Veterans Clinic (Tucson: home, inspection, income)

[Fulltimer]

How is the VA medical care for veterans in the Tucson area?

[fofinger]

fantastic....it's the best in the country.....

[michael krotchie]

Originally Posted by Fulltimer

How is the VA medical care for veterans in the Tucson area?

From what I've heard it's nothing to write home about; I've had friends who have had bad experiences and relate lots of frustrating moments. And my wife is a nurse, and let's just say she isn't itching to go work at the VA.

[fofinger]

The only frustrating thing about the SAVAHCS is the parking.....you have to get there early....the doctors and staff are great and it is rated in the top 100 of all the hospitals in the country and is the number one VA hospital.....the buildings are beautiful the equipment is "state of the art"...... I can't imagine anywhere else I would care to go for treatment and let's face it... the price is right.....

[azhiker]

Curious about this. If you're retired military you get Tricare automatically. I know if you have a service related disability you can go to the VA.

If you're not retired military, but just have served some time in the military, are you eligible to go to the VA for care? Basically, who is eligible for care there? I know, I know... I could probably google that.

[michael krotchie]

Originally Posted by fofinger

....the doctors and staff are great and it is rated in the top 100 of all the hospitals in the country and is the number one VA hospital....

I tried to google for this information but came up empty, can you provide a link? I'd love to believe it and prove all the naysayers wrong.

[Fulltimer]

Basically any veteran can use the VA health system. The VA hospitals are rated at the top in giving service. All hospitals, not just the VA's, go through a sort of inspection. On this inspection they rate extremely high.

Most complaints about the VA hospitals is because some veteran didn't get what they wanted. I am a retired VA benefits counsler from county government in Pennsylvania and have run into that ton of times.

[Dearly]

From talking to vets who use the VA in Tucson, I've only heard good things. I've also heard that you have to fill out an application and have an interview to determine what level of care you can get - or what you might have to pay for it.

Here is a bit from the VA web site:

Certain nonservice-connected and 0% noncompensable service-connected veterans are required to fill out the financial worksheet, which we refer to as the "Means Test." A means test is a gathering of financial information by which VA determines your priority group for enrollment, and whether or not you are required to make copayments for the service you receive. The means test is based on prior year income and net worth. However, you can apply for an exemption from paying those copayments to avoid a hardship if projections of your income for the current year will be substantially below the applicable income threshold.

Should you decline to complete the Financial Worksheet, you must agree to pay the applicable copayment unless you are otherwise eligible for VA care. We would be unable to determine your priority and therefore could not offer you enrollment. It is possible, if you do not want to complete the Financial Worksheet, to declare yourself as a Discretionary Veteran. This means that you would accept placement in priority group 8 for enrollment and if enrolled you would be accepting responsibility for making the required copayments.

The VA site can be found at www.va.gov

[fofinger]

Yes if you are a Veteran of any active service time you can apply for benefits.....depending on your income will depend on what your co-pay will be..... In Tucson you apply in Building 69 at the VA Hospital for your means test.....