Leaving the VA hospital with a disability means leaving with the necessary medical supplies, mobility aids, durable medical equipment, assistive devices and home health aids to maximize your quality of life.
Both your short- and long-term health and wellness depend on these items arriving at your home on a regular basis - month after month and year after year. It is your responsibility to understand VA benefits and work with your healthcare provider to ensure your needs are met.
Disabled Veterans Have a Choice
When Army veteran Patricia LaBar, from Heath, Texas, found her health compromised by urological supply restrictions, she became her own advocate and found a solution. “About the time I got into this business, the VA would only give me four catheters a month and I was getting one infection after another. I looked into other options and found the answer that worked for me,” LaBar explains.
LaBar talked with vendors, looked at her payment and insurance alternatives and found a solution that increased the number of catheters she received each month. When she put her plan into action, her health improved. “I love my VA, but realized that my health depended on my getting what works best for me. I think others need to learn, too,” she offers.
As the owner and president of ABC Home Medical, this former Army private first class with knee and spinal cord injuries now educates her clients about the options they have as medical consumers.
“A veteran has a choice just like a consumer can choose to shop at a Wal-Mart or a Target,” says LaBar. “If they have Medicare, Medicaid, Tricare or private insurance then they can choose an outside provider or use the VA. It is a personal choice.”
She adds, “I do believe that if you are getting your needs met through the VA, especially if you have been working with them for a long time, there isn’t a reason to change. If someone says they are happy with the VA, I’ll tell them to stay right where they are.”
Keep Current and Keep Healthy
Can a disabled veteran get certain supplies from the VA and others from a different vendor? “Absolutely,” says LaBar. “It is up to the veteran to know benefits, understand what he or she needs and work with their insurance companies to get the need met either through the VA or another vendor. Again, it’s a personal choice that we are fortunate to have.”
LaBar believes disabled veterans should ask questions and keep an eye open for new or improved products. “After all these years, I basically know what works for me but even so have changed catheters four times,” she attests.
Knowing what it takes to keep your prescriptions current – and the right supplies coming to your door – will help you stay healthy. Talk to other veterans and learn how they manage their supplies, research alternative suppliers and ask them questions. Be your own advocate.
And understand that the process extends beyond urological and home health aids, too. Wheelchairs, mobility aids and adaptive devices such as standing frames and walkers are all covered benefits for the disability benefits that might be applicable to you as a disabled veteran.
“Even if you have been in a wheelchair for a long time and think you have everything figured out,” concludes LaBar. “I think it is important to keep current and learn about what’s out there. Your health is definitely worth it.”
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See Disabled Veteran Resources for information about veteran benefits, accessible housing and more.
Find out about adaptive sports opportunities, in Paralyzed Veterans of America Expand Adaptive Sports and Fitness Programs.
