|
 |
Toby Laping Associates www.WNYCareManager.com
Eldercare News |
|
You Need To Know . . . Health Benefits Available to Veterans by Toby F. Laping, Ph.D., C.S.W. We’ve all been reading about how complicated it will be to pick wisely and benefit from the new Medicare prescription drug benefit . That makes this a great time to look at alternative sources for medications as well as for insurance coverage for primary health care. With the cost of health care skyrocketing and the cost of prescription drugs increasing enough to wipe out the benefits of drug cards, it is appropriate to pay attention to one frequently overlooked source of low cost medical care and prescription drugs. The Veterans’ Administration can be a treasure chest of services that many people need and that can be very costly. Nothing is without its cost, of course, and without being registered at the Veterans’ Hospital as a veteran entitled to services and with a medical record there, some of the following services won’t be available to you. But, if you’re a veteran with an honorable discharge, and particularly if you served in wartime and particularly if you have a veteran’s disability, have you looked into what you might receive in the way of: 1. medical care. Veterans’ Hospital on Bailey Ave. has a full range of medical care services available to veterans, including primary care physicians, specialists in a wide range of health care issues, and such alternative care providers as nurse practitioners and physicians assistants. 2. drug benefits are available with costs depending upon certain variables. As I’ve paid attention to the benefits that my clients have received, I’ve concluded that the time invested in pursuing what medications will cost if purchased through the Veterans’ Hospital is well worth it. You may not want to meet all of the terms that would be required in order to qualify for getting your prescriptions through the hospital’s pharmacy, but if you’re now paying a lot of money for drugs, it may well be worth the effort. 3. the hospital’s day program can be compared to the social day programs available at a number of locations throughout the city, and which are offered for roughly $40 daily. The VA program merits your investigation. The programs are not entirely comparable but that’s neither positive nor negative. A more relevant question is whether it would meet your needs and those of your loved ones. 4. some home care can be provided by the VA. If this is a need, it surely merits looking to, particularly in light of the high hourly costs if you’re otherwise paying out of pocket for home care. 5. the Veterans’ Hospital has a contract with many of the area nursing homes in which the first month of stay can be covered by the Veterans’ Administration. That can induce a nursing home to offer a bed in a situation in which it would not otherwise do so. 6. distinct from the Veterans’ Hospital, the New York state Home for Veterans in Batavia is a nursing home in Batavia. They provide a significant subsidy for honorably discharged veterans who served during wartime. People often assume that this refers to a floor in the Batavia Veterans’ Hospital but that isn’t accurate. In fact, I’m referring to a new and very attractive, free standing facility near the hospital. It’s a 1/2 hour or more drive from Buffalo but might be very worth considering. I surely don’t mean to suggest that use of veterans’ services will solve all your problems, but these services can be very useful, very cost effective, and are often not considered. Particularly if you meet the criteria and you’re not quite satisfied with your present level of care, pay some attention to what I’ve written and telephone the local Office of Veterans’ Affairs or call Veterans’ Hospital for details.
|