Veterans Healthcare

kn0ckkn0ck wrote:

Can anyone describe the process of signing up for healthcare through the VA in Vietnam? I've researched the specific hospitals and care providers. I am curious as to the process and outcome of signing up and actually receiving care and payment. Thanks 😎

There isn't any such thing here in Vietnam.

The only possible source of compensation from the V.A. for overseas health care costs is the Foreign Medical Program (link)

A few important things to note:

Even if you are rated 100% by the VA and you normally get health care for any and all health issues, the Foreign Medical Program will only pay for specific conditions that are service-connected or a condition that can be shown to be aggravating a service-connected condition.

So let's say you are rated 100% for PTSD and you also have service-connected diabetes and a service-connected heart condition, if you get in an accident here and you wind up in the hospital and need surgery, in general, the VA will not pay for any of that.

In addition they will not pay for psychiatric care.

The V.A. will not mail medications to a foreign address.

Also, you may have medications prescribed through the VA that are unavailable or are considered illegal here in Vietnam.

You have to make arrangements with your healthcare provider here for payment, and I've never heard of any Vietnamese healthcare provider being willing to wait for money from the VA.

In addition, the waiting time on a claim can be anywhere from six weeks to three months.

However that time will double if you don't have all essential paperwork translated into English.

The source of my advice: the link above and my experience being here for 2 years and 8 months as a 100% VA-rated U.S. military veteran.

OceanBeach92107 wrote:

In addition they will not pay for psychiatric care.

Correction: The VA will not pay for long-term, chronic mental health care.

Also, after rereading your post, I'm guessing you have discovered a list of health care providers in Vietnam supplied by either the Foreign Medical Program or the State Department.

Such listings are not official recommendations, but rather they are suggestions of providers known to provide English language support.

However, those providers are not part of any official Healthcare Network.

Thank you for your valuable information!
May I ask the recommended route to secure healthcare in Vietnam, SEA?
Yes, I have gleaned the English speaking providers from this forum.
Am looking into "SafetyWing Travel Medical Insurance" since the VA will not be an option for me.

I am retired Military and TriCare for life can be used at Raffles Medical Group. They have English speaking doctors and facilities in HCMC and Hanoi. Which city are you living?

I plan on living in Da Nang.
I am non-service connected VA Health Care and on SSDI.

I am a T&P disabled veteran and I am thinking of relocating to Vietnam. Where do veterans go for their medications, for both service connected and non-service connected? Is there any hospitals and pharmacies that are willing to work with FMP, Tricare or CHAMPVA?

I really appreciate any light that you can shed on these questions. I have been doing research but I find the truth comes from actual boots on the ground.

Respectfully,
Wolf

kn0ckkn0ck wrote:

I plan on living in Da Nang.
I am non-service connected VA Health Care and on SSDI.

Those things will get you ZERO compensation for healthcare in Vietnam.

Crynwolf wrote:

I am a T&P disabled veteran and I am thinking of relocating to Vietnam. Where do veterans go for their medications, for both service connected and non-service connected? Is there any hospitals and pharmacies that are willing to work with FMP, Tricare or CHAMPVA?

I really appreciate any light that you can shed on these questions. I have been doing research but I find the truth comes from actual boots on the ground.

Respectfully,
Wolf

I hope you will go back and read everything that's already been posted in this thread.

You may have options for Tricare for Life depending upon the city where you're living.

With the foreign medical program through the VA and CHAMPVA oh, you will have to pay out-of-pocket for everything and submit your claims for reimbursement.

Is everything is properly translated into English, the foreign medical program estimates that your claim can be handled in 6 weeks.

If you submit paperwork in Vietnamese that has not been properly translated then you are looking at three months turn around.

Of course there's always the chance that some desperate doctor here will provide care and wait for the payment, but it's something I never heard of and no one has ever posted here about it.

Tricare is a totally different program, and there seems to be plenty of information about overseas care on their website, and from at least 1 forum member if you go back and read this entire thread

tricare.mil/Plans/HealthPlans/TFL

OceanBeach92107 wrote:

Crynwolf wrote:

I am a T&P disabled veteran and I am thinking of relocating to Vietnam. Where do veterans go for their medications, for both service connected and non-service connected? Is there any hospitals and pharmacies that are willing to work with FMP, Tricare or CHAMPVA?

I really appreciate any light that you can shed on these questions. I have been doing research but I find the truth comes from actual boots on the ground.

Respectfully,
Wolf

I hope you will go back and read everything that's already been posted in this thread.

You may have options for Tricare for Life depending upon the city where you're living.

With the foreign medical program through the VA and CHAMPVA oh, you will have to pay out-of-pocket for everything and submit your claims for reimbursement.

Is everything is properly translated into English, the foreign medical program estimates that your claim can be handled in 6 weeks.

If you submit paperwork in Vietnamese that has not been properly translated then you are looking at three months turn around.

Of course there's always the chance that some desperate doctor here will provide care and wait for the payment, but it's something I never heard of and no one has ever posted here about it.

Tricare is a totally different program, and there seems to be plenty of information about overseas care on their website, and from at least 1 forum member if you go back and read this entire thread

tricare.mil/Plans/HealthPlans/TFL

I might have not been clear in my question or I missed it in the thread. My apologies. Here in Panama, there are certain hospitals that accept Tricare, and will file the paperwork for you in FMP and CHAMPVA. Also there are pharmacies in Panama that you can be registered in as a U.S. Veteran that you can  get your medication. All of this is, except CHAMPVA copay, is zero out of pocket. 

The other hospitals here will not accept Tricare and the veteran has to pay out of pocket first then get a reimbursement later. Of course FMP and CHAMPVA is out of pocket first and pay you later. 

My question is, are there certain hospitals and pharmacies in Vietnam that U.S. Veterans use?  Are there hospitals in Vietnam that accept Tricare?

Crynwolf wrote:

OceanBeach92107 wrote:

Crynwolf wrote:

I am a T&P disabled veteran and I am thinking of relocating to Vietnam. Where do veterans go for their medications, for both service connected and non-service connected? Is there any hospitals and pharmacies that are willing to work with FMP, Tricare or CHAMPVA?

I really appreciate any light that you can shed on these questions. I have been doing research but I find the truth comes from actual boots on the ground.

Respectfully,
Wolf

I hope you will go back and read everything that's already been posted in this thread.

You may have options for Tricare for Life depending upon the city where you're living.

With the foreign medical program through the VA and CHAMPVA oh, you will have to pay out-of-pocket for everything and submit your claims for reimbursement.

Is everything is properly translated into English, the foreign medical program estimates that your claim can be handled in 6 weeks.

If you submit paperwork in Vietnamese that has not been properly translated then you are looking at three months turn around.

Of course there's always the chance that some desperate doctor here will provide care and wait for the payment, but it's something I never heard of and no one has ever posted here about it.

Tricare is a totally different program, and there seems to be plenty of information about overseas care on their website, and from at least 1 forum member if you go back and read this entire thread

tricare.mil/Plans/HealthPlans/TFL

I might have not been clear in my question or I missed it in the thread. My apologies. Here in Panama, there are certain hospitals that accept Tricare, and will file the paperwork for you in FMP and CHAMPVA. Also there are pharmacies in Panama that you can be registered in as a U.S. Veteran that you can  get your medication. All of this is, except CHAMPVA copay, is zero out of pocket. 

The other hospitals here will not accept Tricare and the veteran has to pay out of pocket first then get a reimbursement later. Of course FMP and CHAMPVA is out of pocket first and pay you later. 

My question is, are there certain hospitals and pharmacies in Vietnam that U.S. Veterans use?  Are there hospitals in Vietnam that accept Tricare?

If you are retired with Tricare for Life you can be seen at Raffles in HCMC and Hanoi. You pay up front and send in paperwork for reimbursement. It does not pay 100%. I don't know of any pharmacy coverage but medication is relatively inexpensive there.
I am not sure about regular Tricare but you can go online and research.
Also consider the medical insurance requirement that you will have to purchase before obtaining a visa. It's several hundred dollars per month for minimum Covid 19 coverage. You can add options but then the cost goes up accordingly.
Just for reference a 15 minute doctor visit is about $35 at a good clinic. Or you can do what I have done and find a doctor to marry....... lol
Good luck.

Crynwolf wrote:

OceanBeach92107 wrote:

Crynwolf wrote:

I am a T&P disabled veteran and I am thinking of relocating to Vietnam. Where do veterans go for their medications, for both service connected and non-service connected? Is there any hospitals and pharmacies that are willing to work with FMP, Tricare or CHAMPVA?

I really appreciate any light that you can shed on these questions. I have been doing research but I find the truth comes from actual boots on the ground.

Respectfully,
Wolf

I hope you will go back and read everything that's already been posted in this thread.

You may have options for Tricare for Life depending upon the city where you're living.

With the foreign medical program through the VA and CHAMPVA oh, you will have to pay out-of-pocket for everything and submit your claims for reimbursement.

Is everything is properly translated into English, the foreign medical program estimates that your claim can be handled in 6 weeks.

If you submit paperwork in Vietnamese that has not been properly translated then you are looking at three months turn around.

Of course there's always the chance that some desperate doctor here will provide care and wait for the payment, but it's something I never heard of and no one has ever posted here about it.

Tricare is a totally different program, and there seems to be plenty of information about overseas care on their website, and from at least 1 forum member if you go back and read this entire thread

tricare.mil/Plans/HealthPlans/TFL

I might have not been clear in my question or I missed it in the thread. My apologies. Here in Panama, there are certain hospitals that accept Tricare, and will file the paperwork for you in FMP and CHAMPVA. Also there are pharmacies in Panama that you can be registered in as a U.S. Veteran that you can  get your medication. All of this is, except CHAMPVA copay, is zero out of pocket. 

The other hospitals here will not accept Tricare and the veteran has to pay out of pocket first then get a reimbursement later. Of course FMP and CHAMPVA is out of pocket first and pay you later. 

My question is, are there certain hospitals and pharmacies in Vietnam that U.S. Veterans use?  Are there hospitals in Vietnam that accept Tricare?

Oh, I didn't understand.

Answers "yes" and "yes".

Thank you gentlemen. Wise advice to marry a doctor. A friend of mine here in Panama married a lawyer. Saved his skin in many ways LOL

Respectfully
Wolf