Retired Veteran and Tricare/VA system for Breast Cancer

Sandy51

I am trying to figure out the Tricare Prime and VA system for retired military veterans coping with breast cancer.  My surgery was done on a military base but my radiation was referred off base in a civilian facility.  I normally use the VA system for Womens Health but waiting an appointment system has been very long.  I have not seen the VA MO yet but will next week.  I have seen the military MO once before radiation therapy.  She put me on tamoxifen before I started radiation.  Since I had some bad side effects I took myself off of it 10 days after starting.  My MO was not concerned since she said I can stay off of it until after my radiation.  I am not post menopausal and I was told Tamoxifen was my only option.  I am hoping the VA MO will give me a few options. I was fortunate that the military hospital paid for the Onco DX test since I was told that Tricare does not.  VA will pay for 100% of radiation treatment (which I did not know and probably would have used that route since it most likely would have been the same civilan provider) instead of me paying hundreds of dollars in co-pays thru Tricare prime.  This whole thing is very confusing on who does what and how the system works.  Any advise, eperiences and recommendations would be appreciated.  

Kicks

Are you going to delete this post too?



Unless your BC is service connected or you are low income or 100% disabled, VA does not pay 100%. There is a co-pay but it is quite small.



Make an appointment with Patient Affairs to get the answers.

Alirena

Sandy 51, You don't have to be low income, 100% disabled, or service connected for BC to get your BC treatment paid for by the Veterans Administration.   I'll send you a PM. 

Kicks

That would be interestinng to know - a lot would like to know it. Unless you are talking about having private insurance that will kick in for the co-pay, I'd be very interested in how one pays nothing for VA unless you fall into the groups I listed. I've dealt with VA for many years and the only time I got totally free VA was shortly after Hubby retired and was in college because of income. Hubby does have Service Connected Disabilities (I don't) for which he pays nothing and when sent out of state for TX his cost to go are covered also BUT when he is treated for non SCD, he pays a co-pay. I have many friends who are also Veterans and this is how it is for them too.

Alirena

Kicks, I'm sending you a PM. 

MILCHICK

Hello ladies!



I am a disabled vet but not 100%. I was medically discharged not to long ago. I walked into a VA clinic last week and just told one of the clerks, "I think I might have breast cancer." They let me see a nurse and get an exam right then. That nurse took me to another nurse for a second exam. That nurse took me to a VA PCP (doctor). The doctor did an exam and then ordered the referral for Mammo/US. None of that cost me anything. I have no idea why it did not cost but thankful they were taking care of me. However, that is the ONLY quick thing the VA has probably EVER done. As for the mammo/us, trying to get that done quickly has taken some real fight and yelling on my part. Once the doctor sent the referral off, it went into the hands of a VA admin type at the regional medical level. This new person in the chain decided that she would take her time and told me, "I have about 90 people ahead of you with that many more added everyday. You just have to wait till I get to you." she was a real B***h. But she finally decided to do the right thing and sign off on my referral. My mammo/us is tomorrow and I'm really not expecting good news. So I'm trying to figure out how this whole VA thing works. How to get them to do their jobs in a timely manner. BTW: my mammo/us was supposed to be at the navy hosp last week but the radiologist said that he did NOT want to be responsible for my treatment or care so I was referred to a local hosp that I had used before while I still had tricare prime. Any words of advice? Comments? Want to vent? I'm all ears (or eyes rather because of I will be reading LOL).



Hope to hear something from someone here.



God bless you all.



Nikki

Galsal

An Army Veteran that uses the VA.  They've handled my entire case of BC from start to current.  It is not SC so they file against my health insurance.  I've no problem with that since they can use the funds to care for other Veterans.

Sally

Sandy51

thanks for all the repies.  Since I am 70% rated they will pick up all the tab.  Not sure if they will bill tricare or not.  But after seeing an oncologist in Biloxi I will not be going back.  Those the staff was nice the underfinding was unreal and very evident.  My doctor should have been retired decades ago and had paperwork all over the exam table, desk etc.  I will stick with tricare though I will incur costs.  Due to the various deployed locations I was told I should file for SC sunce many of them had toxic chemical around.