VA Benefits and MA Plans

[honestagent]

VA folks a fully dual elidgible. You can put them in an MA for them to use when they chose to not go to a VA Dr. or hospital. If they want to use the VA, the MA will not affect it at all.

You can also put a VA person into a part D. They can use it when they don't want to use the VA. They can still get their RX from the VA if they chose and not use their Part D.

As someone already said, don't put someone with Tricare on an MA. Tricare folks do not have to use the VA, they can go anywhere. It's like very good private insurance and you wouldn't put someone with private insurance on an MA.

As for having this in writing, go to the Medicare website and they have the PDF manual that you can download.

What this poster said is moslty correct - all - but the first line of being dual eligible. No. They are not. So be careful with that b/c if for some fluke one is not a dual, one is married for about a year to the plan and cannot get a SEP, say if, for example, the Vet wanted to opt out at any given time. And you don't want to hurt that Vet so be very careful and when in doubt, ask qualifying qs to confirm dual status and also call Medicare to comfirm eligibility at POS if Vet is unsure of eligibility status.

 

[jdeasy]

What this poster said is moslty correct - all - but the first line of being dual eligible. No. They are not. So be careful with that b/c if for some fluke one is not a dual, one is married for about a year to the plan and cannot get a SEP, say if, for example, the Vet wanted to opt out at any given time. And you don't want to hurt that Vet so be very careful and when in doubt, ask qualifying qs to confirm dual status and also call Medicare to comfirm eligibility at POS if Vet is unsure of eligibility status.

Yes, I worded that wrong. They are not dual as in having an SEP all the time. I meant dual as one doesn't interfere with the other.
They do not have an SEP just because they are VA.

 

[patch36]

Veteran Drug benefit is not credible coverage except during AEP, as I have been taught and understand it. They cannot sign up as a new MAPD or stand alone PDP during OEP unless they had a PDP plan of some kind other than just VA. The exception is with SNP plans if they meet the qualifying conditions.

Newby's need to remember that every state and county in the state may have a totally different array of plans available and plans can differ considerably, but Medicare rules are pretty much the same across the country.

 

[jdeasy]

Veteran Drug benefit is not credible coverage except during AEP, as I have been taught and understand it. They cannot sign up as a new MAPD or stand alone PDP during OEP unless they had a PDP plan of some kind other than just VA. The exception is with SNP plans if they meet the qualifying conditions.

Newby's need to remember that every state and county in the state may have a totally different array of plans available and plans can differ considerably, but Medicare rules are pretty much the same across the country.

You are correct on that. Just having VA benefits alone would not allow that person to enroll in a part D plan at any other time than the AEP.

 

[arnguy]

I have been on the VA Rx plan since 1999. When the Part D Plans became available I received a letter from the VA stating that the VA Rx program is considered creditable coverage in that it equals and/or exceeds the Part D Plans. Also, it stated that a veteran can apply for Part D even if he/she doesn't use it, but it is not necerssary to do so. If the veteran later decides to sign up for a part D Plan there will not be any late penalty imposed inasmuch as the VA plan is deemed creditable coverage. A full explanation is available on the Medicare website under FAQs. (Note: It is CREDITABLE, not credible or incredible) As "jdeasy" corrected himself, the VA coverage has nothing to do do with dual eligibilty. It was a poor choice of words. Detailed information can be obtained from the VA Health BSnefits service Center at 1-877-222-8387. This is nationwide and is not affected by the various state regulations.