quote:

Originally posted by ulsterman:
You are cheating yourself if you don't at least try.

I’ve long lost count of the number of veterans who have let rumors and second hand tales about VA medical care keep them from even looking into it. Are some of the stories true? Yes, of course. Do those bad things happen to everyone? No.

I’ll knock on wood while saying it, but in nearly 30 years of getting my primary care through the VA, I can recall once—count ’em, one time—when I had so much as a complaint about someone’s attitude toward me, much less what I considered the level of care. Yes, I’m fortunate to have had nothing more serious to treat than a couple of hernias, but the worst that can happen from looking into the possibility is a bit of frustration and lost time.

I am a cheerleader for the VA. But, haven't always been one.

Married a gal who was a Registered Nurse, later a Nurse Practitioner at the local VA Hospital.

I refused to go there, and hated it when her car was in the shop and I had to take her to the VA or pick her up there after work.

Finally, after 15 or so years of marital bliss I gave in, went out to the VA one afternoon and sorta never left.

They do all my health care except eyes (had many weird eye surgeries, so don't want to break in a new opthalmologist). I get a disability check every month, care and scripts are free, and they treat me great.

Got two pairs of hearing aids from them over the years. Top of the line, no complaints.

The VA has given me the best health care I've ever had, saved my life twice (throat cancer and heart) and, it looks like, maybe saved it again a third time with the prostate cancer being under control.

Bob

I started receiving primary care from the VA 5 or so years ago. My wife kept after me to apply. I went through my local Veteran Service Officer who helped some with the paperwork and sending off for records. I was a rifleman and mortar gunner in the 101st and have hearing loss and tinnitus as well as a kidney loss due to kidney stones which started hot and heavy in the Army. Even had to have surgeries for them while in. They immediately gave me service connection for ear related at 10% and 30% for kidney after one appeal for a total of 40%.

I never would have bothered were it not for my wife. Va care is kind of quirky and takes getting used to but I get most of my care and surgeries in the private sector paid for by the VA with my primary care physician a DR in an outreach VA clinic. I have to say the take good care of me and once my hearing reaches the point where I need hearing aids, I know I’ll get some nice equipment. I don’t have insurance so VA is my primary health care.

quote:

Originally posted by sigfreund:

quote:

Originally posted by ulsterman:
You are cheating yourself if you don't at least try.

I’ve long lost count of the number of veterans who have let rumors and second hand tales about VA medical care keep them from even looking into it. Are some of the stories true? Yes, of course. Do those bad things happen to everyone? No.

I’ll knock on wood while saying it, but in nearly 30 years of getting my primary care through the VA, I can recall once—count ’em, one time—when I had so much as a complaint about someone’s attitude toward me, much less what I considered the level of care. Yes, I’m fortunate to have had nothing more serious to treat than a couple of hernias, but the worst that can happen from looking into the possibility is a bit of frustration and lost time.

Yep.

I signed up for VA care, got accepted. After a year or so, they wanted an update on my income. I gave them an update..... And they booted me out, claiming I make too much $$$. The difference between my initial enrollment income the update? About $100.
But.. during the time I was enrolled, I said I had a hearing loss and then said "B-52". They tested me and gave me a set of Phonak hearing aids. I dont wear them as they produce a kind of rushing noise or "wall of sound". Audiologist said I would get used to it. I havent.

quote:

Originally posted by smithbc:
I just got mine through the VA a few months ago. I knew my hearing was bad, but had no idea how bad until I put the hearing aids in.

The process was pretty quick and easy. For me they were 100% free since my hearing loss was service related (I'm not sure exactly how determined that)

You should make an appointment and see. The worst that can happen is they tell you no.

generally by what your job was with the military!!

btw, i've had great care from the va, knee replacement, cataract surgery, oral surgery, glasses.

Thought I'd post an interim update.

I've seen my ENT. His diagnosis is there's nothing wrong with my ears. My hearing loss is typical of too much exposure to too much loud noise, and age.

He referred me to an audiologist to have my hearing tested. I've been diagnosed with "moderately severe" hearing loss.

In case anybody's interested:



It turns out going to that audiologist may have been a mistake. I had thought diagnostics were covered by our insurance. Since then I've read that they may not have been. I guess we'll find out.

I've started the process of registering for health benefits with the VA. Boy, they sure do make you jump through some hoops.

I'm probably going to go with Starkey hearing aids. They're the only ones who currently offer ITE (In The Ear) or ITC (In The Canal) hearing aids that are rechargeable.

You guys can go ahead and try, but here's what the VA does around here:

If you can't prove it's service connected hearing loss, you can probably forget it.

The last person I know who tried is an old friend I shoot with every week. He went in to the VA around 2 months ago, even had a sad story about how it was service related and he'd spent large amounts of time around heavy equipment in the course of his job, including jackhammers and other loud equipment.

They didn't laugh at him, but he said they came close to it.

And last week I got the explanation of benefits for the bloodwork the VA did prior to the “prerequisite” physical….mind you my regular doctor needs bloodwork prior to the physical visit-bills the blood and labs as part of the physical.

I didn’t think the govt would be fucking me over like it did when I worked for Uncle Sam, but here I am.

As some of the others said: It won't hurt to try.

The hearing aids I want will cost somewhere in the vicinity of seven to eight thousand dollars for the pair.

If VA will cover it: So much the better. If they won't, they won't.

FWIW: The young lady at the audiologist's told me she'd never known the VA to turn anybody down for hearing aid coverage.

So much for that

Applied for VA benefits on-line a week ago today. Site said "If you're approved you'll get an email. If you're rejected you'll receive snail mail." Site said it normally takes less than a week. Nothing heard, so I just gave them a call.

I've been rejected because my income is too high.

On the one hand that's disappointing news. On the other hand I guess it means I did something right

Even had I been accepted for VA coverage I probably would've had a hard time making the case my hearing loss was service-related.

^^^^^^^^^^^^
There is a move to include in Medicare. I think the more important thing is allowing people to buy the hearing aides directly which will drive down the price. I spent much more on dental care, it was worth every penny.

quote:

Originally posted by ZSMICHAEL:
^^^^^^^^^^^^
There is a move to include in Medicare. I think the more important thing is allowing people to buy the hearing aides directly which will drive down the price. I spent much more on dental care, it was worth every penny.

There is a proposed FDA rule to allow us to buy hearing aids directly. I am all for it as I use cheap hearing aids now and know that from an electronic standpoint there is no reason for most hearing aids to be as expensive as they are other than the fact they're only allowed to be sold by certain people.

Here's the link and verbage:
https://publichealth.jhu.edu/2...er-and-easier-to-get

The Hearing Aid Revolution: Cheaper and Easier to Get

The proposed FDA rule, published October 20, allows hearing aids to be sold directly to consumers without an exam or fitting by an audiologist. About 37.5 million American adults have some trouble hearing, but only 16% have ever used a hearing aid, according to the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders. Current costs for hearing aids can be $4,000 to $5,000—one reason why so few Americans who need them actually use them. The devices are not covered by Medicare or by most private insurance plans.

When the guidelines go into effect as soon as next fall, the U.S. will be the first country to have a regulated market for over-the-counter hearing aids, says Frank Lin, MD, PhD ’08, director of the Cochlear Center for Hearing and Public Health at the Bloomberg School.

“It’s exciting, and invariably where the U.S. goes, it’s going to have trickle down effects on the rest of the world market,” say Lin, who worked on reports from the National Academies of Sciences and White House that influenced 2017 legislation leading to the new FDA guidelines.

In the following Q&A, Lin explains what’s in the new rule, why it’s likely to bring companies like Apple and Samsung into the hearing aid market, and how soon new, cheaper hearing aids will be available.

quote:

Originally posted by ensigmatic:
So much for that

Applied for VA benefits on-line a week ago today. Site said "If you're approved you'll get an email. If you're rejected you'll receive snail mail." Site said it normally takes less than a week. Nothing heard, so I just gave them a call.

I've been rejected because my income is too high.

On the one hand that's disappointing news. On the other hand I guess it means I did something right

Even had I been accepted for VA coverage I probably would've had a hard time making the case my hearing loss was service-related.

I got turned down twice on hearing, the excuse was I was in a job that was nor exposed to high noise levels. Once I found out the reason, I added to my appeal the information they needed to see. I was in Combat Communications units, exposed to gunfire in training, flying on C130s, 141s etc… and it went right through.

Basically if you get turned down, appeal it and provide more details on what caused the hearing loss.

quote:

Originally posted by ensigmatic:
So much for that

Applied for VA benefits on-line a week ago today. Site said "If you're approved you'll get an email. If you're rejected you'll receive snail mail." Site said it normally takes less than a week. Nothing heard, so I just gave them a call.

I've been rejected because my income is too high.

On the one hand that's disappointing news. On the other hand I guess it means I did something right

Even had I been accepted for VA coverage I probably would've had a hard time making the case my hearing loss was service-related.

Just saw a letter from the VA to the friend I mentioned earlier who tried to get VA hearing aids.

Told him his income was too high and that's the end of that.

He's drawing SS and a retirement as well as money from his 401K

If he has a service connected hearing issue, income shouldn't matter.

quote:

Originally posted by 95flhr:
If he has a service connected hearing issue, income shouldn't matter.

That is correct.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
That is my understanding as well. It seems to me that a Comp and Pension exam conducted at the VA by their audiologist would be in order. It should not be based on your MOS alone. The audiologist should then make the determination as to whether the hearing loss is service connected.

quote:

Originally posted by ZSMICHAEL:
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
That is my understanding as well. It seems to me that a Comp and Pension exam conducted at the VA by their audiologist would be in order. It should not be based on your MOS alone. The audiologist should then make the determination as to whether the hearing loss is service connected.

V.A. gave me hearing aids due to service related hearing loss but gave me 0 percent for hearing on my disability. Go figure.

^^^^^^^^^^^
That is not unusual. If you have tinnitus as well you can have another exam.