3 Ao Presumptives Published ?

[vperl]

Someone needs to check this out...

Canton Daily Ledger Posted May 03, 2010 @ 05:56 PM LEWISTOWN — On Oct. 13, 2009, the secretary of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) announced his decision to establish presumption of service connection for three additional illnesses (Parkinson's disease, ischemic heart disease, and B cell leukemia) associated with Agent Orange/herbicide exposure in Vietnam.

On March 25, 2010, the VA published a proposed regulation in the Federal Register as part of the process to implement the decision to add those three diseases to the list of presumptive conditions related to Agent Orange/herbicide exposure.

The final regulation will affect a large number of Vietnam veterans, estimated to be at least 200,000 veterans.

"This is an important step forward in ensuring that Vietnam veterans are justly compensated for the adverse effects suffered by exposure to Agent Orange during their service to our country," said Andy Fyffe, superintendent of Fulton County Veterans Assistance Commission, in a press release.

Veteran service officers should file presumptive claims now for these conditions without waiting for the completion of the regulation process, the press release from Fyffe added. Filing these claims prior to the publication of the final regulation is important for effective purposes and it also allows VA to start the claims development process (conducting VA examinations, requesting supporting evidence, etc.) to allow for timely adjudication once the final regulation has been published.

Veterans Affairs and Rehabilitation (VA&R) staff are in the process of reviewing the proposed regulation for public comment. A more detailed VA&R Bulletin containing effective date and other information will be issued following the publication of the final regulation.

In the meantime, direct questions or concerns to Ian de Planque, assistant director for Claims Service, VA&R, at ideplanque@legion.org or (202) 263-5762 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting (202) 263-5762 end_of_the_skype_highlighting; or contact the Fulton County Veterans Assistance office at 309-547-7262 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting 309-547-7262 end_of_the_skype_highlighting for a copy of the official bulletin released by the VA.

Also, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has issued a warning in American Legion Bulletin 16-10 to veterans not to disclose personal information over the phone to callers claiming to update, confirm, or verify VA-related information.

VA reports the fraudulent caller's mode of operation include asking for credit card numbers, bank routing number, and other personal and financial information. A recent fraudulent call reported by a veteran included the caller claiming to be a VA employee and stating that the veteran's medical card had expired. The caller would then ask the veteran to submit a check over the phone to renew the medical card.

VA warns to be leery of any call originating from (888) 555-1234 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting (888) 555-1234 end_of_the_skype_highlighting for it is the number identified in the case above.Veterans with questions about VA services should contact the Veterans Administration at (877) 222-8387 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting (877) 222-8387 end_of_the_skype_highlighting or their nearest VA medical center.

The Fulton County VAC office is located at 132 N. Adams St., Lewistown.

Copyright 2010 Canton Daily Ledger. Some rights reserved http://www.cantondailyledger.com/news/x1540368784/VA-publishes-proposed-Agent-Orange-presumption-regulation-for-conditions-warns-veterans-about-fraudulent-callers

[JRW]

I agree with John999. On something as important as filing a claim, why would anyone want to trust doing such filing, via the 800#? If I had to choose between that of trusting an electronic trail and that of a paper trail, it is a no-brainer............paper trail everytime! Do it through your VSO or, do it yourself and you mail it out certified mail with signatures.

[Honibe]

There are veterans that do not want to sit down and write a letter. They do not understand the system. The veterans who are a part of the Hadit group or some of the other Veteran's boards are very claims educated and claims savy. And, for those Veterans who can, of course, writing and using the VAF 526 or a VA statement of the case form, is the best and safest way to open a claim. But, it is not the only way to get an inital claim started with an immediate effective date.

For example, if you meet someone on the street. You talk with them and learn they are a Veteran with some health issues. Do you tell them they should should file a claim, but they have to fill out VA form 526 and send it registered mail and don't send originals to the VARO, and then tell them to contact a service organization, and then go their private doctor, and etc., etc.?

Or, do you just tell the Veteran to call the *800# and open his/her claim, and then give the new guy your phone to call if he needs help. Sometimes we overwhelm people with the process, and the initial step needs to be a simplistic step, to get them started. Your right, I agree with you, your way is the optimal way.... but I also know there is a simple way to start a claim, for those who are worried the claims process might be to difficult for them.

[vperl]

The AP three Prwaumptives re still waiting to bepublished ? right?

[JRW]

Sometimes we overwhelm people with the process, and the initial step needs to be a simplistic step, to get them started. Your right, I agree with you, your way is the optimal way.... but I also know there is a simple way to start a claim, for those who are worried the claims process might be to difficult for them.

____________________________________________________________________________

I don't believe you should think of starting out with dealing with the VA with simplistic steps. It is, by definition, a vast bureaucratic organization. You cannot approach it with a simplistic view (I wish you could). To do so, is to do it at a peril of something getting lost. Even, with the best of paper trails, things still get lost.

I think if you were to meet a veteran on the street and you want to help him or her to file a claim and you also sense that they do not know how to start the process, I think you should be prepared to personally assist them in the start of this quest by either getting them the necessary VSO, DAV, AL, VFW, etc. help or be prepared to assist them with the paperwork itself. This means you will be committing some of your time and effort to assist them in their effort. Are you ready for that?

I think just giving them an 800# is too much of a risk in something falling through the crack. I think 800#s are good for a lot of things, but for something this important, I think not.

[Honibe]

Sometimes we overwhelm people with the process, and the initial step needs to be a simplistic step, to get them started. Your right, I agree with you, your way is the optimal way.... but I also know there is a simple way to start a claim, for those who are worried the claims process might be to difficult for them.

____________________________________________________________________________

I don't believe you should think of starting out with dealing with the VA with simplistic steps. It is, by definition, a vast bureaucratic organization. You cannot approach it with a simplistic view (I wish you could). To do so, is to do it at a peril of something getting lost. Even, with the best of paper trails, things still get lost.

I think if you were to meet a veteran on the street and you want to help him or her to file a claim and you also sense that they do not know how to start the process, I think you should be prepared to personally assist them in the start of this quest by either getting them the necessary VSO, DAV, AL, VFW, etc. help or be prepared to assist them with the paperwork itself. This means you will be committing some of your time and effort to assist them in their effort. Are you ready for that?

I think just giving them an 800# is too much of a risk in something falling through the crack. I think 800#s are good for a lot of things, but for something this important, I think not.

I appreciate your point of view.

I'm glad Veterans can pick up a phone and call the VA. I am also glad the process of opening a claim especially for most of these presumptive veterans. These vets who have been denied have already submitted all the evidence and paperwork, to re-open their claim. All they have to do is make a phone call and their AO Herbicide presumptive condition is re-opened waiting in line by the DOC for a rating, when the go ahead is given. A few minutes on the phone and they have a new effective date and a claim ready for a rating. It is simple and it works.

[vperl]

Does anyone know when the final rules for the Presumptive three AO's are to be on the Federal Registry ?

Edited May 12, 2010 by vperl