RAO BULLITON
RAO Bulletin Update: CFL & Cholesterol Medication Alert
CHAMPVA for Life [CFL]: CFL is a new benefit designed for spouses or
dependents who are 65 or older. They must be family members of veterans
who have a permanent and total service-connected disability, who died of a
service-connected condition or who were totally disabled from a
service-connected condition at the time of death. They also must have
Medicare coverage.
Beginning October 1, CHAMPVA will pay benefits for covered medical
services to eligible beneficiaries who are 65 or older and enrolled in
Medicare Parts A&B. The "CHAMPVA for Life" benefit is payable after
payment by Medicare or other third-party payers. For services not covered
by Medicare or other insurance, such as outpatient prescription
medications, CHAMPVA will be the primary payer.
CHAMPVA beneficiaries who reached age 65 as of June 5, 2001, but were not
enrolled in Medicare Part B on that date, will be eligible for this
expanded benefit even though not enrolled in Medicare Part B. There is no
change in CHAMPVA coverage for those beneficiaries 65 and older who do not
qualify for Medicare.
Information about the new benefit has already been mailed to all
previous CHAMPVA beneficiaries and providers who have filed claims with
CHAMPVA. Those who did not receive it and people over age 65 who have
never been eligible for CHAMPVA can request an application by writing to
the VA Health Administration Center (HAC), P.O. Box 469028, Denver, CO
80246-9028. Veterans and family members can also call toll-free,
1-888-289-2411, to obtain the latest recorded information, leave a change
of address, or request information to be mailed to them. This phone line
is 7/24. Inquiries may also be e-mailed to hac.inq@med.va.gov. Updates
about "CHAMPVA for Life" and other benefits information will be posted to
VA's Health Administration Center Web site at http://www.va.gov/hac
[Source: VA News Release 2 AUG 01]
Cholesterol Medication Alert: Baycol, a cholesterol-lowering drug produced
Bayer Pharmaceutical's and taken by 700,000 Americans, was pulled off the
market 8 AUG because of muscle destruction linked to 31 U.S. deaths and at
least nine more fatalities abroad. This is significantly more fatal cases
than its competitors. Baycol, also called cerivastatin, is one of a popular
family of drugs called statins that dramatically lower cholesterol and
reduce patients' risk of heart attacks. Five other statins Mevacor,
Pravachol, Zocor, Lescol and Lipitor are sold in the U.S. and taken by
millions of Americans without significant side effects but, every statin
has been linked to very rare reports of the muscle side effect called
rhabdomyolysis. Rhabdomyolysis is a life-threatening condition in which
muscle cells are destroyed and released into the bloodstream. It can cause
severe muscle pain, most frequently in the calves and lower back, and
occasionally is so severe that patients develop potentially fatal kidney
failure. Rhabdomyolysis symptoms include muscle pain, weakness, tenderness,
fever, dark urine, nausea and vomiting. It is unknown how many Baycol
users have survived a rhabdomyolysis attack Most at risk from Baycol are
elderly patients, those who use higher doses, and anyone who uses Baycol
together with gemfibrozil [also sold under the name Lopid]. Baycol users
should call their doctor about switching medications, and anyone who
experiences muscle pain and is also taking gemfibrozil should immediately
stop the Baycol and report the pain to a doctor.
The Food and Drug Administration physicians state there are no plans
to strengthen existing warnings or take other action against the other
statins because of their low incidence of significant side effects. Still,
people suffering muscle pain who take any of those statins should report it
to their physicians, because they may need a lower dose or a change in
medication. For more Baycol information, patients and doctors can contact
Bayer at 1-800-758-9794, the FDA at 1-888-INFO-FDA or their web site
www.fda.gov . Other drugs that can be safely substituted for Baycol are
readily available at military pharmacies
[Source: Army News Service, Aug. 10, 2001]
Lt. James "EMO" Tichacek, USN (Ret)
Director, Retiree Activities Office & U.S. Embassy Warden Baguio City RP
Email: raoemo@mozcom.com (PRI) or raobaguio@hotmail.com (Alternate)
Web: http://post_119_gulfport_ms.tripod.com/rao1.html
Tel: (63-74) 445-6786 or 446-2087 to record msg. or FAX 1-801-760-2430
AL/AMVETS/CORMV/DAV/FRA/NCOA/PRA/TROA/USDR/VFW/VVA member
Pharmacy - Online Purchasing: Using the Internet can generate savings of up
to 40% when purchasing medicine. Internet pharmacies are cheaper because
they have lower overhead and inventory costs than most local retail
drugstores. Web drug stores use certified pharmacists to confirm
prescriptions and to check each order, but the actual pill sorting is done
by machine. To be sure your dealing at a reputable site, always shop at
pharmacies that require you to mail a prescription or provide your doctor’s
phone number to confirm the order. Avoid sites that don’t require
prescriptions or use their own “online physicians” or a questionnaire to
prescribe drugs. The site should also include access to a real pharmacist
by email or telephone. Reputable sites will carry the Verified Internet
Pharmacy Sites seal showing the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy
certifies them.
To get started buying drugs online it’s a good idea to comparison
shop. Drugs come in a variety of pill sizes and amounts, so its best to
look at the per-pill price rather than the total prescription price. On
eof the best search engines to compare prices among web pharmacies is
www.destinationRX.com. Because drug prices can vary by region it is also a
good idea to call your local pharmacy to ensure you are getting the best
prices. If you are a senior identify yourself as such because many local
pharmacies offer senior discounts or participate in programs offering
discounts. Some online pharmacies offer services to help patients with
multiple prescriptions keep track of their daily doses by providing packets
labeled with the day, date and time pills should be taken. Reputable online
sites won’t charge you to ship prescriptions. www.drugstore.com even lets
you pick up your order at a local Rite Aid. Most reputable online
pharmacies send email reminders about refills.
Even larger savings are available at Canadian online pharmacies where
government price controls keep drug prices down. Three of the biggest are
www.theCanadianDrugstore.com, www.CanadaRX.net, and www.Canadameds.com.
Canada sites usually require a Canadian doctor to confirm a U.S.
prescription and write a new one. Some might require the drugs to be sent
directly to a doctor based in the U.S. In addition to offering savings of
as much as 50%, the Canadian sites often sell generic drugs that aren’t
available in the U.S. [Source: American Legion Magazine AUG 01]
VA Prescription Charge: The VA has announced their intentions to raise the
prescription drug copayment from $2 to $7. Under current regulations,
veterans who receive prescriptions for non-service connected conditions
must pay $2 for each prescription. VA has proposed that this amount be
increased to $7, in part, to help reduce the high costs associated with the
VA’s prescription drug benefit. The cost of the program was the subject of
a Senate VA Committee hearing on July 24, 2001. VA Secretary Anthony
Principi noted that many veterans turn to VA for the prescription drugs
because of the lack of a Medicare drug benefit. This has helped to rapidly
increase the number of prescriptions that VA is handing out. Since 1990,
the number of prescriptions has increased by almost 200%. Prescription
drugs now account for 12.5% of VA’s medical care budget.
VA’s proposal to increase the copayment amount to $7 per prescription
will be capped at $840 per calendar year. That is, the most that one
veteran could pay would be $840-- after that, any additional prescriptions
are free. In addition, they propose to index the copayment with the
Medical Consumer Price Index so as to keep up with inflation. [Source: VFW
Washington Weekly 3 AUG 01]
Lt. James "EMO" Tichacek, USN (Ret)
Director, Retiree Activities Office & U.S. Embassy Warden Baguio City RP
Email: raoemo@mozcom.com (PRI) or raobaguio@hotmail.com (Alternate)
Web: http://post_119_gulfport_ms.tripod.com/rao1.html
Tel: (63-74) 445-6786 or 446-2087 to record msg. or FAX 1-801-760-2430
· AL/AMVETS/CORMV/DAV/FRA/NCOA/PRA/TROA/USDR/VFW/VVA memberAUGUST 8TH , 2001
RAO BULLITON VETERANS HEALTH V.A. UPDATES
AUTHOR ; Lt. James "EMO" Tichacek, USN (Ret)
Dietary Supplements: If you are considering taking dietary supplements to
pep up, bulk up or slim down should check with your doctor or other health
provider first. Particularly if you know that you have a family history of
heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, [or] asthma. Dietary
supplements will affect people differently and can interact adversely with
prescription drugs. Dietary supplements, which include so-called energy
boosters, over-the-counter diet pills and bodybuilding drinks or mixes, can
also pose risks for people not taking prescription drugs. Energy-enhancing
dietary supplements provide a caffeine-like boost, similar to how strong
coffee affects the central nervous system. They are stimulants and affect
the heart and cardio-vascular system in terms of raising your blood
pressure and increasing the heart rate. It is not recommended to take
dietary supplements, such as products containing the chemical compound
ephedra, before engaging in strenuous physical activity. Particularly in
hot weather.
With the exception of vitamins, the Food and Drug Administration does
not regulate dietary supplements the same way as it does prescription and
other over-the-counter products. Under the Dietary Supplement Health and
Education Act of 1994, the dietary supplement manufacturer is
responsible for ensuring that a dietary supplement is safe before it is
marketed, according to the FDA (see http://vm.cfsan.fda.gov website). The
FDA is responsible for taking action against any unsafe dietary supplement
product after it reaches the market. Generally, manufacturers do not need
to register with FDA nor get FDA approval before producing or selling
dietary supplements. There is no [FDA] standardization of quality control
in terms of what is in" dietary supplements,and the potency of doses and
other inert additives can vary from batch to batch. [Source: American
Forces Press Service 11 JUL 01]
Hearing Aids Update: DoD has initiated a new program called Retiree-At-Cost
Hearing Aid Program (RACHAP) which is available at some military treatment
facilities (MTF). Retirees, not family members, can purchase a hearing aid
at government cost, possibly a saving of 300% over a commercial
purchase. Retirees may call the nearest MTF to see if the program is
available, or where the nearest participating MTF is located. The MTF
must have an audiologist on staff to perform the examination and prescribe
the appropriate device. Most Navy MTFs participate in RACHAP. [Source:
Hanscom AFB Retiree Newsletter summer 2001]
Lt. James "EMO" Tichacek, USN (Ret)
Director, Retiree Activities Office & U.S. Embassy Warden Baguio City RP
Email: raoemo@mozcom.com (PRI) or raobaguio@hotmail.com (Alternate)
Web: http://post_119_gulfport_ms.tripod.com/rao1.html
Tel: (63-74) 445-6786 or 446-2087 to record msg. or FAX 1-801-760-2430
AL/AmVets/CORMV/DAV/FRA/NCOA/PRA/TROA/USDR/VFW/VVA member
Back to the Main Page
Todays News
Past Articles on V.A. Health