I got out of the army in 1976,Last summer I filled all the paper work to get the V A medical coverage.I was turned down because I make to much money.Is there any way to to go around to get the medical benefits.To me it shouldn't matter how much I make iam also retired but not from the army.I did my service and know they tell me I cant get the benefits.Thanks to all that reply..

As you're not retired military, do you have a service-related injury or condition which would entitle you to VA benefits?

With out a service connected injury you are S,O.L. 

Go to a VA Rep. (DAV, local county VA office, or etc.) they will fill out all necessary paperwork for you and submit.  Use them, they know the in's and out's and how to properly file.

File for a Service Connected Injury, the process can be time consuming and drawn out.  If and once awarded, your finances are irrelevant for health care.  If over a certain percentage there is no co-pay, even for non service related issues.

A great resource for what you may be able to claim or health issues that may be deemed service-connected can be found at http://www.militarydisabilitymadeeasy.com/

The best thing the VA does is not make veterans aware of what's available to them.  Do the research, file, and have patience (you may have to see a few VA doctors to get documentation).  

Good luck ... and yes you do deserve it, regardless of your finances.

Interesting thread, I have been to my local VA hospital 3 times now, just to try and apply for VA healthcare, in case I lose my insurance, and to get some hearing aids for my tinnitus.  My exit physical when I left the army showed a 20% loss of hearing.  5 years of infantry will do that.

I applied online first, and they screwed up my SSN and DOB somehow, so some VA rep called me and said I had to go to a VA hospital to straighten it out.  

Lucky, I have a VA hospital 20 minutes away.  Off I go, meet with a elegibility person who takes a quick look at my paperwork and tells me I make too much also.   I tell her I really need hearing aids, and this is service connected.  She gave zero fucks, but did tell me I could apply for a disability due to it.  Then when my disability is approved, I get not only hearing aids, but 10% of E5 pay .

I have no idea if it will get approved, I was told it would be up to a year.  At some point they will give me a physical and hearing test.

All I wanted was hearing aids.   I really hope the guys who really need care get better treatment.

I spent everything I could afford not to go to a VA hospital. Seriously - why would you want to go there unless it is for (the time being) that mandatory coverage bs?

When I was first discharged I was a broke college student, was combat deployed, and so I qualified. I signed up.

I had strep throat and they gave me an appointment date 5 weeks in the future. After waiting a week and being unable to eat anything at all - I went to the empty emergency room at Bay Pines at 5:30am and wasn't even taken to the back until 10:00am. Like, there was no one else even in line and I had a 104* fever and all I needed was some antibiotics. Insanity.

Then on the way out I had homeless guys asking me for a ride to Madeira Beach. I've never been back.

This.

After taking a year to diagnose a torn meniscus, then saying it'd be another 6 months before I could have surgery to repair it, I vowed never to go back to the VA for anything.

Sorry to say this, but don't hold your breath. Unless your hearing is seriously fucked up, you won't be compensated. However, you can be rated 0% and service connected, which makes you still eligible for care.

If you got out in one piece say your prayers. You have the rest of your life to file a claim that was service related

I have noticed in dealing with the VA that stating something is service connected falls on deaf ears.
On the other hand, with a claim filed, reviewed by the Compensation and Medical Pension group and some kind of rating, you will get treatment with no further discussion or questions.
File that claim!

I'll bump this up.  I had a hearing test done 3 weeks ago and they found a significant loss in my hearing and tinnitus.  Today I get a letter from the va.  I'm approved for hearing aids and health care.

I think they might have found my file that showed a big hearing loss at separation.  I ended up with a 10% disability.

I never brought up the dislocated shoulder I got in 79 rolling down a mountain during training.  I got evacuated for that, treated and moved on.  10 years later I had surgery on that to fix the constant pain I had anytime I lifted my arm above my chest.

Now, I have pretty good health coverage I only use for yearly physicals, and I pay 300/mo. for that.  I'm just south of 60 and in great health.  

Would you cancel the insurance and go with VA healthcare?    3600 a year I would pocket instead of pay.   My local VA facility is 20 minutes away, and seems so so.