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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 member
AUGUST 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


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