My husband has enrolled in the Veterans Medical Health Care Program. The
nearest one was in Santa Barbara, a two hour drive from our home. Here is
a list of the services he has received thus far and the only cost has been
one co-payment on a prescription for Fosomax.
1. A very thorough health screening which included blood, urine, and a
heart EKG, prostate exam, and the regular blood pressure, heart beat, etc.
2. A second appointment to meet with a doctor who will be his primary care
physician. He went over the tests of the the previous visit and pronounced
him in excellent health (except for what is wrong with him, Parkinson's).
3. A third appointment in the L.A. Vet. Health Care Center where he met
with a neurologist. They asked what it was he wished from the Vet. program
and we explained that we have a neurologist at the Parkinson Institute and
what we really needed was help with the cost of the medications. My
husband was given:
a. A months supply of Pramipexole (4.5mg a day)
b. 60 tabs of Alendronate (Fosomax) 10mg two months supply
c. 30 tabs of Clonazepam .5mg one months supply
d. 120 tabs of Sinemet 25/100 one months supply
e. 60 tabs of ibuprofen 600mg (for back pain but he will cut them
in half and he uses it only when needed.
f. 100 cap/tab Multivitamin/minerals Therapeutic Cap. with three
refills prior to Dec. 22, 1999
4. An appointment on July 1, 1999 for a thorough colon examination.
5. Another appointment to see the neurologist in six months.
We couldnd't be happier about this service since we will lose our HMO the
first of January and have to pay for medications after that unless we
enroll in a secondary plan which we will probably do but it will still mean
co-payments.
I hope this information will be useful for some other veterans.
BTW, the neurologist was very impressed with his walking ability and his
lack of tremor. He was in the Mirapex testing program and it has been a
very good drug for him. I was surprised we were given the Mirapex
(Pramipexole) because on our previous vist in Santa Barbara we were told it
was not on the formulary.
Best wishes to all for a peaceful Christmas.
Rosemary Dexter cg for DEX 74/5
