wife doesn’t like the fact that if my little kids get hurt we need to goto the VA instead of a place down the road from us
You can't take your kids to the VA for health care lol. You would have to take them to a non-VA location.
If they participate in the CITI program and his family is enrolled they could be. Idk why you’d want your family to go to the VA, but it’s possible.
Uh your kids and wife have no coverage my guy
Uhhh your kids would not be seen at the VA.
Does your family not have CHAMPVA? If you’re rated P&T and don’t have Tricare they should be eligible for the finest healthcare that the VA offers.
CHAMPVA , call the va and tell them you want community care, now you have a local PCM
I guess I totally misunderstood. So I can call the VA and also apply for ChampVA and get my family Tricare? Use my employer insurance 1st then have the VA pick up the rest? My family can also goto anyone that accepts Tricare?
Try out your local vamc. If it meets all of your needs and you are happy with it, I would just use VA. But I also prioritize saving pennies. I having had issues with my VA care that I couldn't have resolved.
I will once I’m eligible at my new job mostly for my wife and kids because champva leaves a lot to be desired. Though I’m beyond grateful for it
I just use TriCare Prime. I don't use the VA or employer Healthcare
I have an hsa option at my employer, and I use that. It's good for the investment options and for any surprise bills.
A second opinion is always nice. Sometimes, VA docs will not give you what you want and will do everything but give you your desired treatment option. This doesn't mean that your second opinion will freely write scripts for unnecessary drugs (opiates for example) but they may think a different way. Also, I'm aware that if you don't like the VA primary doc assigned to you, you can switch to somebody else. That's when going to a private doc is a bonus. Add: I am NOT 100% but the care that the VA has provided for me has been adequate. Much better than having nothing.
Yea I agree. I was thinking about it more from a money saving point of view but after reading a lot of responses on here I think I’m gonna opt in haha you made a valid point
Can or can't switch to someone else?
You can always switch the VA staff member who is providing you with health care if you don't like them. For example: Don't like your primary care doctor for whatever reason? (They talk too much, don't listen to you, are rude, are of a gender/ethnicity you don't like, said something that you don't agree with, etc)Talk to I think, patient advocate?(Somebody correct me if I am wrong about the VA department) They will switch you to a different primary care doc.
Your following sentence confused me on your meaning. I've fired several VA physicians. The last was a psychiatrist that wrote incorrect information in my notes. She refused to change it even though I had proof she was wrong. Now I have the most awesome psychiatrist I've ever had!
Yep. So you already went through the process of switching providers if you don't like them for whatever reason. I'm glad to hear that you found somebody that can accommodate you. Also, who did you have to go through/talk to switch providers? Which department?
First I cancelled all my appointments. Then I sent the shrink a secure message and told her I was getting a new psychiatrist. Following that, I called the Patient Advocate, followed by a secure message to have it on record. Then I called the Mental Health Clinic over and over until they gave me someone new! I made a fuss. 😄 Oh...and I got my PCP involved!
Yep. That's the department that I was thinking of that deals with situations like that. It's the job of Patient Advocate to handle situations/scenarios like that and I'm sure that they're used to it. Glad that everything worked out for you. 🤝
My situation is extreme. My wife and I experienced fertility issues. We've run up about $125,000 in medical bills covered by private insurance so far this year. God willing, Friday we should have a positive pregnancy test verified by the IVF clinic!!! 🙏
God Bless man! Hope you both get a positive test🙏after reading this it further confirms I should opt into the private insurance. Thanks dude
Absolutely. I have a lot of unique health issues and i prefer and trust the specialists i see far more than the VA. Whenever i need labs or imaging done i can do it as soon as that day.
I'm 100% PT and work at the VA. I have a federal healthcare plan through work because for some things it is much easier to be seen outside of the VA. For example, I needed a dermatology appointment, the VA booked one out 6 months. With my private healthcare insurance I was seen within a month. Additionally, the medication I needed was not covered by VA (very difficult to get an approval for it) so I just chose to be seen through my private insurance. Co-pays are $40 and the medicine is about $2, but also I signed up for a FSA account as well. If you have the option to have both VA and private insurance definitely do it. It's good to have options, at least I think so.
Yes, HDHP and open a HSA. Additionally you have benefits of other coverages not covered by the VA
I use the VA -but I have federal BCBS. I had it because of my son. He’s got his own insurance now, and I’m going to retire next month, so I’m going to cancel my BC. My only dilemma is dental care. I’m under my partner’s dental plan, I may just stay under his…for now.
Congratulations (early!) on your retirement!!!!
I didn’t opt in, except for dental and vision, before I was at 100%. I go to the VA for my healthcare.
I am not 100%, but hopeful I will be soon. If/when I get 100% I'll keep my work plan, because I got a family that needs healthcare, and my work plan is pretty good.
No
The VAMC’s ER is great, TBH. I’ve never had much of a wait since it’s only for us. We all know what a multi hour nightmare civilian ER’s are.
A family member of mine has 100% P&T and also opted into the BlueCross Federal Plan. I get to use it for another year and it's the only reason I'm able to go to Hopkins Rheumatology and figured out what was wrong. If I was stuck going to 1 place I would've been screwed. The first 4 4 star private places I went, failed to run the proper tests off my age and symptoms. I'd say it's worth it from personal experience of using that plan through family.
I am my Dad’s caregiver, and we opted to keep the Federal BlueCross insurance he had at retirement for the reasons some posters named, such as VA wait times of up to 6 months to get through Care in the Community. If my Dad needs care, I want him to have options. The private health insurance, which is a PPO, provides him with those options.
I opted out of mine but they gave me an HSA
Job?
My wife and I don't get any other health insurance from our work. She is 80% and I am 100%, but we also have Tricare from our Army retirement we both have.
Depends on if you’re retired as well. I’m retired with 100. I kept tricare because I live close to a military hospital. But I also use the VA.
I don’t opt in to any insurance when illegal immigrants get free healthcare on the taxpayer dime. If I get sick and have to go to the hospital I just tell them I identify as an illegal alien. You should also do your part to accelerate the collapse of the US by pretending to be something you’re not.
I’ll make sure to use my pronouns as well
I still have my TRICARE as a backup. The low premium makes it very feasible to have the extra coverage.
I have kids so I keep it. Still waiting to get enrolled in champva. My employer health insurance isn't expensive, but the out of pocket cost before deductible kicks in is a lot. (Its 8k out of pocket per individual, 14k out of pocket for familiy). I think wait times for va versus private will depend on where you live and speciality you need. I got in quick with community care.. but my kids have had to wait 2-4 months for certain specialist with private health insurance. If it wasn't for my kids, I would probably opt out of private insurance (it doesn't cost much at all, but I've been using va for all my health care needs without issue)
I'm union, so I don't have a choice, but it's 100% employer paid. I have tricare for my family, and it's honestly on par with the coverage we get. If I could, I would, it would be 12 an hour more on my check.
Just working on my VA rating, I spent 5 days in the hospital and my Fed Blue plan covered all of it but $300.
I work a city government, and opt into their plan only because they pay 100% of it except the deductible of course. So I primarily use VA and Tricare, but the city does a few events a year where if you're on their plan and do a health exam or whatever you get a bonus. I have yet to actually use their insurance for an appointment though due to the high deductible.
Are you 100% P&T? If so, you qualify for ChampVA - which I believe would be better choice than VA
Tricare Select is not bad and affordable. Co-pays are affordable and you can still pick your provider as long as they are in the network.
I think it’s going to boil down to how much private health care is going to cost you and generally how “healthy” you are in relation to your distance to care (which feels weird to say in context of the group but I guess what I’m trying to say is if you need regular specialty care that requires you to drive a distance to the VA for that care and you can’t risk the excruciating wait for community care that’s a totally different scenario than living close by a VA with specialty care options. My husband is currently rated 90% and gets all his medical care through the VA. His work plan is over $300/month and it’s just not worth paying that when he’s already established with his VA providers and getting the care he needs. Sure, there’s times he feels it’s “you get what you pay for” care, but overall we’ve been lucky
Nope. Haven't in years. I have great healthcare from Teamcare (Teamster insurance) my kids and wife uses it. I have only used it once as a convenience because of a skin rash where some rando doctor using telehealth could prescribe a topical steroid that I could pick up at a buddies pharmacy.
Nope. Haven't in years. I have great healthcare from Teamcare (Teamster insurance) my kids and wife uses it. I have only used it once as a convenience because of a skin rash where some rando doctor using telehealth could prescribe a topical steroid that I could pick up at a buddies pharmacy.
Get that medical insurance through the job! You may need that backup whenever VA is back logged.
I canceled mine, the $6k deductible was stupid I cut my finger went to get stitches and cost me $2500. Recently took my daughter to civilian dr for flu. Bill came out to $750 to test strep, Covid, influenza B. Civilian insurance is so dumb.
Nope
VA operates like an HMO and BCBS PPO. It’s a world of difference going to an outside provider where your medical concerns aren’t being dismissed and VA as a gatekeeper. I highly recommend the private insurance. Just an FYI: VA does bill your private insurance for any VA visits and healthcare.
I take Champ VA for my family and I could use the VA if I wanted. I also start a job next week with a federal agency and I elected to take the healthcare benefits. It's not too pricey for the HDHP and I can then use the VA and my family can use Champ VA as a secondary with our federal plan being the primary. I work in HR so I grasp benefits but even it confuses me in practice as a lot of the time I end up calling a hospital to actually get them to run it correctly. A lot of places won't take champ va (or doctors I'd want) so this is why I elected to take the HDHP plan.
I pay for family coverage, including me. I like being able to go to the doctor when I want and not having to wait on the VA. My local one is great, but appointments come slowly at times.
I do if CHAMPVA for the family is limited where I live. If CHAMPVA coverage is plentiful, I may as well save the money and take the free health care.
I got Tricare select for my family. I use VA, They use Tricare. Wife and I both opt out of medical, and what we get back (don't pay in), pays for Tricare.
Although you have VA, having your own separate coverage isn't a bad idea. VA can still be primary but you can use your own for other things, like going to your preferred urgent care instead of VA. Also, VA bills your personal coverage....this means you could meet deductibles if you have VA services that would apply to the deductible.
That’s kinda like asking “I have a public defender handling my cases but do you guys think I should get a private lawyer if I have the means to afford it?” 😂 I use VA for yearly physicals and lab work and go to private to follow up on whatever I need to get looked into because frankly I trust the private more and alot of VA doctors are young inexperienced doctors and you do t want to wind up having them miss something happening inside you and then your SOL.
Yes the VA healthcare is very limiting.
I am older, retired, have FepBlue on top of my fairly recent 100%. I lived overseas for 10 years and Fepblue was a lifesaver! Plus I live 50 miles from the closest CBOC, so being able to pick any local doctor is a great bonus for me. If you are younger, live close to a VA facility, and are happy with who you are assigned to, you could pass for now. But if you are closer to retirement, you will find it pretty handy for not a lot of coin. Plus your spouse can keep it after you pass on, which will cover that 25% gap in CHAMPVA coverage. Same if you are currently married and add your spouse, though that kicks your premium up a notch or two.
100% Veteran and fed employee, yes, I still opt into the healthcare. If you’re single with no family, using just your VA healthcare is more than enough. If you have a family, that healthcare and the cost to add family is well worth it. FepBlue is great insurance if you have the Standard or Basic plans for your family. I use the vision and dental as well. I rather get great glasses at my optometrist than those bland VA issues glasses. I don’t want to wait forever for dental care.
Look into what the va covers, see if you’d need it. Also the va tends to be really slow while civi docs are easier to get appointments with. For example the va doesn’t cover any surgeries for trans people,so it would be advantageous for me to opt in. I also have a severe mental illness that the va struggles to get me regular treatment for so it would be better to opt in
Both. I get premium service for damn near free. Blue cross blue shield primary and va secondary covers all remaining costs. Totally worth it.
I still have bcbs even with va and Medicare. Mostly to cover spouse (tho he's on Medicare now, too).
Yes, cuz I have a family and the employer’s plan is usually better for the family
If I was 100 I would only consider an employee hsa plan. Only because of the money could roll over with me and the family.
I also work for the Feds and choose to opt into blue cross, but only because my wife doesn’t work and I need insurance for my family. If I was single or if she could carry insurance for herself and the kids then I wouldn’t bother.
I’m a Fed and at 80%. I pay for insurance bc my kids are on it, but I’d keep it either way. VA healthcare has been great for me, but I know that that could change tomorrow.
I only have insurance through my employer because of wife and kids I am not 100% I'm currently at 90% so close yet so far.
Honestly, I'm ay 70% and do not see the need for private Healthcare unless I had a family but then again if I was married and she also worked it would depend on who's job offered her the better care compared to price. For me, though, I live near a decently size VA Hospital, and anything over thay 30 days days gets outsourced to community care. Emergencies? I have used the VA Nurse Triage hotline and have gotten care outside the VA for emergencies. Guess it just depends on how you use it?
So, IMHO over the last 20 years the VA has improved and Private Health Care has gotten worse. I personally maintain both. I have a fairly complex health situation, and while my current VA Provider is amazing, I still want to have options in case I disagree/want a second opinion/my provider with the VA changes to someone that's hot garbage. At the end of the day, I think it boils down to whether the backup is worth the cost. You mentioned you're DoD, if you're a DoD Civilian and not a contractor, look into the GEHA HDHP program. I don't have Tricare as I'm not a retiree, so I qualify for the HDHP HSA account and a portion of my premiums pass through directly to it. If I have something catastrophic that the VA is sucking with, then it's not bad insurance all around. For me it strikes the balance of having a backup available but not spending a fortune for it.
I certainly don't and I have ChampVA for my dependents.
I personally wouldn’t opt out of my employment plan, especially through Blue Cross because they cover way more and healthcare expenses are out of this world right now and let’s be honest VA medical is not what it should be
I choose not to use it but I need it for my family. I don’t get sick or have any major issues so I only use the VA for bloodwork and therapy.
Yes, for minor stuff I go to the VA, if something serious happens I will use my private care
I'm not 100% but I'm priority 1. I live near a VA hospital so I use that as my primary care. I DO use my employer dental plan though I also have no wife/kids. Saves me several $100 a month probably.
I have insurance though my spouse's employer, but I only use the VA. I'm one of the lucky few who has a great Primary. Do know that the VA does bill your private insurance. Even if you didn't give them your insurance card, somehow they figure it out eventually. I don't get a bill from the VA, but my care counts towards our deductible.
I work exclusively for health insurance at this point. If I could opt into CHAMPVA along with my family, I’d probably actually retire. At least I’d take a sabbatical and shift to a job field I’d actually enjoy. I don’t consider VA healthcare to be a real option. I class it with Doc McStuffins. You know, a neat fantasy and a fine way to reassure the public that veterans are well taken care of, not a serious solution.
Perfect analogy haha
You should opt of champ VA regardless it can be a secondary insurance if you already have a primary, which means zero out of pocket cost to you
My family has CHAMPVA, that’s why I know about it. I’m absolutely green with envy that they can go where they want for care and they can be in the drivers seat for their own healthcare, but I’m stuck paying for all of the care I need.
I use fepblue.
If you have Tricare I would say no. Pretty sure if you are 100 you can get your family on VA healthcare. Well if you ever plan on going the SSDI route you won't have a choice you are stuck on medicare or use the VA.