Loving My Pain Free Life
About Me
Loving My Pain Free Life

My name is Melinda Johnson and I suffered with foot pain for many years. I went to see a podiatrist and after an examination, I was told that I had heel spur syndrome. I followed the recommendations of my doctor by doing at home treatments along with physical therapy. I was amazed at how much these treatments helped my foot pain. Living with pain can have a big impact on your life and that's why I started this blog. My foot pain kept me from doing many things that I enjoy and I want to help others who are going through the same situation. As you browse through my blog, you'll learn about home treatments, medical procedures and new advancements in medicine that can help reduce pain. It is my hope that by writing this blog, you can live pain free too.

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Loving My Pain Free Life

Are You A Veteran Struggling To Find Affordable Insurance? What Are Your Options?

Claire Roberts

If you're a military veteran who isn't currently covered by TRICARE or another veteran-centered health insurance plan, you may be concerned about recent reports that more than half a million veterans will find themselves without health insurance in 2017. What healthcare options are available, and what can you do to keep yourself from becoming a statistic without paying more than you can afford for insurance coverage? Read on to learn more about some of the insurance options that may be available to you and your family as a benefit of your military service. 

What should you do if you are a veteran and don't currently have health insurance?

With the advent of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), which assesses a tax or penalty on those who don't have qualifying health insurance plans, gaining coverage is more crucial than ever before. Although the ACA can provide some exemptions to the uninsured penalty if you truly have no access to health insurance, going without insurance can have its own risks -- and as a veteran, there are a number of different programs that may be available. Most veterans are eligible for at least one of four different insurance plans: TRICARE, the Veterans health care program, the VA Civilian Health and Medical Program (CHAMPVA), and the spina bifida health care benefits program. 

Your first step should be to visit the website of the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) to determine whether you're eligible for coverage. Even if you were deemed ineligible for one or more VHA-sponsored insurance plans in the past, these plan requirements change frequently, so you may now be able to purchase a plan that was restricted in the past. Ruling out eligibility for any of these plans can also allow you to head to your state's health insurance exchange (or even Medicaid for those who are low-income) without worrying that you're giving up valuable benefits.

How can you decide between the different coverage options? 

If you find the coverage options confusing or are eligible for several and aren't sure which to choose, there are a few tools and services that can help. One is the Health Benefits Explorer, available on the VHA's main website. This interactive module will ask you a number of questions and then point you toward the plan or plans that are likely your best choice. You can also contact a customer service adviser with the VHA who can work with you personally to answer any questions you may have and work through the factors that may dictate which plan is ideal. For more information, contact an insurance agency like Quesenberry Agency For Blue Cross-Blue Shield.


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