Ao Payment Update

[Berta]

Update in part:

Though the first batch of payments did go out midweek, the relatively small number — about 1,300 claims worth $8 million — reinforced the fact that the process for calculating retroactive payments is timely and complex.

The VA expects to produce a steady stream of rating decisions and payments each week for these diseases, perhaps in the thousands. But there will not be a November geyser of checks as some veterans had hoped.

Most of 163,000 veterans or survivors with pending claims for these diseases should expect a longer wait, at least several more months. The VA goal is to have all these claims processed and paid by October next year.

http://www.military.com/features/0,15240,222310,00.html

and available at NVLSP web site

Read more: http://www.kitsapsun.com/news/2010/nov/06/tom-philpott-paying-new-agent-orange-claims-a/#ixzz14VVNbYJF

[Berta]

"They denied the CAD on the basis that it occurred before the DMII."

John I fully believe that many claims like this were denied after the DMII regs- yet can now succeed under the new IHD regs.

The CAD must be IHD. Not all CAD is IHD.

It is "as likely as not" (wish I was a VA doc)that a DMII vet with diabetic cardiomyopathy and heart disease has IHD due to artherosclerosis caused by the DMII.

If a real doctor can state that for a DMII vet denied as above vet was, they should definitely pursue the IHD SC rating.

[mozartplayer]

I filed in August 2009 on the basis of both prostate cancer and hairy cell leukemia, among other disorders, but after hearing nothing from the VA for many months and not getting any answers from calls to the VA 800#, I had to resort to asking my U.S. Senator's veterans caseworker for assistance and a week later, I had an appointment for a C&P exam late November 2010. However, the VA Regional office instructed the medical center to examine only for the 2005 post-prostate cancer treatment residuals and nothing was said about the hairy cell leukemia or my other numerous disorders. After returning home from the C&P exam, I wrote a letter to the VA Regional Office asking if I was correct in assuming they already had all the evidence they needed related to the hairy cell leukemia as well as the residuals from the two major DVTs I experienced subsequent to the prostate cancer treatment for which I have to be on blood thinners indefinitely. I like to give the VA the benefit of the doubt as I would hope they would give me the benefit of the doubt as required by regulation, but it's sometimes difficult. As I told my Senator's veterans caseworker, I'm a very patient man, but not patient to a fault. I had mistakenly assumed that because my claim involved an active case of hairy cell leukemia for which I see my oncologist every 3 to 4 months, it'd be a slam dunk, but that's apparently not the case. I know a veteran who was approved for comp this past summer after two and a half years even though he has an incurable form of soft tissue sarcoma. His claim for SSA disability this past summer took less than 30 days to be approved. I know the reg adding hairy cell leukemia to the presumptive list was effective only as of 11/1/10 so I'll continue to be patient, for the time being, that is. Perhaps I overdid it on sending the VA too much evidence and they're still separating the wheat from the chaff. By now, they must have every piece of medical evidence going back to my treatment by Air Force doctors during the 1960s. I'm encouraged by hearing about others getting favorable decisions.

[Berta]

"However, the VA Regional office instructed the medical center to examine only for the 2005 post-prostate cancer treatment residuals and nothing was said about the hairy cell leukemia or my other numerous disorders."

If the claim you filed and this C & P was specifically for Hairy Cell B you can use this against them -if they somehow deny on that basis.

Have you requested a copy of results of this C & P exam?

I dont know what else you are claiming but if you are Vietnam incountry vet -yes this should be a slam dunk.

The VA has been getting out awards under the three new presumptives as fast as they can.Bt even slam dunks can take time and you have other issues before them to decide as well.

I have AO claim filed in August too and got responses from IRIS as to it's status.

They said it was at a rater's desk but I really don't expect a decision until 2011 as my claim is unusual in some aspects.

We all have to be patient because this is the fastest -overall- work have seen yet from the VA as to the new presumptive claims and they have thousands of them I am sure.

If I were you I would IRIS them (the Contact Us feature at the manin VA web site)