Will the VA try and reduce your rating for not using VA healthcare?

[kent101]

If you don't use VA healthcare the VA won't have records of your treatment for your SC condition. Will the VA try and reduce your rating if they have no records? Should you be sending records from private healthcare periodically to the VAMC to protect your rating?

Edited March 6, 2017 by kent101
Update

[Vync]

What Gastone described is pretty typical nowadays.

Some veterans may become SC and never never be re-evaluated again.

When you become SC or win an increase, check your letter carefully. In some cases, it will state that you will be re-examined in the future because your condition is expected to improve. This tends to be the case for temporary 100% claims. For example, if you had surgery for your SC condition then they would wait a few months or a year and then schedule a re-examination to see if it got better. In some cases, your or a VA physician may state that the condition may not, will not, or is expected not to improve, which would help the VA consider the disability as static. If you lost a limb, that would be considered static, but every now and then you may hear about the wierd cases where the VA wants to re-eval an amputated limb, like they expect it to somehow have gotten better...

[jfrei]

Nope but if you were interested and feel you deserve an increase with a disability producing your civilian doctor records would be beneficial.

[john999]

I have been p&t now for 16 years.  I still use the VA for my SC conditions.  I don't really think they are worth a damn but I got and document the fact that I am still taking loads of meds for SC conditions and still suffering from disabilities.  Also, I have used VA records to get me granted SC for five other conditions.  All my agent orange claims were based on VA records.  My SMC  "S" was based on a VA exam.  I think it is wise to use the VA for treatment documentation.  You are building a ton of evidence of your continued disability.

 

[saxman]

I use the VA Medical Center for my s/c disabilities and the meds that suppose to help. I also do my annual with my Dr. just so VA wont say I'm not using VA services and try something to say I may be getting better.

I'm static with my disabilities and over 55, so they shouldn't be trying to get me to do reexaminations. I'm also over the 20 year mark on one of my disabilities.

My suggestion is to see your primary VA Dr at  least once a year.  If you don't have one get one.

Edited March 13, 2017 by saxman

[john999]

Saxman

 

 

                                I really agree with your suggestion.  Plus, I get all my medications for free by using the VA.  I do hate them and do not trust them at all.   I always want insurance that they

wont try something funny in the last few years before my P&T rating hits the 20 year mark.   You never know what a new Prez. or new congress may attempt to do to save a buck at our expense. You know

back in the 1980's the new administration threw everyone on SSDI off the roles and also gave me a really negative C&P exam.  The doctor who did my exam must have been following VA HQ's lead

when the shrink who did my exam asked me a load of leading questions all designed to show I was a Personality Disorder and not bona fide mental health claimant.  Politicians are capable of anything

to include killing vets via neglect, abuse and starving them out by reducing compensation. In one form or another I worked for the Feds for 30 years.   They are the worst bastards out there to vets and to

their own employees.

 

                                                                John

 

[Buck52]

Did you guys read a post from Asknod (Alex) he has help or helping a TDIU veteran that was sent a proposal to reduce his benefits at 19 years and 9 months/something like that   ..Just 3 months before his 20 years, Now why on earth world VA do something like that  leave  ya alone for almost 20 years and then pull that crap.....sure to get out  paying the veteran his lifetime benefits .

This is the kind of trickery the VA using and they don't seem to care  what it does to the Veteran and his family,I think Asknod mention they won out  but was a close call.

One reason all veterans need to use the VA From time to time and check those Medical Records often To see what the VA Dr's has mention about your'' improvement'' over the years.

It maybe just me that thinks that or I'm just absolutely paranoid  but how else would the VA R.O. Find out if you have improved or not? other than doing   undercover work and watching every move you make when you come to your VA Appointment's

 JMO on this ,I do think the VA Doc's and therapist type employee's gets a hefty bonus & raises to say a veteran has indeed improved with his S.C. Disability's...its all about  $$ to the employees  and that's a damn shame if its true.

Edited March 13, 2017 by Buck52