After 16 years, Navy revokes her 'health care for life'

Eric Wilkinson | KING-TV, Seattle

Show Caption Hide Caption Navy revokes widow's 'health care for life' A widow is distraught after the Navy informed her they were revoking what she believed was her "health care for life."

SEATTLE -- Cheryl May was married to her ex-husband for 23 years. He also served 23 years in the U.S. Navy.

She thought that meant she would continue to be eligible for the Department of Defense's 20/20/20 program, a "free health care for life" deal that she's been a part of for 16 years.

But when May showed up at the Whidbey Island Naval Air Station to renew her benefit card earlier this month, she was told she is no longer part of that plan.

"I was just crying, crying, crying not understanding how this could possibly be," she said. "It just didn't make any sense."

In addition, according to May, the Navy said she never should have received those benefits to begin with because although her ex-husband served 23 years in the Navy, he took a nine-month break to go to school toward the end of his career. To the Navy, that meant he didn't serve 20 consecutive years, making her ineligible.

Suddenly May, 68, has no health insurance. And the Navy has no answers.

"All I got was, 'I'm sorry ma'am there's nothing we can do,'" she said.

A Navy spokesperson called this a "terrible situation" but said the Navy is sticking by its decision. But Cheryl May said she needs these health benefits more than ever.

"It could not come at a worse time,' she said.

Just before she learned of the insurance problem, May's doctor told her she might have leukemia. Now that she no longer has the military insurance, she isn't able to get a diagnosis, let alone start treatment. Although May is still working, she hasn't been on her current employer's health insurance plan.

"Over my life I did the right thing to get where I was supposed to be at the end. Now I'm at the end and the thing I thought was right isn't right," she said. "And they said I have no recourse. It's just, too bad for you."

May survived cancer once before, thanks to the military's medical plan. Now, she worries the Navy is turning its back on her. What's more, May has been told she might have to pay back those 16 years of benefits.

"That is something that would destroy me," she said.