Lemuel

Woops, the VAMC was reduced to a VA clinic and no longer provides C&P examination services. Probably have to file online and get Independent Medical Opinions from St. Jude's in Manila.

I am going to Manila, Philippines to marry a younger Filipina there in October. I will be able to file for dependency there because the have the only VARO and VAMC outside the continental U S.

@Dave119 In your filings do, not talk about your options. Talk about your mother, her needs to have someone with her, and what you and your family specifically do for her. Ignore all options other than assisted living or a nursing home. Do not say how you could keep taking care of her specifically, only that you would if you could afford to do so on her income. Tell them of her desire to not go to a nursing home and what you are trying to do but cannot do without additional support. Financial or in-home care. The only exception I see is selling your home and moving to a larger home that fits your needs. If you received SMC from when you started taking care of her (when she first needed your help which is when SMC is supposed to start) (forget that you did not apply when it was first needed, she was probably unaware that it was available), that would enable you to put enough down to keep the payments in your range if she was suddenly gone even with the income she is now contributing to household income. I am reading into your remarks above that the kids are yours and her grandkids. Everyone is sacrificing something to take care of your mom, so she does not have to go to a nursing home. The house is yours to sell and you have some equity if it sells for at least the appraised value. Are you getting all of the assistance from MEDICARE, that you can. If she does not want one of you to help her with her bath and make sure she does not fall in the tub or shower (personal care she is denying she needs, but if she is using a cane, does need minimally someone outside the shower or tub, but for qualified personal care you have to wash her back to show your presence or get a CNA through Medicare to do it because she is bashful of having one of the family do it. I have CNAs three times a week come that also have Medicare and Medicaid patients. The do light house work chores in addition to washing my back and seeing me in and out of the shower and Japanese hot tub. I have one regular that is supper efficient. It let my wife, while she was still alive and able, to hire additional help especially with the yard and garden. Focus on your desire to keep doing what you are for her and how the extra help her PC could order would help you. Ask the PC to order her help. Make sure it includes helping her with a timed medication dispenser filled by a nurse for her pills if she needs it. I do and I have had to go to an urgent care clinic to get it done. Some pharmacies where you pick up medications will do it, but of course the CHAMPVA mail out will not. I make too many mistakes trying to do it myself, and you or a member of your family do not want to make a serious mistake with her medication. Tell her PC that he knows damn well these mistakes are much less frequent with a Nurse and that is the reason a CNA is not qualified to fill a timed medication dispenser. You say earlier you are already in appeal. Part of that appeal evidence can be your physicians listening to your mother's denials instead of you and your fears of someone in the family doing a wrong thin unintendedly. Focus on the info @broncovet has given you. You cannot do the best for your mother if you do not do the best for those of you taking care of her. A good call to make in some cases like yours where you are at wits end, is to the White House Hotline for veterans. You will need your fathers ID information to do that. Congressman also help on occasions. Rattle a few cages. The squeaky wheel gets the grease. Get everything that you can that will reduce the stress of taking care of your mother at home. Explain to your mother that denials to her doctor are putting a problem on you letting her stay with you and your family. Ask her to let you or your wife see her doctor with her.

Is your mom a veteran? I was under the understanding she is applying as a spouse. Either get a second opinion or apply for extra-schedular and explain what she does need help with. What is the root of her condition? Minor stoke? Falls? Heart? Breathing? What causes you concern enough to put her in an assisted living or nursing home? Why do you feel she needs constant watching. My application is for safety concerns. I cannot cook anything that cannot be cooked in an appliance that has a "time off" timer. Like a microwave or a toaster oven because I forget what I was doing if I get any kind of momentary distraction. Also I have to have assistance remembering to take my seizure medication. I was having falls, but those have subsided. What are you observing that concerns you? Put your own statement in and apply for extra-schedular if the PC is not concerned enough to sign off on her. Start washing her back if she will let you. Detail what you do. If you are helping her keep her meds straight detail that. Take your statement back to the PC and see if he will change his.

I applied for SMC for my wife just before she passed away. Should get it back to one year before her death. If we would have had it earlier or if CHAMPVA would have provided the in home visits like Medicare, she would probably be still alive today. Definitely apply for everything she is eligible for. You did not say yet if this is a PACACT claim? Much easier and faster if it is. At least my PACACT claim for bladder cancer went very fast.

My understanding is that VA compensation is offset against Military retirement for tax purposes and that you do not receive both. I could be wrong. Personally, I received SSDI from 1996 until I reached 65 in 2016, My SSDI payment amount stayed the same, and the nomenclature became SSA. I received a P&T EED in 2020 back to September of 1985 for TDIU from the Director, Compensation Services based upon my TBI and not having held a full-time job since that time. I am pretty sure your SSDI or SSA will not affect your retirement and that you will receive both. Military service is counted in your SSDI and SSA calculated amount. At least when mine was granted and I received the calculated amount for Social Security, my 13 years of military service was listed in the calculation.

Important information from your link: If you think you’re eligible for VA DIC under the PACT Act, you can submit a new application. If we denied your claim in the past and we think you may be eligible now, we’ll try to contact you. We may be able to reevaluate your claim. But you don’t need to wait for us to contact you before you reapply. Learn more about what the PACT Act means for you as a survivor I am presuming this is a PACACT related claim. My sister can apply for this.

What if there is a difference of opinion on the surgery? Would you trust the surgeon being paid big bucks for it or the one who is paid a salary? In 1965 I was working part time in the ICU unit in a Catholic Hospital. I was on break in the Canteen. Two physicians walked in and one was telling the other that he had seen a great boat at the marina that he just had to have, but did not have enough for the down payment. "Would you believe it," he said, "three hysterectomies walked into my office on Monday." Would you want your wife seeing a fee based gynecologist? Actually, I do not believe you have a choice. There is no other kind unless you go to England or another country with socialized medicine. Solution--bonuses for medical contracts based upon morbidity reports for longer life with higher quality of life, not cost cutting like the VA.

Used to be that way for me. But my team changed and now they only let the "team PC " rewrite the prescriptions even when she is not there. And she is not there a lot. I am not going to try changing teams again. I think Cheyenne VA is back to worrying more about bonuses than care for vets. 2012 crisis all over again.

When it comes to your health, it is better to have no Medicare advantage plan than have a bad one. Some make their profit by denying services. If you need specialty care, and are having trouble getting it, with CHAMPVA, or any other Medicare Advantage Plan, get a consult in hand to the specialist recommended and only show your Medicare card to get seen. Lots of excuses to not see you otherwise because the specialist wants to be paid. Better to pay the copay and be taken care of than be refused and dead.

Will check it out if I can ever get back online at va.gov

Laska v. McDonough has been Remanded. If anyone knows how to keep checking what the BVA does with it or what VARO does with it please check and let us know. I am attaching a copy of240906 Laska v McDonough CAVC 22-1018.pdf240906 Laska v McDonough CAVC 22-1018.pdfthe Laska V. Mcdonough CAVC, 22-1018 of 09/06/24 to this post.

I just checked rule 30b. It appears that the CCK citation was timely but there has not been a timely response. Meaning the CCK brief will stand unchallenged by VAGC.

I am checking that one almost every day because it is so important to so many.

Pannel stays at the CAVC may be the end. The appellant sent a brief that has not been responded to by the appellee in Laska v McDonough 22-1018. Wonder if the Judgment will go in favor of Laska if the appellee has failed to respond timely. There was a stayed case from 2008 that was given a Rule 36 Judgment. It appears to have gone against the appellant.