Must Private Imo Be Authorized By Va

[add55p]

Can someone let me know if a Private Physician Independent Medical Opinion must first be authorized by VA . I am under the understdning that only VA can schedule an Indepenent medical examination. My understanding is that if a private physician conducts an idependent medical examination, if a request to conduct the IMO is not authorized by VA prior to submission of the private IMO, that while it will be admissable, the private IMO will not carry any probative weight.

[Philip Rogers]

No, the VA has no say whatsoever. You can have anyone do the IME and write the IMO because you are paying for it. Whatever you heard is BS.

pr

[Testvet]

The only IMO they are ignoring are PTSD diagnosis you HAVE to be diagnosed with PTSD by a VA physician if the VA says you have n other mental health issue and your IMO states you have PTSD and not what the VA doctors have diagnosed it is pretty much a waste of time and money to get pyschiatric IMOs for PTSD right now, until they get that rule changed there are a couple of lawsuits about it in the works already, but all other medical issues are able to use IMOs and IMEs that diagnose medical issues it is best to have a specialist that has a CV that shows their experience and education and training and publications etc cardiac doctors for cardiac issues, Oncology for cancer, etc and get doctors that know how to write opinions in VA language

in the past I have gotten IMOs from a retired Army Colonel, psychiatrist and he taught at UCLA after retiring from the Army, the Chief of Cardiology at Providence Medical Center here in Columbia, they are one of the largest most successful heart centers in the south, the VA was using C&P exams done by a Nurse practioner, a cardiac exam done by a radiologist etc, I couldn't catch a break at the VARO level but the BVA Judge saw right thru the BS and granted my cardiac claims secondary to PTSD you just have to keep appealing and don't let a year go by without any type of correspondence from the VARO it took me from Dec 2002 until June 2009 but I got the backpay I always got date stamped evidence from the VARO at least once a year so they couldn't say I abandoned the claim and they closed it. Keep copies of everything

[john999]

If you needed permission from the VA to get an IMO that they are not paying for then there would be no IMO's. As long as you are paying for it you can get 100 IMO's/IME's. If you want a second opinion and you want the VA to pay for it you probably need their OK on it.

[add55p]

All

If the private IMO is well written with VA's lanuage, what is the possiblity that VA will still schedule a C&P examination.

Thanks for the feed back!

[john999]

So good that you may not even need a C&P exam. If you have documented evidence in your record and your IMO is a real winner you can win a claim based on the IMO. I have done it in the past. I have also had the VA exclude a IMO they did not like for no good reason. When that happens....appeal!!

The VA cannot just include or exclude an IMO at their whim if it is based on your SMR's.

[Chuck75]

Can someone let me know if a Private Physician Independent Medical Opinion must first be authorized by VA . I am under the understdning that only VA can schedule an Indepenent medical examination. My understanding is that if a private physician conducts an idependent medical examination, if a request to conduct the IMO is not authorized by VA prior to submission of the private IMO, that while it will be admissable, the private IMO will not carry any probative weight.

I don't know where that came from. With the exception of PTSD (Currently a bit of a problem), The current published regs and laws actually favor an IMO from a "qualified" specialist in the appropriate field. I.E. a board certified cardiologist for IHD. A conflicting VA C&P, if done by a PA or NP, would likely be set aside at an appeal level, or the BVA might order a "proper" C&P. I have seen a case or two that went to the Nehmer review board, who proceeded to say uncomplimentary things about a VA C&P. (incomplete, etc.), and made a statement that "based upon evidence in the records", no additional C&Ps were needed or to be ordered, and then award based upon extensive and a long term history of the condition(s) and even unclaimed "secondaries". I got the feeling that the review board might have been a little peeved at the originating VARO.