What are your thoughts on dental care available only for 100% rating? Would it be so bad to allow it to other rating levels?

2022-03-29T07:35:53-04:00

I only have VA and so I reached out for community care to help me with dental if it was available and notified that only 100% rating who gets it.

Response by CSM Darieus ZaGara made Mar 29 at 2022 8:56 AM

2022-03-29T08:56:35-04:00

Not at all sure what right looks like. I do know that there are a finite amount of resources. Those with less than a 100% also do not receive full medical unless it is directly related to service connection.

It would take a complete review of the system which was just completed.

If I were you I would reach out to the DAV and or VFW rep. They I am sure have addressed this issue in the past. Can’t hurt to call it is free.

Response by MSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 29 at 2022 10:47 AM

2022-03-29T10:47:25-04:00

I suspect the same could be said about those that are under 50% VA disability not receiving their full military retirement pay. To receive both one must be 50% or greater, so in essence those below are financing their own disability pay. The caveat is it’s tax free. Personally in the end I feel many should be grateful for what we do receive. There are a lot of veteran programs out there to help as CSM Darieus ZaGara has suggested.

Response by SFC Casey O'Mally made Mar 29 at 2022 1:54 PM

2022-03-29T13:54:51-04:00

I believe it is covered for all ratings, even 0%... If the dental problem is service connected.

Which is exactly how it is for every other VA health program. At least, as far as I know.

Now, that being said, I wouldn't mind seeing the VA extending some of the programs such as dental or vision to less than 100% disabled vets for non-service-connected problems in an at-cost capacity. I think that has the potential to help a lot more vets without costing the VA a dime. I don't think it would work for "standard" health issues or for dental surgery, because cost is so hard to determine. But basic dental exams, dental cleanings, fillings, eye tests, and glasses? Those are relatively standardized and fixed costs.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 29 at 2022 5:09 PM

2022-03-29T17:09:38-04:00

As CSM Darieus ZaGara there are a finite number of resources. Every program for the VA is funded by the American Tax Payer. While it would be great to receive full healthcare, vision, and dental for yourself and your family after a few years of service, the fact is that the VA is not currently funded to support that level of commitment to every person who has served.

Response by SSG Roger Ayscue made Mar 29 at 2022 8:31 PM

2022-03-29T20:31:38-04:00

When I joined, in 1982, it was "If you retire your medical AND dental is covered for life" Sometime, someone, somewhere, decided to renege on that. CHAMPUS went the way of TriCare and free went the way of the HMO.
I think that if we decided to NOT buy one of the new Aircraft Carriers that is slated, as it is that we have twice as many carriers as every other nation on Earth combined... DoD could fund medical and dental for all to whom they promised it.

Response by A1C Medrick "Rick" DeVaney made Mar 29 at 2022 10:42 PM

2022-03-29T22:42:53-04:00

SSgt SSgt Eric Jaquez ......Being A Vet Also, But Under A Different Situation Than You, I Lost Every Tooth In My Mouth Due To A Series Of Serious VA Screw-Ups.. 1 of Many, I May Add; Which Caused Me To Have Emergency Surgery, Followed By A MONTH Of Hospitalization, Several Months Of Rehabilitation And Daily Visits From The VA's RN To Give Me Further Antibiotics .... And Was Told By One Of The ER Surgeon's; Had I Not Been Hauled Into The ER That Evening, I'd Have Been Found DEAD Before Morning Sunrise.
.
BTW, I'd Been Unconscious During The Entire Event Because The Infection Was So Bad It Had Already Spread Throughout My Body And Directly To My Brain... Was Out Cold Until The Following Morning...Not One Memory Of Any Of It...

GUESS WHAT.....I Wasn't Entitled To Any Dental Care..... Go Figure, Huh?.

A Multitude Of Other Events Occurred As Well; From Which Aren't Recoverable, So I've Been Disabled All These Years & Sitting In a Wheel Chair, On Oxygen Since The Year 2000.. YUP & That's NOT A Typo ,Either... 22 YEARS to date, ALL Due To A Series Of Our VA's Incompetence And My Paying For Their Mistakes......Other Than Medical Care, I've Only Been Able Go Out To Other Events THREE Separate Times In 22 YEARS.... 2 Dinners & 1 Breakfast... THANKS VA; Should I Love MY Military BENEFITS?

Response by A1C Medrick "Rick" DeVaney made Oct 25 at 2023 2:01 PM

2023-10-25T14:01:08-04:00

YUPPER....
Now Grab Uranus And Listen To This One:
Due To Screw-ups At Our VA, I Had An Infection Which My Primary Could Not Identify.
The Infection Kept Increasing, Causing My Teeth To Loosen And They ALL Came Out.
I Now Have NO Teeth ~ ZERO..
Ya With Me?..... Obviously The VA's Fault, But I Don't Qualify For Dental;...(;>)
It's A T.S. Situation...... And BTW, The Infection Became Was So Critical... Emergency Surgery Was Required, And I Spent Close To A Full Month Of My Being Hospitalized....
PLUS More Months Of Rehabilitation.....