Hide Transcript Show Transcript

WEBVTT 35-YEAR-OLD GENE MARR HASOVERCOME HIS FAIR SHARE OFCHALLENGES.>> SUSTAINED MULTIPLE COMBATCONCUSSIONS FROM ROADSIDE BOMBS,AND WHATNOT.CAMILA: A SEVEN-YEAR VETERAN WHOSERVED IN THE ARMY'S INFANTRY INIRAQ, MARR SAYS HE'S BEENDIAGNOSED WITH PTSD ANMY BRAIN INJURY.-- TRAUMATIC BRAIN INJURY.HE SPOKE TO ME FROM HIS BED ATNEBRASKA MEDICINE TUESDAY, FLOWNHERE BY MEDICAL HELICOPTER FROMNEBRASKA CITY, AFTER SUFFERING ASTROKE ON EASTER.>> A KIND OF STROKE THAT PEOPLEDO NOT NORMALLY MAKE IT TO THEHOSPITAL.CAMILA: BUT MARR ISN'T TOOWORRIED ABOUT HIS RECOVERY.HE'S WORRIED IF HE'LL HAVE TOPAY FOR IT, TELLING ME THE V.A.HAS DENIED HIS E.R. VISIT BILLSIN THE PAST. >> THE BLANKET ANSWER FOR ALL OFTHEM IS YOU DIDN'T GET PRIORAPPROVAL, OR YOU GOT TO LIVECLOSER.YOU DIDN'T COME TO US FIRST ANDLET US OUTPATIENT YOU SOMEWHERE.CAMILA: NOW, HE SAYS THECOLLECTION LETTERS ARE PILINGUP, WHILE HE'S LEFT SIFTINGTHROUGH V.A. DOCUMENTS TO FIGUREOUT WHY HE WASN'T COVERED.>> JUST WHEN YOU THINK YOU'VEDONE ENOUGH RESEARCH ON IT,THERE'S MORE YOU'VE NEVER SEENBEFORE.>> IT IS A VERY COMPLEX SYSTEM.CAMILA: JENNY ROSENBALM, THENEBRASKA VA'S BUSINESS MANAGER,COULDN'T TALK TO US ABOUT MARR'SSPECIFIC CASE, BUT ADMITS THEELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS CAN GETCONFUSING, ESPECIALLY WHEN ITCOMES TO NON SERVICE-CONNECTEDEMERGENCY CARE, TO BE COVEREDOUTSIDE OF THE VA'S HOSPITAL.ROSENBALM SAYS THE VETERAN CAN'THAVE OTHER HEALTH INSURANCECOVERAGE, MUST NOTIFY THE V.A.WITHIN 72 HOURS, AND THOSE AREJUST SOME OF THE STIPULATIONS.A V.A. DOCTOR MAY HAVE THE FINALSAY ON IF THE INCIDENT WAS ATRUE EMERGENCY.>> THE ACTUAL DECISION THEN ONTHE PAYMENT SIDE IS THAT ACLINICIAN REVIEWS THAT RECORD.CAMILA: MARR, ASKING FOR ASIMPLER SOLUTION.>> WE'VE DONE OUR PART OVERSEAS,IT'S TIME FOR THEM TO DO THEIRPART HERE.CAMILA: V.A. OFFICIALS SAY THEYARE WORKING WITH LAWMAKERS TOTRY TO IMPROVE THE SYSTEM, ANDHAVE VETERANS' BEST INTERESTS INMIND.JUST TODAY, GOVERNOR RICKETTSSIGNED SEVERAL BILLS WORKING TOIMPROVE OVERALL VETERANSERVICES.AGAIN, RIGHT NOW WE STILL DON'TKNOW WHETHER OR NOT THE V.A.WILL COVER MARR'S MOST RECENTTRIP TO THE HOSPITAL.HE'S SUPPOSED TO BE MEETING WITHA REPRESENTATIVE.REPORTING LIVE, CAMILA ORTI,

Advertisement Fighting fine print: Veteran says VA won't pay ER bills A combat army veteran hopes to spark changes within the complex VA health care system Share Shares Copy Link Copy

A local combat veteran says the Department of Veterans Affairs has not paid his medical bills associated with emergency room visits, and he's not sure why.Gene Marr has overcome his fair share of challenges. " sustained multiple combat concussions from roadside bombs and whatnot," Marr said.Marr served in the Army Infantry for seven years, including several deployments to Iraq. The 35-year-old father of three says he's been diagnosed with PTSD and traumatic brain injury.The veteran spoke to KETV from his bed at Nebraska Medicine Tuesday. He was flown to Omaha from Nebraska City by medical helicopter after suffering a stroke on Easter."A kind of stroke that people don't normally make it to the hospital," Marr said.But Marr isn't too worried about his recovery- he's worried if he'll have to pay for it. The VA has denied ER visit bills in the past, Marr explained, citing gastrointestinal issues that have sent him to Nebraska City's ER department doubled over in pain."The blanket answer for all of them is 'you didn't get prior approval,' or 'you've got to live closer, you didn't come to us first and let us outpatient you somewhere,'" Marr said.Now, the veteran says collection letters regarding thousands of dollars worth of bills are piling up while he's left sifting through VA documents to attempt to figure out why he wasn't covered."Just when you think you've done enough research on it there's more you've never seen before," Marr said.VA Nebraska-Western Iowa Health Care System Business Manager, Jenny Rosenbalm, couldn't talk about Marr's specific case but does agree the eligibility requirements for coverage can get confusing."It is a very complex system," Rosenbalm said.The requirements become more complex when it comes to non service-connected emergency care.To be covered outside of the VA's hospital, Rosenbalm says the veteran can't have other health insurance coverage, must notify the VA of the emergency within 72 hours, and must be transferred to the VA facility after becoming stabilized, among several other stipulations.Rosenbalm says a VA doctor may have the final say on whether or not the incident can be considered a true emergency."The actual decision then on the payment side is that a clinician reviews that record," Rosenbalm said.Marr is asking for a simpler solution. "We've done our part overseas, it's time for them to do their part here," Marr said. "It shouldn't matter where I go it's a life-threatening injury."VA officials say they are working with lawmakers to try to improve the system, and always have veterans' best interests in mind.Marr is waiting to meet with a VA representative and says he still does not know whether or not his most recent trip to the hospital will be covered.Marr's friends have set up a GoFundMe page to help offset medical costs: https://www.gofundme.com/gene-marr-medical-fundFor more information on non-VA emergency care for veterans, click here.