KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WATE) — A disabled veteran was told he owes the government more than $42,000 in overpayments, and he doesn’t know why.
It turns out that Veterans’ Affairs was missing a report regarding Ron Higgs’ wife, who died last year. Higgs is rated as a 100 percent, permanent, and totally disabled veteran. The P&T designation means his service-connected conditions are not expected to improve.
The retired medical doctor has been disabled since having a stroke seven years ago. His right side is paralyzed, and recently he’s been struggling with his health. Higgs, a Vietnam veteran, was drafted in 1968 and served as a scout dog platoon leader, earning several US Army commendations. Diagnosed with heart disease, he’s had 15 stents inserted to open his arteries.
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Following his stroke in 2019, Higgs’ late wife was his caregiver. She passed away last November. Her daughter, Karrie Lipscomb, and Higgs’ step-daughter, is now his caregiver. In March 2025, the VA sent Ron a letter. He had been overpaid, and the government wanted its money back…