Bigwrench

It is good that you were at least rated at 0%. I have been using hearing aids now for over 13 years and I will tell you that the last set I got in Dec of 2015 are by far the best I have had. I was rated 0% for 9 years and then went to 30% for HL. One of the things you want to ask for is the Bluetooth device that will enable you to talk on your cell phone thru your hearing aids.  The new one I have is great I also use it to listen to the TV. I absolutely cannot talk to any Latins or Orientals  on the phone I do not understand them even with hearing aids. An audiologist at the VA told me your aids should last about three years.  Also, there is a hearing test being used in the civilian sector that has background noise with it. A much more realistic test but, the VA will probably never use it because all of us would probably be rated over 50%.

1) Addressed with reply to Chuck 75
2) The C-File is a different animal than just medical records from the NPR archive. You have to request the C-File from the VA with a FOIA request.
3) This will be a no-go unless you already filed within 1 year of separation and were denied and have new and substantial evidence.

The clinic PCP has to say in the VA computer system that you are eligible. Somehow, this gets to the Choice program as initial authorization. This may mean that you have to get an appointment to get access to the PCP to get the process started. (More Delay) The qualifying reasons were two. Distance from the VA facility able to provide the service (Difficulty is a sub category of this one). OR delay over 31 days to get an appointment.
(The 31 day bit can be interpreted as time to an appointment to get a referral appointment to the whatever that can provide the service)
In 2014, it took me a bit more than six months to get the fee paid process to authorize a cardiac cath.  Going directly to the cardiologist, and having Medicare Advantage pay - a few days, No more than two days or even less if I started having certain symptoms.
The VA option was used because it was much less expense to me, and, having lived with a serious heart condition for decades, I can recognize various get something done now symptoms. In the past, I often did not have the luxury, either due to the VA's snail pace, or emerging symptoms that required immediate attention.
The PCP is the one that says that the clinic cannot provide the needed services.  In my area, the changes have totally screwed up the old fee paid scheme that was the process before "Choice".

Thanks Buck I was afraid to do anything with it lol
Ill give them a call and see what they can tell me

Hello everyone , I'm new to the site and new to the VA as far as Disability and ratings go . I'm not sure if this post is in the right area so feel free to move it if needed.  
Army 13 Bravo 87-91
filed a claim on bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus in December 2015, in January I was called back to the VA for another test and February 8th I was granted service connection for both with a 10% on Tinnitus and 0% for the hearing loss. I am somewhat confused by the 0% Rating for the bilateral hearing loss , the reason for the 0 rating was given as a speech discrimination in right ear of 86 with avg dB loss of 46 and left ear SD of 88 with avg dB loss of 44
   The audiologist also noted a moderate to severe sensoneuroial damage to both ears 
my ear problems started at Ft Bragg 8/88 with a field training exercise where someone threw a simulator grenade under the net of our gun in the middle of the night which landed very Near my sleeping bag . I Couldn't hear for a couple days and ringing off and on since. I wore hearing protection during all live fire missions but not while sleeping on a dry fire training exercise. At that time a hearing test was done which is on record as showing hearing loss at higher hertz levels. The pre enlistment hearing test also showed perfect hearing. 
My Hearing has progressively gotten worse over the years and I really hadn't thought of filing for a claim until a hearing test was done at the VA in 2010 and the audiologist at the time recommended I file , I stewed on it and figured it would be a long drawn out hassle and not worth my time . I was issued hearing aids and life went on. Well I finally filed in December as stated due to the worsening of both conditions and was absolutely floored that a decision was made in 6 weeks which was somewhat favorable.  A friend suggested I add the sensoneuroial loss (since their most recent audiologist added this in her findings during the January 16 test) to the claim and ask for an increase in rating on the hearing loss, which I have done . Also everything has been done electronically online at the eBenefits site up to this point. 
 My questions are many but I guess I just wanted to see if there is anything else I should do or if there has been something I have done wrong up to this point to cause the 0% rating ? I uploaded copies of the audiologist statements about the sensoneuroial damage with my last request also. Any suggestions or recommendations would be appreciated , Thank you for this outlet and resource. I have been reading through a bunch of posts today and thought id introduce myself.