Hi, I want to sign my dad up for his VA benefits because the price of his cancer drugs are beyond affordable. If he signs up for his VA benefits, he should be able to get the drugs at an affordable price. The only thing is that I want to make sure that signing him up for VA benefits won't make it so that he can no longer receive treatment and care from the non-VA hospital where I take him. Is anyone familiar with VA benefits and how they may or won't affect his Part A and Part B Medicare benefits? Thanks.

Didier, I will check with my 83 yo neighbor, but I know he gets a drug deal through the VA, and I also know he sees docs here in the community courtesy of Medicare. I will ask him how it all works. I remember when he was celebrating because he was able to cut his drug costs considerably. I am pretty sure this will work for you.

Didier, my dad had VA benefits, he had medicare and a private supplement Ins. He would pay for his Ins. and drug cost, then at certain times of the year he would file his cost w/VA and they would refund back part of his cost. He had bladder cancer and went to any dr. he wanted. Dad pasted away July '03, but because he was receiving benefits at the time Mom is still getting a little help from them. Dad was in WWII, we miss him so much!

Didier, I checked with the neighbor. Every March, he fills out a form for the VA listing all drug and covered expenses for the prior year. The VA divides that total by 12, and pays him back over the following year on a monthly basis. But he had to go a year until he began receiving reimbursement. This has absolutely no effect on Medicare or any supplemental insurance.

Addendum:

Neighbor told me that if he went once to the VA hospital with his prescriptions, they would mail his drugs to him without cost. I offered to take him to the VA hospital 100 miles away, but he says now that he is all set up, everything is working fine. I used to work at the hospital previously known as Wesley Memorial, and the VA was in the next block, so you might just take his prescriptions in there.

Thanks so much for the info Joanna and Joan. Joanna, ironically I am signing my dad up at the VA hospital that you are talking about. Unfortunately there is talk of closing that facility, but fortunately it's still there -- and across the street from the hospital where dad is being treated.