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

[saxman]

Buck, I have not read asknod blog yet, but one of my friends from the Air Force told me that it's important to see the va doctor at least once a year. I later learn that the va will look for reasons to reduce you if they can. So, my theory is don't give them any reason to start that reduction ball rolling!

[Buck52]

saxman I agree ,

but some times rather or not we give them a reason is out of our hands  most veteran will not give them a reason to reduce their hard earn benefits and  usually had to fight tooth and nail for them in the first place...its just that the VA Doc's  can and will write up a improvement opinion in a Veteran S.C. disability  they are treating  if they  get a call from the R.O.  TO DO SO. 

This Veteran asknod is helping, his S.C. Disability is not expected to improve in his life time  but  when he got close to his 20 year protection   its weird that he got that proposal to reduce.

We need to keep getting VA Treatment and check our medical records about every 6 months or so to stay on top of our benefits   other wise out of the Blue we may get that letter of Proposal..just never know..but if were informed of our own Improvement  then we can rebut it.

[jfrei]

On this issue even if you suffered an injury and you don't get medical help at all then they will try and deny you saying your healed. Don't give up appeal it it's still a service injury and should be connected oh well if it 0% it's the principle of the matter and VA law I've seen it.

[kent101]

On Monday, March 06, 2017 at 3:09 AM, Buck52 said:

No you don't need to sendyour private records to the VA but you can share them with the VA

if you don't use the VA for your treatments of S.C. Disabiity's  you can use the private sector...just keep these records in a safe place incase the VA does try to pull some hanky panky and reduce your %

 they need medical records of evidence that your S.C. Disability has imporved and they need at least two Dr's to state so...so I doubt they will try to reduce you for not using the VA Medical Centers for treatment.

As long as you stay in treatment and take meds  you should be good to go.

just hang on to those private records and medications list.

jmo

The VA can look into your VAMC records and see a doctor gave an opinion you've improved. Then they propose to reduce and get the C&P doctor to verify the opinion. So why use VA healthcare if it just gives the VA all they need to reduce you? Mental health reports can easily vary from different therapist.

[Buck52]

why use the VA FOR HEALTHCARE?

Because of several reasons.# 1  Is if they don't see your VA Medical treatment VA Records you need for treatment especially if they diagnose you with a mental disorder  which VA is the only healthcare provider that can make the diagnose of DSM 5 PTSD for S.C. compensation Purposes....then that means to the VA you have improved within your S.C. mental disorder and prompts a Proposal to  Reduce.

What helps the Veteran is

Some prevision include the  Veteran 5 year concurrent  rule!

Veteran has a chronic condition and not expected to improve in his/her life time!

Veteran is over the age 55 

Unless a Veteran has some good premium private Insurance?...    He basically needs to use the VA Health Care System. & having private medical insurance that will cover weekly therapy for PTSD or Depression disorders  that premium insurance  can be very expensive.

[pwrslm]

I use VA for Healthcare.  It takes time, and you must be persistent.  PCP puts in misstatements, they know that I will immediately Email them asking for a correction.  They are doing it faster now-days... 

You have to be your own watch dog, check blue button reports weekly, demand corrections immediately when you find errors. 

You also need to be the squeeky wheel, advocate for your own care.  Not heard from a provider or referreal?  Call them, dont wait more than 3-5 days for them to contact you or they will take 6 weeks. Got somethng that you need work on to make a claim for secondary service connection?  Read up on the condition, ask for the treatment, give them a valid reason why you need it (not just for a claim, but actual condition needs recognition in the VA medical records). If you have recognition of a condition, you have half the battle won for making a claim. Step by step, you have to work toward specific goals because the PCP or Specialists at the VA are swamped with Vets and they do not keep their minds on your needs like you can.