VISITING THE VETERAN’S ADMINISTRATION HOSPITAL
Some months ago I was informed, by DOGE I’m guessing, that I no longer qualified for full admission for health care through the Veteran’s Administration. I am a veteran, having served two years in the US Army from 1959 to 1961. I volunteered for the draft immediately after graduating from Wooster College because I had no idea what I was going to do next. It didn’t occur to me to try and get a job and I didn’t want to go to graduate school. I had a selective service number and assumed that I would have to do military service at some point, so I might as well sign up and get it over with. I got no advice from my parents, I was on my own, and I realize that I was actually pretty clueless. I was clueless, but extremely lucky, because I did my service after the Korean War and before the Vietnam War which everyone else my age and younger, including Donald Trump with his bone spurs, tried desperately to avoid. As it was I was stationed in peacetime Germany in a medical battalion in which our only function was to maintain ambulances and medical tents and medical equipment, with no doctor’s or patients in sight. I very much enjoyed my free time in Germany and met Kathe my wife there. Germany is a very important part of my life.
Because of my two years of army service I was eligible to get medical care in a VA hospital. But at Warren Wilson College medical insurance was part of my salary so I never saw a reason to see what kinds of VA benefits I was eligible for.
But when I discovered that one of the benefits I could get from my military service was being able to enter the North Carolina State Veteran’s Home in Black Mountain, a few miles down the road, when I needed long term care I decided to see if I could enter the Veteran’s Admistration.
Last year I was ruled eligible for full VA benefits and was prescribed an ultra sound of my heart (apparently ok) and two free sets of glasses, and a pair of very expensive hearing aids. This year I had a very pleasant yearly doctor’s checkup with a nurse practioner (maybe Doge has brought on a doctor shortage) from just down the road in Marshall checking up on me. She gave me a free blood pressure monitor since my digital one has stopped connecting with the world. The blood pressure monitor costs $31 on Amazon. I was told my copay for the doctor’s visit would be $15. “Thank you for your service” they tell me again and again at the VA hospital. So it looks like for my service I will still come out ahead even with a $15 copay, if a bill actually comes.
BILLYBABA’S WANDERING 