Jonah1

I wonder who "certain veterans" are. If this is ambiguous then the problem isn't resolved.

You're absolutely right. It appears we've been had. This hotline is indeed a ruse and a complaint to it does not result in the White House itself, ensuring that the health care needs of the veteran are met. I've been advised more than once that it is merely a "call center" and the representative directs the complaint to the Chief of Staff of whichever VA Hospital you've complained about. The Chief of Staff then consults with the very same doctors who have neglected or abandoned the health care of the veteran. This is what happened to me as recently as two weeks ago. I have a rare condition called mandibular hyperplasia and maxillary hypoplasia, which in English, means that the left bone which connects my mandible to my skull, grew longer than the right, the joint grew bigger than the right and my maxilla didn't grow as much as my mandible. This has caused an asymmetric facial deformity, impaired my speech, masticatory function and not to mention, aggravated my major depression and anxiety, conditions which all oral surgeons involved, are aware that I am TDIU for. I have been trying to utilize funding from the VA, to seek care outside of the same, for on or about two years now. It started in Boston where one doctor tried for at least a year to secure this funding to avail and continued to New York. I have had to run from private oral surgeon to oral surgeon, only to be turned away once they figure out how extensive, thus expensive, restorative surgery would be. As I understand it, Medicaid doctors are only paid thirty three cents for every dollar. As a result, at each private doctor, I was sent out the door with all of my images, write ups, models and so forth, but denied explicit diagnoses or surgery. I contacted the hotline as a last resort. The first time I called, the VA closed the complaint with an email I was never made aware of, until the second call, wherein I acquired about a status. At least a month after the second, I received a phone conference from the Chief of Staff, the very oral surgeon who argued with me and refused to treat me and I suppose the go-between. Although I had submitted radiographic images including an ICAT, CBCT, results of an MRI, SPECT scan, scholarly literature on my condition and a private doctor literally diagnosing me with condylar hyperplasia on paper, the Chief of Staff informed me that nothing was going to be done. He said that the VA doctors, had spoken to the private doctors- mind you without my approval under HIPPA- and as a result, they saw no need for surgery. When I asked him based on the explicit write-ups of the doctors and the literal diagnosis what was going to be done, he replied, "Nothing". When I asked what my diagnosis was according to what I had sent them, he said, "You don't have a diagnosis." They were all very arrogant and apathetic, speaking in smug, condescending tones, no doubt confident that their lack of action would not be called into account. So you're right. This hotline is a hoax and does nothing to alleviate the mouse-in-a-maze treatment a veteran gets when doctors make decisions personally, instead of professionally. CBCT ASSESSMENT DESCRIBING SYMPTOMS OF UNILATERAL CONDYLAR HYPERPLASIA OF THE MANDIBLE.pdf

Hi. Thanks for your reply. I've gone the obvious route from the Boston VA to two New York VAs. I went straight to the oral surgeons. The Boston VA surgeon, in 2015, requested funding for me to go to a private surgeon, to obtain imaging and a full evaluation. The funding never came. Eventually, I moved back to NY, paid for my own imaging and received several fully, detailed diagnoses as to what was causing my jaw and face to deform. I provided this to both NY VAs. Even with this in hand, as well as the head of the oral surgery department in Manhattan, vehemently declaring that no VA oral surgeon was qualified to perform the surgery that I need, both the Manhattan and Northport oral surgeons refuse to put that there are no oral surgeons in the VA, who can surgically correct this disease. Their admittance on paper is the only thing standing between myself and outside care. They have been giving and continue to give me the run-around. I say all this to explain that complaining to Congress and the Trump hotline were last resorts. I'm TDIU. Can you tell me what SMC and IMO/IME are? Thanks again.

I received a 10% rating for TMJ. Come to find out I have a condition that is much more serious than TMJ. I actually have maxillary hyperplasia and unilateral mandibular condylar hyperplasia. My top jaw grew shorter than my bottom and my left joint that connects my bottom jaw to my skull, along with the bone the connects the same to my chin, grew bigger and longer than the right, respectively. This has caused my face to become asymmetric and deformed. It has also caused functional problems such as pain, problems chewing and speaking. Although I am 100% I have been denied a diagnosis and much-needed surgery to correct these conditions. The VA doctors, in order to cover their neglect and abandonment, have gone as far as to lie to my congressman and even to the representative at the new White House line opened up by President Trump. I fear that my only recourse is to claim this condition. The only problem is, I have been informed by the director of oral surgery at the VA that there is absolutely no doctor qualified to diagnose me in the VA or perform the surgery that I need. I don't know how to file this claim to get the care that I so desperately need. Please advise. Thank you.

Thanks to Secretary Bob McDonald, this issue is fully resolved. Thank you Mr. Secretary!

Thank you NavyWife and Berta. An update on my situation. I emailed Robert McDonald and received an immediate response the same day. He indeed, cares about veterans.

Thank you so much for your advice Berta and NavyWife. Berta, I did an IRIS and strangely, someone from the VA called me on a Saturday, just to tell me that it wasn't their fault and that I still had to wait the FDC process time. What is an EED? To both of you kind ladies, I will definitely contact the Secretary. I had tried calling the I.G. but they gave me a toll free number that just rang continuously.

How about that? I never even thought of that. Thanks for the tip.

I am thoroughly disgusted. Having a lot of claims to process is no excuse for not helping a veteran whose original claim was "screwed up" by a Veterans Service Officer. A Chapter 31 representative, submitted a TDIU claim for me on or about the summer of 2013. Around May of this year, I reopened, myself, a claim for an increase in another benefit, separate from my TDIU. To my surprise, two weeks later, I received a call for a Comp and Penn appointment. I was told that since I already had a "100%" claim in the system, that my appointment would be for both. When I went to the appointment, the doctor only checked me for my newest filing, that is, the one for an increase. When I asked him if he knew anything about my TDIU, he had no idea what I was talking about. So I called the 800 number and a representative informed me that the VA had my claim filed as a TTD, instead of a TDIU. I explained that I had not put in for a TTD, but a TDIU. Within the same week I received a letter from the VA, directing me to send in proof that I had been hospitalized, in order for the TTD to be approved. I got in touch with the VFW and explained that somehow my TDIU had turned into a TTD. After some research, the State Service Officer (SSO) declared that someone had "screwed up", but assured me that the claim would be corrected. We kept in touch for about two weeks. He then called me and advised that I needed to fill out a new application for TDIU and fax it to him. Trusting him, I did that and waited once again. I heard nothing. I finally took a trip to the Regional Office and found out he was on vacation, but his representative assured me that some "big meeting" had taken place in which my case was one of the several urgent cases that had been discussed as the handling of such had been deemed unacceptable. She said that the SSO was trying to fight for my back pay. I then explained to her that back pay was nice, but I needed to be able to eat, pay my bills and live, right now. She then said that she would make my case a hardship. I went home feeling relieved. About a week later, I received a decision from the VA not on my TDIU, but on the TTD and such was denied. The letter stated that I had not sent proof that I was hospitalized. I made phone call after phone call to the VFW trying to find out why it wasn't fixed. No one returned my calls. To be on the safe side, I just filed a whole new claim for TDIU, myself, electronically, so this time I, myself, could keep track of it. As a last resort, I went to my Congressman and explained what had happened. Although I explained that I was 70% for Major Depressive Disorder, and that the extreme stress of the situation was aggravating this disability, she responded that as the "screw up" was not the VA's fault, the only option she had was to "beg" the VA to expedite the new claim I had just filed. She explained that the VA would not want to hear anything about anyone "screwing up" my original claim and as far as they were concerned, it was over and done with and I just had to wait on the new one. A month went by and as of last week, the Congressman's office informed me that they had heard back from the VA on the inquiry they had submitted. The VA's answer was that as my new claim was already a FDC, it was already in an expedited process and as such, it wasn't getting anymore expedited than that. I had been very patient and understanding up until that point, but I guess I had reached my boiling point. Trying not to get too upset, I pointed out again that I suffer from Major Depressive Disorder and not being to able to eat, do anything thing or even pay my bills or provide for my kids was taking its toll on me. I told her that I really needed some resolution. She responded very plainly, pretty much, "I've done all that I can. What else do you want me to do?" I finally cracked. Feeling hopeless, I logged onto the veteran's suicide chat. The person I was chatting with was responding as if she had an SOP in front of her and had a phony, predesignated answer, for everything I was telling her. She then asked if I wanted someone to call me, to which I responded would be a waste of time, as whoever I spoke to wouldn't be able to help with the claim, which was the trigger of the suicidal episode. She urged me to speak to the person she had on standby, but said "No promises"... The guy called me but gave me a very cold "suck it up and drive on" speech. He didn't refer me to anybody. He didn't even take down my information to make sure he could keep track of my welfare. Today, my new file on Ebenefits is still in the "Under Review" status. It hasn't budged from there for two months. I had read several postings online of other veterans complaining of horror stories concerning their claims, but had felt fortunate that I had none to tell. Of course that has changed. There is no excuse for putting the VA's workload before a veteran in a crisis, nor should I , or anyone else, have to "beg", for the benefits we deserve for serving our country. It is only by the grace of God that I am here to share this with you all. From the VA's handling of claims to its handling of veterans in dire need, even in my case, which could have meant life or death, it really is a disgrace.