Fox T-Bird/Cougar Forums  

I ran into the same thing recently when I went in to the VA for the sole purpose of getting a picture ID card. They refused the ID card on the grounds that I had too much income even though I told them that I didn't want to use their medical service because I was lucky enough to still have coverage from my former employer. (Been retired from the telephone company for years.) I wanted the photo ID so that I could get discounts at Home Depot, Lowes, etc. Some of them will honor my old military ID (no photo) and some won't. Discharged in 1955 and they didn't give photo ID then.

here is a letter I typed up and sent to both the leading presidential candidates

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Good day to you and good work on your part thus far.

Straight to my point, a couple of suggestions straight from the desk of the USA.

1- To reform heath care with the most impact on a national level affecting **EVERYONE , do this
> Premiums we pay go towards our deductible
Example, you pay a gym membership fee and you get to simply show up and enjoy the benefits.
In a health care setting, you pay a monthly extortion fee and you have to pay again when you come in the door.  Why not when we pay our monthly premium it count towards services.  If we do not use our services then it gets banked.  This way when we go see a doctor, the receptionist would say " looks like you don't need to pay for anything today on your visit, you had about 1400$ banked and todays copay is all covered.  This would not work well for those who are Ill most of the time but it would work great for those who are healthy.  If we don't "use it" , it gets banked and used when we do need it.


2- Vet benefits
> How dumb could I be? after years of service I have only now learned after several years of being discharged honorably that I do not qualify to even enter the door of a VA Hospital.  The VA just told me that I make too much money.  The money qualifiers to enroll is if you "clear" on the national level less than 38,374$ then you can qualify with honorable discharge, 2yrs or more service ect.  The earning cap is lower depending on your zip code so my cut off is about 31,800$ max.  Since I make triple that I cant access VA benefits.  I argued that if access were granted to all vets, and those pay systems in place were on a sliding scale, then the VA could actually see an increase in funding  by allowing all vets access, thus requiring less fed funding.  The VA could actually experience a tax payer funding decrease as a result of accepting all Vets and possibly be able to provide more facilities based on allowing all to partite.
I am disappointed to say the least!!
I recommend that a policy be considered that upon discharge a Vet gets to "pick" 2 of 10 items they want as a reward for past service and these two things would be for the life of the veteran and never to be infringed upon.

Here is my list of which a vet can pick 2 that he/she can use for the rest of their life (all values  apply for any reservist who was activated to full time service that lasted 2years or more, otherwise all values are de-rated to 25% for all honorably discharged reserve vets)
-VA Health benefits access for life
-Dependents (children or spouse only) of vets have college cost discount of 40%
-All bank loans not to exceed 6% interest compounded at the company normal rate
-all credit cards not to exceed 6% interest compounded a the company normal rate
-1% of every active duty year served off all utilities for life
-1% off gasoline purchases for every year served for life
-1% off all food purchases for every year served for life
-25$/mo tax free income check for every year served for those who did not retire
-50% off on all property taxes
-Assign any of the above 2 items to any individual the vet pick

Scott, you got good points. There is a lot of vets missing limbs. Feel lucky your not one of them. They need money , the govt. So we pay. I'm pre 76, And nothing is guaranteed.
I have a few buddys living off of it. Beats me how it works.

Scott, you got good points. There is a lot of vets missing limbs. Feel lucky your not one of them. They need money , the govt. So we pay. I'm pre 76, And nothing is guaranteed.
I have a few buddys living off of it. Beats me how it works.