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VA told me NO !!!
montanajoe
Forums Admins, Member, Moderator Posts: 58,067 ******
No assistance for hearing aids for me. Household combined income is more than $56,900.
Sure hope the benefits I was promised at least go to someone else that needs it.
Comments
sorry they will not help.
I am sure I need hearing aids but it will never happen too much $$
what's burn's my butt is knowing
about the billions we spend on drug addicted homeless and illegals and don't leave out other POS countrys
but to heck with the working class tax payers
Bummer!
The law that Trump signed in 2017 has finally just gone into effect regarding over the counter hearing aids. I am borderline as far as needing them and was told by a Doc to wait because even the expensive prescribed ones will go down in price because of the competition. Believe it or not he told me to check with Costco or Sams club when I get ready to buy a pair. Bob
I got a pair at Sam's Club, not the cheapest but the $1725 ones, you can go higher up to $3200. He takes you through a bunch of hearing tests and shows you the results. These aids work good for me for conversations that I was missing, i take them out when i get home as they tend to amplify workshop noises too much.
good luck getting a pair and don't wait too long.
Had mine for about 5 yrs. Tenants kept telling me I was talking loud. Went and got tested. Wow when I walked out of the Dr. office my Cummins Diesel was loud... I heard birds in the back yard.. and deer hunting was another experience. I just take them out sometimes at home and always have an excuse now I didn't hear the Wife tell me something. Around noisy machinery killed my ears. Should have worn ear plugs.
I am with you on this one. I do not qualify for them either because of my income. When I was going to be drafted I did not get disqualified because my income was too high.
Just gets me because I worked hard all of my life and saved money for retirement so now I am penalized.
I served and was deployed more times then I was home, each time never knowing what could happen.
I thought I was going to be getting “veterans benefits” when I was discharged.
I have always been amazed at the cost of hearing aids.............considering the pitifully low actual cost of the electronic components involved.
Even though the past obscene prescription costs have now been somewhat reduced by the over-the-counter option............they're still a severe rip-off.
Definitely just my $0.02 😬
I'm sure some illegal should be thanking youse.
I maintain my own insurance-always have. Dad refused any connection with VA and I followed his logic.
My insurance provides replacement allowance every 3 years which my local Miracle Ear franchise uses very effectively.
I think that's BS. The VA gives me mine, and our combined income is a bunch more than that. Maybe they didn't "means test" me because I served a full career. That's the only thing I can think of.
I may be wrong Rocky, but I think it has to do with your priority rating, whatever that means, as this has something to do with the benefits you recieve, travel pay, co-pay, ect. and then the household income comes in on top of that???
as I also got free hearing aids and our houshold income at the time would have been over $56,000, but I was also aproved for the health care back in 2015 and was told it was because of the water at camp Lejeune, this was back in 2015 before it became BIG news and attracted all the class action lawyers......
Whatever the reason, it sure seems arbitrary and capricious to me. It should be a yes/no question: "Are you a Vet?" If the answer is "yes" you get the benefits. That's assuming an honorable discharge, of course.
It should not make a scintilla of difference how much you and your spouse earn after discharge. That's irrelevant to the fact that you served and thereby earned what you were promised.
The vast majority of our nationally elected officials who pass these laws/regulations are not veterans but they receive unbelievable benefits. When in need they & their spouse can go to any military base 24/7 for care at "zero" cost to them. You try that and see what happens 😡
"Never do wrong to make a friend----or to keep one".....Robert E. Lee
@montanajoe have you practiced your lip reading?
And fiery auto crashes
Some will die in hot pursuit
While sifting through my ashes
Some will fall in love with life
And drink it from a fountain
That is pouring like an avalanche
Coming down the mountain
We've had threads about hearing aids before. I've been using them for 15 years + & the only mistake I made was not getting them earlier. If you have to get them on your own, look into VSP Truhearing. Not exactly insurance, but more like a club deal. It was recently added to my benefits & I saved 39% on my last pair. The markup is really disgusting. Specially considering that their cost is probably only a few hundred a pair.
My current pair are top of the line & cost $4200 (list was $6800.) They should last 6+ years which comes out to less than $2 a day to hear.
Have them set low at first until you get used to them or you won't like them. Have them adjusted up every 2 months & then at least once a year. Yes, you'll have to take them out when working in loud environments. @select-fire was being PC when he didn't mention how loud it really is when your pee hits the water.
About 9 years ago the VA only asked a friend one question, "Were you in the military?" He qualified & I'm sure his income was over that limit. He took them & loved them as he didn't realize what he had been missing.
Only slightly off topic...
Last Monday, it became legal to sell "Over The Counter" hearing aids. You can get them at drug stores and big box places. They're a lot cheaper, but...
They are intended for only mild to moderate hearing loss, may not be fully adjustable to your actual loss, and some of them do NOT allow return/refund or repair. You should get a full hearing test before buying any, to see if they'd help at all.
I work at the VA and see this all the time.
If you do not have a service connected disability your eligibility goes by income, generally anyway- there are exceptions to the exceptions.
To be eligible for hearing aids you need to be- service connected for a disability, purple heart recipient, POW, on Aid and Attendance.
Don't blame the VA for this. Congress makes the rules.
Dental is another one- crazy silly eligibility rules for dental.
VA has done nothing for me either. Cant get crap from them.
Submit a claim for tinnitus. It is the only disability claim that they cannot refute if you were around or participated in live firing. (list any and all actions on your claim, even target practice on the range) You will be givin a hearing test to determine loss of hearing. Current disability rate is $152.64 per month with a C.O.L. of 8.7% in January. This is considered a 30% disability and gives you additional benefits. Perhaps even a hearing aid as this disability is military service related. I would contact your local V.A. office and fill out the proper paperwork as the judgement is retroactive. Disability payments are non taxable! Good luck, Eddie
I took a laptop to my interview with a video clip of the T-37 jet starting its engines and played it for the audiologist, then said, "I flew that plane for almost five years."
All he said was "What color hearing aids do you want?"
Truth.
Unfortunately that seems to be the same old song with the VA. Shameful that is is run like the other guy's insurance company.
Surprised he didn't have to write it down on a tablet for you. 😁
And fiery auto crashes
Some will die in hot pursuit
While sifting through my ashes
Some will fall in love with life
And drink it from a fountain
That is pouring like an avalanche
Coming down the mountain
My college roommate was an IP in the T-37 Tweety for some years.
Long retired......I'll have to inquire, as to how acute his hearing is, the next next time he calls.
Unfortunately......his hair is looooong gone.....and it ain't comin' back. 😇
It makes me angry when a vet goes without... My dear old Dad now gets full disability because of Agent Orange, severe hearing loss and PTSD. He served from 1968 to 1969 his unit received the presidential unit citation.
I hope you can find a way to get them.
"Independence Now, Independence Forever."
John Adams
Just like most Gov't programs, you just have to take the denials (which happen more often than not) to the next level.
Joe, I highly recommend that you contact your nearest VA Patient Advocate in this matter. Attached here is an article written about an advocate in Texas. Patient advocate Longoria: Helping Veterans “any way I can” - VA News
I have been successful in the past changing a few refusals for medical help through this portal.
Best to you and good luck!
A now departed buddy of mine used to work for the VA. He told me that the first person you deal with at the VA should be thought of as nothing more than a speed bump.
It galls me when folks such as yourself don't get what you truly deserve while we cater to and coddle some of the lowest among us.