Base clinic/ hospital/sick bay

[Usnret05]

Good morning everyone
My question to all military retirees...And other eligible personal.. When traveling and using family camp grounds... If you became sick or if a emergency occurred how many of you were able to get treated at base medical facilities and receive meds at the above mentioned.. Curious
Thank you
Marc

[mick]

Well thats a good question, as the VA says they will pay all charges that are necessary in an emergency to stabilize a patient at any medical facility, (doesnt say no bases clinics or hosp) until they can be transported to a VA facility.

Under those circumstances, being a VA user , I would not hesitate to go to a base clinic or hosp . I seriously doubt if they would reject you if it was an emergency.

[BounderDan]

Spouse had a serious medical problem while staying at Lackland AFB FamCamp. It took less than 8 min to get her into intensive care at the base hospital. Ten days later we were back on the road. If your going to have an emergency medical problem, I don't think you can find a better place to have it!!!!

[two-niner]

05: Your ID card is solid gold. Anywhere !

Kerry

[4Knights]

if you have a US Military retiree ID card ( not the VA Card).
You can receive emergency treatment at ALL US Military installations that have medical facilities.

If you are retired and signed up for TriCare Prime and need further treatment beyond Emergency Room then you need to call Tricare for out of Region Authorization(unless you are admitted then patient services will do this for you) or out of network authorization in the areas that don't have medical facilities.

If you retired and opted out or selected Tricare standard there are much different rules and you need to call Tricare or go to their website.

If you go to their web and signup for the online option and prescription service it's much easier to get meds filled and get appointments.

Ron

[W4RLR]

DD Form 2AF, better than an American Express card, and I never leave home without it!
It's my ticket to the best care anywhere, bar none. If you're retired military, you're golden at any military medical treatment facility.

If you're a veteran with a VA card, it gets more complicated. My experience with the VA has been less than stellar.

[jbprac]

Have had nothing but good luck at military medical facilities, including Coast Guard.

Jim

[PyrateSilly]

All I have is VA disability with service connected only which is my back. About 12 years ago I had a small accident with a bike wanting to try and go down the road with the back wheel twisted toward the front. The bike slide about 40 ft and ended up ontop, breaking my leg. At the time I refused the ambulance cause of no insurance. The driver told my husband (boyfriend at the time) when he got there that Justin, our youngest, was fine but I really needed to go to the hospital since the leg was broke. Long story short we found that the "better" hospital in town would accept the VA with only paying what they agreed to and let the rest go away. I ended up with the best bone doctor in the state working on my leg and 2 surgeries in a week all got paid by the VA. Since it was the day after Christmas they had no specialists at the closest VA hospitals so they ok'd the other place and quite honestly knowing the reputation of the one that ended up working on my I am very glad.
I have had wonderful care at all clinics and hospitals that I have gone to over the last 20 years. I can tell you that alot has changed and almost all for the good in how the VA does things. After the first back surgery I had it was not unusal for me to have a checkup appt at 8 am and not get seen until the afternoon and still have to try getting any meds and not get out of their until at least 6 or 7pm. (darn but I sold old now, lol) Now when they say that my appt is 8am I am seen no later than 8:30 and now you can almost all meds mailed to you. The doctors actually stick around longer than a yr or 2 which makes for better care for all when you don't have to explain things over and over to a new doctor every year.

[mustang652]

on Military Health Care. There's been a couple of times I've accused DW of totally missing the train, but to fall off the bus is really bad. Just over a year ago she fell from the lower step in the RV. She ended up with a couple of chipped ankle bones and some big time brusies. I'm retired AF and we were at the Famcamp at Nellis AFB, NV, in sight of the hospital. I got her up into the truck and took her to ER. Could not have ask for better service and care. Even had a doctor come out to the truck with a wheel chair and help get her into it and wheeled then he wheeled her into the ER. She now uses Nellis as her Primary Care Provider. Due to a temp move, I've been using VA, but due to a recent issue with what I consider poor response to a health care problem af having to go the the base to get it addressed with emergency surgery, and it's not the first time this has happened, I'm moving the greater part of my health care back to the base.

[ajlcal]

Quote:

Originally Posted by rray32539 If you're a veteran with a VA card, it gets more complicated. My experience with the VA has been less than stellar.

I've been using the VA medical system for over 10 years and have used it in several different states. I guess I've been lucky because I have no complaints. I think that most of the complaints I've heard over the years are due to the expectation that the VA system operates like the private sector. I'm sorry to hear that you're disappointed Ray because I think they try to give us the best care possible.

[USMCRET]

I recall a time when military healthcare, and most certainly the VA, were NOT the places one wanted to go. My how times have changed.

[alageezer]

My experience with the military health care is a little different. Due to SS disability, I became eligible for medicare and tricare for life at age 59. Continued going to the Adult Primary Care Clinic because I liked our primary care giver. They knew all along that I was on medicare.

When I turned 65 last year, I get a letter from them that because I was NOW eligible for medicare, they were dropping me and told me to go down town. Didn't make me a happy camper.

[Usnret05]

I can recall that as well after serving in the navy from 76-80... with open bay barracks but yeah that was the feeling not by all though ... Just a example of quality of life almost like .. The rant and rave of "hope and change" ... We all know where that one went ... Lol

[Usnret05]

Belay my last....