Longview Hills @ Newport Oregon

The Veterans Administration


Yesterday I went to the VA Hospital in Portland. My first trip there ever. I was to be signed up as a new member.

There were a lot of things I didn't know and I was full of questions. There are a few vets in the park that have not signed up. I can tell you what I have learned and set your foot on the path to joining.

First, know that if you served in the armed services at any time you most likely are eligible. You did not have to be in during a conflict. In fact I would like to thank those of you who by their very presence kept us out of a war.

Next, here is the biggie, The VA is not a medical insurance plan! It is a benefit that you earned by virtue of your service to your country. The VA is more like a safety net that you can fall back on when your regular medical insurance won't cover your problems. Although in many ways it can take the place of medical insurance it has limitations. The number one being in most instances you must go to the VA for treatment. That is not always practical when you live 120 miles from the Portland hospital. If that were your situation (that you lived near the VA) then it could be more like your main hospital plan and looks to me that it would work well under that situation. Thinking about that statement I know Jim Dodds moved close to a VA hospital so his dad could take advantage of it.. Maybe Jim will read this and educate us on the subject?

Also, many of the things that you have to pay for under Medicare are provided at no charge from the VA. For instance A CPAP machine (used by those of us with sleep apnia). The only thing not available is hearing aides and glasses.

You get medications for $8 for a 30 day supply and they come automatically in the mail. No frigging do-nut hole.

You can get treatment at any VA hospital ... Anywhere. Including Guam and Porto Rico.

Need an operation that your insurance won't cover? The VA charge $946 for your first day in the hospital and that covers everything .. After that everything costs $10 a day for 365 days at the end of 365 days you pay $423 for day 366 and then $10 a day for the next year.. etc.

There is more that has nothing to do with medical... One thing I noticed from the handbook is a VA guarnantee refinancing of a modular home even if it is on leased land.

Those people in the park that I have spoken with, that have the VA benefit, say it works with Medicare parts A and B and reduces their medical expense considerably.

As for the Hospital.. I found it to be very efficient and well organized. The people treated use as a patient secondly and as an honored veteran it was something I had never seen before. Everyone that I ran across smiled, addressed me as sir and were extremely solicitous. They could not do enough for you. Another thing that I hadn't seen in a traditional hospital was this had a small px and it had a large Food court just like a mall... all kinds of food at different counters and a restaurant like setting to eat. The entry to the hospital had a vet playing the piano.