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jmack
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Posts posted by jmack
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In Nebraska, disabled veteran plates don't reduce the fees or taxes. When you get disabled veteran plates you pay all the regular fees and taxes and an additional $5 for the disabled veteran plate. This even includes 100% T&P veterans
That sounds like a bunch of crap. They need to get with the program. Contact your state representatives.
jmack
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Thanks everyone who responded. I feel alot more confident now. Pray for me.
jmack
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LarryJ:
Thanks, I am rated 100% p/t. Initially I sent them the copy that showed the results of my c&p (rating decision) telling me about DEA and informing me that my SC disabilities are total and permanent. Will the DDS understand it as WE do or does it need a big stamp saying, "100% Permanent and Totally Disabled". I hope that by them reading the reason for decision section or even having it will cause any harm. Was it a mistake to send that seeing as though that was the only way that I could show them that I am 100% P/T?
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Hadit Members:
I just received my C-File from the VA. Should I just copy the complete file and send to the Disability Determination Services? Is there anything that I should take out such as the part that shows my entitlement amount? Although it is MY benefit that I've EARNED, there are alot of civilians out there that think otherwise. Are they less likely to approve or deny you your SSDI benefits if they have this information or does it matter? Please help! I will be preparing the evidence for the SSA over this weekend.
Thanks,
jmack
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I received my disabled vet plates today. I'm not trying to sound greedy at all but when I filled out the form I put down both of our cars, since I drive both and they both are in my name. Will those come at a later time? My registration is already due and and I don't want to get a ticket but I don't want to pay to get the other car registered and then the plates come in. Any experience in this anybody? Thanks so much.
If you are approved for vet plates you should have something in writing stating that for you to get the plates. My suggestion for you is to not pay any registration but keep copies of your letter or memo authorizing you the vet plates. I know here in my state, we will be reimbursed for registration if we provide proof of the entitled benefit. Perhaps you should contact your local Department of Motor Vehicles in the meantime.
jmack
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Hey all,
A little history. Back in Feb 2006 my VA PCP wanted me to take ZOCOR (The real stuff by brand name, not just simvistatin). My cholesterol at that time was 205. In March of 2006 I decided to go ahead and try the medication as I was encouraged to by other VA doctors including the neurologist. I called the VA Clinic and asked the doctor to go ahead and prescibe the Zocor. In late March of 2006 I received the brand named ZOCOR, small triangle pink pills with ZOCOR embedded on them. I was to take 1/2 a tablet (10 mg) daily. So the last week of March of 2006 I was taking them faithfully.
In May of 2006 I had another fasting blood draw of which my total cholesterol was 147. I felt good and didn't experience any adverse side effects from the ZOCOR. In August of 2006 I had another VA Clinic visit but they did not tell me that I was going to have blood drawn so I did not fast. The lab result was total cholesterol of 171, but I had eaten a big breakfast such as bacon, pancakes, scrambled eggs, orange juice, and whole milk. The Dr said it was ok.
I continued to take the Zocor and in October of 2006 and my fasting total cholesterol was 158. At this point I was taking Zocor for over a year up until June of 2007. I still had not experienced any muscle weakness, joint pain, etc. All was well.
In the middle of June 2007 I noticed my second refill was not the brand name ZOCOR and had no name on them except 93 on one side and 7154 on the other and instead of being triangle shaped they where round and pink. It was a generic form of Simvistatin.
The first week in July I started getting cramps, and a stiff neck. Then my wrists hurt while riding a motorcycle. The last week in August I could not bear taking the generic crap anymore. I could not feel my left hand and couldn't squeeze the clutch or even feel it. My left foot got numb etc., so I quit taking the crap. I also had a blood draw on 17 August 2007 and my cholesterol was up to 191 with triglycerides up to 387 from previous 147.
Not only did the generic cause me harm, but it raised my cholesterol instead of lowering it. Point it doesn't work as it should and it is also harmful to me. I had no problems with the previous over a year long taking of brand named Zocor that was previously furnished by the VA.
I complained via IRIS and requested I be prescribed the now non-formulary ZOCOR due to the problems and adverse reactions I had with the generic. My VA PCP put in a non-formulary prescription request for the ZOCOR. I received a letter from the Director of the VAMC which was written by the VAMC Pharmacist. The Pharmacist denied any problems with the generic and stated it was equivalent and also got her way and denied my doctors non-formulary request for ZOCOR. I wrote them and tole them they should not be messing around with statins and that I had been ok with the ZOCOR for over a year, no side effect, cholesteral well below normal and don't understand why they will not go out and buy it for me as the regs state there must be a procedure to request non-formulary drugs within each VAMC.
The Pharmacist then recommended I try some of their other generic statins that were in the formulary and also stated that my cholesterol has been fluctuating but not mentioning that the 205 was before I had even taken any statins.
I am a believer of if it ain't broke don't fix it. Since the generic simvistatin hurt me and scared the crap out of me I am more than hesitant to try any more generic statins period. I was lucky this time and have my feeling back after almost a couple of months without any statin drug. I have been without medicine since middle of August.
I refuse to be a guinea pig so I guess I can't get the ZOCOR unless I buy it myself I was told at the clinic.
I happened to recall the last line of the letter from the Director in Iowa City stating "The VA strives to provide the highest quality of healthcare and medicines to our veterans".
Kind of an oxymoron isn't it? Yet, top shelf medicines and brand named medicines are not even made available to veterans at all.
What do I need to do the get the VA to give me back the ZOCOR I had been taking for over a year with no problems?
Rocky:
I am hesitant as well taking some of the generic medicines that in the VA formulary. So allow me to ask you this. Are you RETIRED mililtary and enrolled in at least Tricare Prime? Do you have an outside provider? If so ask your provider to give you a prescription for the medicine that YOU prefer that works best for YOU. You can also see if your VA doc will give you a "hard script" so you can take to your local pharmacy. I used to take zocor for my cholesterol but now I take Lipitor, it works best for ME. I get all my prescriptions both from my VA doc and my outside providers from CVS, my local pharmacy. Hope this helps, and good luck.
jmack
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Hey all,
A little history. Back in Feb 2006 my VA PCP wanted me to take ZOCOR (The real stuff by brand name, not just simvistatin). My cholesterol at that time was 205. In March of 2006 I decided to go ahead and try the medication as I was encouraged to by other VA doctors including the neurologist. I called the VA Clinic and asked the doctor to go ahead and prescibe the Zocor. In late March of 2006 I received the brand named ZOCOR, small triangle pink pills with ZOCOR embedded on them. I was to take 1/2 a tablet (10 mg) daily. So the last week of March of 2006 I was taking them faithfully.
In May of 2006 I had another fasting blood draw of which my total cholesterol was 147. I felt good and didn't experience any adverse side effects from the ZOCOR. In August of 2006 I had another VA Clinic visit but they did not tell me that I was going to have blood drawn so I did not fast. The lab result was total cholesterol of 171, but I had eaten a big breakfast such as bacon, pancakes, scrambled eggs, orange juice, and whole milk. The Dr said it was ok.
I continued to take the Zocor and in October of 2006 and my fasting total cholesterol was 158. At this point I was taking Zocor for over a year up until June of 2007. I still had not experienced any muscle weakness, joint pain, etc. All was well.
In the middle of June 2007 I noticed my second refill was not the brand name ZOCOR and had no name on them except 93 on one side and 7154 on the other and instead of being triangle shaped they where round and pink. It was a generic form of Simvistatin.
The first week in July I started getting cramps, and a stiff neck. Then my wrists hurt while riding a motorcycle. The last week in August I could not bear taking the generic crap anymore. I could not feel my left hand and couldn't squeeze the clutch or even feel it. My left foot got numb etc., so I quit taking the crap. I also had a blood draw on 17 August 2007 and my cholesterol was up to 191 with triglycerides up to 387 from previous 147.
Not only did the generic cause me harm, but it raised my cholesterol instead of lowering it. Point it doesn't work as it should and it is also harmful to me. I had no problems with the previous over a year long taking of brand named Zocor that was previously furnished by the VA.
I complained via IRIS and requested I be prescribed the now non-formulary ZOCOR due to the problems and adverse reactions I had with the generic. My VA PCP put in a non-formulary prescription request for the ZOCOR. I received a letter from the Director of the VAMC which was written by the VAMC Pharmacist. The Pharmacist denied any problems with the generic and stated it was equivalent and also got her way and denied my doctors non-formulary request for ZOCOR. I wrote them and tole them they should not be messing around with statins and that I had been ok with the ZOCOR for over a year, no side effect, cholesteral well below normal and don't understand why they will not go out and buy it for me as the regs state there must be a procedure to request non-formulary drugs within each VAMC.
The Pharmacist then recommended I try some of their other generic statins that were in the formulary and also stated that my cholesterol has been fluctuating but not mentioning that the 205 was before I had even taken any statins.
I am a believer of if it ain't broke don't fix it. Since the generic simvistatin hurt me and scared the crap out of me I am more than hesitant to try any more generic statins period. I was lucky this time and have my feeling back after almost a couple of months without any statin drug. I have been without medicine since middle of August.
I refuse to be a guinea pig so I guess I can't get the ZOCOR unless I buy it myself I was told at the clinic.
I happened to recall the last line of the letter from the Director in Iowa City stating "The VA strives to provide the highest quality of healthcare and medicines to our veterans".
Kind of an oxymoron isn't it? Yet, top shelf medicines and brand named medicines are not even made available to veterans at all.
What do I need to do the get the VA to give me back the ZOCOR I had been taking for over a year with no problems?
Rocky;
I kind of experienced the same with the VA, so I lost trust in the medicine that they have there. Do you see an outside provider? Are you RETIRED military? If the answer to especially the latter, and you have at
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hadit members:
I decided to make this post because of a response earlier that I made to a member. There are a lot of military units out there that really mess up alot of young veterans that have to discontinue their military service for reasons prior to their expiration term of service. Please advise those who are close to you or someone you care about not to be satisfied with only an "honorable, honorable under general conditions or anything that suggest that block 24 of DD 214 is the only important part of the document, because its not. They need to have the DD 214 explained to them before signing. They could very well be signing a document that suggest, yes, "we are granting you an honorable discharge but your seperation code, block 26 could mean something derogatory enough to prevent veteran's benefit. As well as block 28, "reason for seperation. Spread the word so that none of our younger vets get screwed by the system, whether intentional or unintentional. Hope this be of help in our quest for "no veteran left behind".
jmack
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What is the advice for a vet that's rated 90% SC but have been waiting maybe 18 months for a decision for sleep apnea, maybe frost bite and several other conditions that I can't remember right now. What would YOU do? I remember before I got 100% p/t, I had multiple conditions still pending or under appeal. We told the VARO that we would drop appeals I they would grant the 100% p/t. Evidently they knew that I had a great case and would win on appeal, therefore they agreed to the offer and I won. Maybe this would work for him, you think?
jmack
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Hey All,
Help me to understand this one. You are rated 100% p/t but one of your sc conditions has worsened, possibly enough for an individual 100% alone, not SMC eligible, why bother going for an increased rating? Am I missing something here or is there additional compensation available?
jmack
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Sorry, for what you are going through. I'm with Pete geb. Best of luck.
jmack
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Allan:
It's the other way around. I am talking about the SSA requesting records from the VA. please respond
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Hadit Members:
Is it necessary to send your C-File to SSA for SSDI or does it matter? I am kind of confused here. I sent the authorization document in for release of information allowing the SSA access to my medical records from the VA. Should I have specified records at both the VA hospital "and" VA Regional Office? Do I need to request my C-File and send to SSA or do they automatically request them. I sent copies of the VA's decision of my 100% P/T award. Was this enough or did I omit something?
jmack
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My last day at work was June 25,2007. I applied for SSDI on July 25,2007.
I called the State Disablility Determination Services on Sept 12,2007. I spoke to the evaluator (DDS) and told me that he and a Physician has made their decision.
I asked if it is a 50/50 chance of me getting my benefits. He said it's more than 50/50. I think that means that I'm approved. He said I'll be receving a letter. (God willing an approval letter) in 1 to 2 weeks. I keep you posted.
I received my SSD approval letter on Oct.6,2007.
I will receive my 1st direct deposit on Jan 16,2008. It will be for December 2007. (July,Aug,Sept,Oct,Nov) after 5 months waiting period.
Disability Determination Services were very helpful. Especially a name I will not mention!!
I will submitt my award letter to the VA. I filed for TDIU in July 2007 and it is still being reveiwed. Submitting my SSD approval letter to VA will provide more power to me. :) ;)
Chongo:
congratulations!!!!!! what state are you from?
jmack
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Greeting to all of you, and thanks to all who have served, and a big "Welcome Home" to all!
I am a Vietnam Veteran, and 100% disabled due to line of duty injuries I received during and after Vietnam. I have been in this great maze since 1983, so I have seen and heard a lot. From the time I got out in 1983, after 12 years of service due to injuries that piled up, it took me 16 years to get 100%, so I know what a pain in the butt all of that is. Also since my discharge in 1983, I have had over 10 surgeries that were service connected, so I know about that. I am have been an advocate for veteran's rights and privileges since my discharge, and have been active in trying to improve the care that all veterans receive. I have also been a service officer, and chaplain in services organizations, so if I can be of assistance in anyway, feel free to ask.
Their are things that concern me about the VA, and the care and compensation that veterans do receive. I have seen some very troubling things being revealed in veteran care, and active duty care as well. We as veterans must be ever vigilant in our pursuit of the rights and privileges that we have earned, and been promised. If not, we will see these rights and benefits tossed to the side, as some have already been over the years. The VA systems is far from being a great system, and it is presently just limping along, and no where near perfect. The hospital system has both good, and bad hospitals and clinics, and then there are some that are just disgraceful and totally lacking in care and compassion to the veteran, and for that matter their families as well. C&Ps are a hit and miss system. If you get a good examiner's then its good, but if you get one that is on a power trip, and more interested in other things than the care of veterans, then it will be a bad C&P. The same thing goes for raters, and adjudicators. Some do a good job, and some don't. Unfortunately, when they don't, the veterans suffers, at no expense to the rater, or adjudicator, or the ones before them that didn't do a good job.
Its good to see that the young veteran's are getting the attention they are today, but we must insure that all of the veterans that came before them and are still part of the system, also get the care and treatments that they need and deserve, as well. We that have been in the systems for years, and decades know that what they are putting on television and in the newspapers is nothing new. What they are revealing now, has been an ongoing problem for years. We as brothers and sisters, who have fought,experienced things that no one should ever have to experience, and pledged our lives to the defense of our country, must always remain united in the pursuit of the rights and privileges we have been promised, and deserve for the services we performed, not only for the benefit of ourselves, but for our brothers, and sisters as well.
Please don't hesitate to ask if I can help in any way, and again welcome home to all.
Renegade:
I rather new to Hadit too thanks for the kind words and welcome
jmack
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the dds rep is what i mean.
thanks, got ya
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"How long did it take you to get SSD."
I had a fool as my attorney, me!
I "edumacated" myself on their process. DM2 with PN is one of 10 or 12 listed reasons you can be awarded. Age is considred, 55 is ok, 57 is better. Type of work and length of time doing that type of work. I think 35 years was mentioned, I had 36. Educatuion level is considered. I have none.Grin!
I set about to make this as easy as possable for the SSD rater to find in my favor. In that, I filed on line. The paper work was then already done. (Already in the computer). Next was the collection of medical evidence. When they sent me the forms to file out for them to send to doctors etc., I went to the doctors and got copy of my medical records and sent then in along with the release of information forms they had sent me. They did not have to wait for records to come in from doctors.
I presented that evidence in a well organized understandable way by date. I was well documented as to my statements. The rater did not have to deschiper my information.
I had a possative attitude and gave due respect. When I turned in my application, I joked that I wanted to set the new world record at getting my SS award.
From Application to award letter was 7 weeks.
Medical evidence
Time worked
Age
Attitude
I have to go study. A mind is a terrible thing to ....uh? B)
Conechu:
So the SSA will accept the records from the individual applying? I thought that they would only accept directly from Docs or actual agencies. Maybe it depends on where you are from. I will send mine in anyway. I am in South Carolina.
jmack
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Calnight:
When you say "your rep", are you referring to the SSA rep that you turned your claim in to or the rep at the DDS?
jmack
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Tower Rat,
Thanks I,m kinda new to this stuff, I won't really press too much in the am.
jmack
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His time is very valuable. Most of them save things such as this for the evening hours after they see their heavy patient load.
Just need to be patient huh? I think I will be after I get something to calm me down next week.
Thanks,
jmack
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Jmack,
Things sometimes are beyond our control and I am afraid that this is one.
It is best to stay on the better side of your doctor at this point, as he may and will probably have some weight in the decision that you will receive from Social Security.
This is only my advice, others may fill differently.
Always,
Josephine
Thanks, that why you guys have become so important to me, keep me grounded.
Jmack
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Tell his office that you will pay to expedite it. Maybe that will encourage them. Money talks. His staff probably does it anyway and he just signs it.
John999:
Hey you are my Elder now, are you serious? Because I will do it. B) I manage to get an appt with him in the am so what do I say to him to win him over. He knows of my physical health, but not much of my mental state.
jmack
Fishing Expedition
in VA Disability Claims Research
Posted
Josephine:
I am in agreement with one other member, can't remember who just now. However, it appears to me, and I don't know all that's going on. But reading what they are trying to do, or maybe trying to "wear you down", it seems like they are just trying to delay you the "big fish". This seems like their one last shot at denying you your long awaited benefits. I wish you the best of success, you will succeed. You deserve it.
jmack