Really nice of the pricks

Below is the regulation that prohibits VA Manila Outpatient Clinic from paying beneficiary travel related to medical care and C&P examinations incurred outside the United States.

38 C.F.R. 70.1 (a)

The current beneficiary travel regulations only provide authorization for beneficiary travel within the U.S. and certain U.S. territories: the Philippine Islands does not meet these criteria.

With regard to travel pay being discontinued, this is a benefit that should have stopped being paid in 2008 when VA amended its Beneficiary Travel regulations 38 C.F.R. Part 70 that authorizes travel pay incurred within the United States. Despite this, VHA continued to make beneficiary travel payments for travel related to health care visits and compensation and pension examinations that occurred in the Philippines. The Foreign Medical Program was also paying beneficiary travel related to Compensation and Pension exams and certain emergency and special mode transportation that occurred in foreign countries other than the Philippines, as it had done prior to the 2008 regulation change. In January 2016, the Office of General Counsel issued a memorandum to VHA reiterating that VA’s beneficiary travel regulations limit VA’s authority to provide payments for travel expenses incurred outside the United States to include any travel expenses incurred overseas. FMP discontinued paying beneficiary travel in February 2016, however, VA Manila continued to pay in order to provide a transition period before travel benefits in the Philippines were discontinued. Because the VA regulation regarding the furnishing of beneficiary travel does not authorize payment for travel expenses incurred outside the U.S., the Veterans and other beneficiaries who received these benefits are liable for the cost of such benefits. Under 38 U.S.C. 503(b), if the Secretary determines that a Veteran or other person suffered loss as a consequence of reliance upon a VA determination of eligibility or entitlement to benefit’s, without knowledge that it was erroneously made, the Secretary may provide such relief on account of such error. VHA requested equitable relief on behalf of the Veterans and other individuals who received these benefits in error. The relief was granted so VHA will not seek to collect the costs of the erroneously paid travel claims during the periods from 2008 to Sept 30, 2017.

VA announced that, effective October 1, 2017, it will discontinue providing any travel expenses in the Philippines, and it will not require Veterans to repay travel expenses that were coordinated by the Manila clinic from 2008-2017.

FYI. Thank you.

Respectfully yours,
JAYSON R. BUENAVENTURA
Medical Administrative Program Specialist


I hope you VETs that are living from VA deposit to the next have your survival skills in hand. You will need them once we are all out on the streets. Hope my Arctic survival skills will work here in the PI. I will not have to worry about freezing on the streets here. O-well the screwing we are getting is for the screwing we got as kid soldiers.

 

So you think it is perfectly O.K. for the US government to discriminate against us vets that live here? I'm so fa-king poor I can not pay attention. HeII I can't even afford a coach set on PAL to Manila. If you think I can afford to own a jet and hotel you must be a part of the trumy gang.

 

Don't feel singled out, at least you get medical care. US retirees that weren't in the military get nothing from a medicare standpoint, yet they have to register and pay monthly fees to avoid penalties later on. A bit of a double whammy. Just imagine how you would feel if you have to pay for something you can't even use.

 

You are Blessed - Mr W normally thinks we all own trailers.

 

I can think of about 10 guys who have passed away here in the last 18 months who wish they had this problem.....

 

All the choice we make in life have consequences, some of them are out of our hands, the world is not and will never be fair. Health care is one of the biggest issues when you live in the Philippines IMHO. Every single person makes its own choice, I have 2 times had an accident on a bike, broken shoulder and broken hips and other injuries. Hospitals here are like Monthy python show, sir we need to inform you that we not sure you wake up again after operation lol. Me, how big is the risk? The doctor says just relax only like 50% lol. My choice to live here, of course, I want go to Cebu or Manila and have the operation, but with broken hips and heavy pain, not easy to find out how to go there. My choice to live here, need to accept the circumstances in the 3. world or stay home

 

And, in addition to the quality of healthcare, the financial risk is a big unknown here. For some ex-pats it is no different than in their home countries, but for others it can be a big shock. I know someone who spent 2 million pesos on heart surgery here so, unless people have plenty of spare cash, health insurance (proper one, not just Philhealth) is essential - the catch is that those with low income are the ones who will find that difficult.

 

Since we're talking about our private jets, how about lucky folks who retired from the US gummint, who had Blue Cross Blue Shield FEP Blue coverage.

Even without the "overseas" thingy, we submit our Philippine expense health claims online and get reimbursed usually 100% electronically to our bank in the US. Drug reimbursements are by paper check to our box in the US (primitive).... (check the FEPBlue.org website for "overseas claims" details.

Life isn't f*ck*ng fair, LiverpoolFan is right .... <grin>