The military has failed us, I am very disappointed. (vent)

[tiggerlover]

My DH has been in the military for 19-1/2 years and will retire after 20 years of service in 6 months. I have been a military wife for 18 years and I have to say the military has let us down. They are denying DS (8) and I dental coverage and I am so mad! We were stationed in Italy and our closest treatment facility was Army located an hour away. With world events and troops returning we were denied care for this entire year, they just didn't have the folks to help the family members. I wasn't too upset about this because I found out DH's base was closing and we were returning to the US and I thought I could get care here. Well we return and try to get our coverage and they deny it because we have less than one year of active duty service to go. We went through a ton of people trying to get us a waiver because we were transfer due to no fault of our own and denied service previously because of world events. No go, they will not cover us for DH's last 6 months of service. I am peeved because he has given so much and we have all sacrificed so much and we get treated like that. I haven't been to the dentist since December of last year, I normally go every 6 months, by the time DH retires and we can get our retirement coverage it will be 15 months. I also have a child who really should be seen and have regular dental. (Luckily we got him squeezed in in June for a cleaning and quick check, but that was a battle.) I am just so disappointed in the military right now.

Thanks for letting me vent.

 

[Mskanga]

Debbi, I hate to say this but this doesn't only happen in the military, I just went through hell with my health insurance company for a surgical procedure that my daughter needed and was covered, but the problem was that it is a procedure that 98% of the time people are told is a dental procedure and people believe it. I looked into the major medical part of my policy and this procedure was covered but they gave me one heck of a time to pay for it, I had to have all kinds of documentation along with doctor's letters, but she finally had it done.
It is sad that after you sacrificed so many things you are treated that way , especially for such a stupid reason that is not even your fault. I'm sorry this is happening to you.

 

[rcyannacci]

You're right. That is very disappointing, and I'm frustrated for you. Knowing what military families go through and the sacrifices they make, I wish that the systems in place were taking better care of you.

Thanks to your husband for his service, and thanks to you for taking care of the family to make that service possible. Wishing you all the best.

 

[snoopy]

Thats terrible Debbie. I agree with the above poster, the sacrifices military families make are extraordinary. I'm sorry for your experience.

 

[Parrothead1964]

I'm sorry too. I've always said anyone who volunteers to take a bullet for me (and our country) should get great treatment. Unfortunately, the only news we've heard lately regarding benefits of military families is the outrage over free plastic surgery.

 

[Kteacher]

that's just not right

 

[Toby'sFriend]

I agree that health and dental care for Military families and Veterens is a disgrace to this country.

 

[J/T Gramdma]

My husband was in the military 18 year when we came back to the states from Japan after being over there for 7 yrs. My kids were 7/11/13 and we had to use delta dental and pay a deductible. It is my understanding that military dependents don't get free dental anymore except in emergency situations. I am sorry that this happened to you and I agree that I would fight for my rights but with the current losing of benefits previaling attitude that our congress has I would not hold out help for it getting better in the near future because being retired as we are now benefits are even less and now you are lower on the totem pole then active duty and even national guard personel and their families. This comes from a person that has been there done that

 

[shortbun]

It's just disgracefull Tiggerlover. I don't have an answer for ya
but my Dad is a veteran and he's always complaining about
medical care. Luckily, he has the money to go elsewhere. Many
do not. You'd think you'd have coverage until retirement.

 

[nuke]

When I was active duty I had a hard time getting dental care. Everyone that I knew that had dependents had to use outside dentists. The dentists on-base only cared for active duty.
Dental care is definately not top priority with the military.

 

[Dcat2u]

We do pay for dental to a certain point, my husband has $22 and some change taken out of his pay monthly for our dental w/United Concordia/Tricare. Yes is is better than most dental plans but we still do pay, unlike when I was a child and you could go on post to the dental clinic.


Darlene
Proud Wife of a 4ID Soldier!
WE GOT HIM!!!

 

[Dan Murphy]

So sorry, Debbi, what a bummer. I sure hope it gets corrected, and again, thanks to your hubby, you and son, for all your sacrifices over the years.

 

[4greatboys]

I would be mad too. You dh has served his country 20 years and then they want to screw him around. Its just not right. The least they can do for the guys that serve our country is provide them with any medical, dental, etc services whenever then need them.

 

[mt2]

I have been there and done that. born a military brat and married into it. I have had every branch of the service in my family at one time or another.

maybe the military is getting your family ready for how the rest of the world works. (this is a joke. no harm meant).

Things have changed over the years. My dad is going through the same thing. If I remember correctly, when I was young we had to go off base too. Dr. Jackson (I think). We might have had to pay a bit back then.

Good luck with your dentist search,

mt2

 

[tiggerlover]

Thanks all, I just needed to vent. I should clarify, I am not looking for free care from the military, I realize stateside that dependents are not treated on base (overseas they are). I just want the regular coverage through United Concordia/Tricare (formerly Delta Dental) that all other military spouses have, I want to pay my monthy fee and my dedictible like everyone else, but they won't allow us. Very sad indeed.

 

[Chim Chiminy]

Has your husband tried getting his chain of command involved or contacting a military liason?

I know how frustrating the military can be, DH is Army.

Since he is recruiting, we have been on remote location duty for the last 3 1/2 years in a place we nicely term "hell".
We fought with Tricare for the first 1 and half years here over coverage. While that battle was being waged, I continued to drive two hours to our former military clinic so my kids could get care. My son has ADHD and is Bi polar, so he had to be seen frequently. The school here didn't like it because he missed school for each appointment, but we didn't have a choice!
Then Tricare comes along and says, Sorry you can no longer be seen at the military clinic.
We were shocked! And pissed. And demanded that they finally find us a provider here, which is what we wanted all along.

They did get us a family provider, one that we have been very happy with.

The thing we have been without for DS has been a therapist. Tricare never did come through on that.

Sorry, my own little vent.

Hope things work out for you.
Unfortunately the military doesn't always take care of its own.

 

[jjskribs]

Is this what our present administration considers
"supporting our troops. Why are we forgetting about them when they retire .......

 

[Jynohn]

Wow, I'm so sorry to hear you are having problems. My DH was active, then a reservist for 4 years, but just went active again for his deployment. I have to say that I've been really happy so far with the treatment we've received from the military. I am getting much better benefits from TriCare/Concordia than I ever did with our regular insurance.

Despite all the stress we've been going through with DH's deployment, I've felt all along that the military was behind us and would help us out when we needed it. So far they've been great to us and the few problems we've had have been straightened out immediately.

I hope that you and your husband get your situation resolved soon. He certainly deserves it after his service to this country!

 

[katerkat]

Is there any one higher up you can talk to? We didn't get any help with DH's stuff until I told his colonel's wife!

But, we were remote for our first six months and United Concordia couldn't serve us there, either.

 

[tiggerlover]

Unfortuneately there will be no resolution, we were told through a military liason that we are basically out of luck. It is sad that people can defend their countries and risk their lives, but they can't take care of some basic needs for their families.

Chim Chiminy, I am truly sorry for what you are going through, that is a horrible situation to be in and very, very frustrating! I am glad they finally got you a family provider, just sorry they haven't come through on the rest. You are so right, the military doesn't always take care of its own.