Riplip

Well tomorrow I go for a hearing test for the increase I filed for a couple weeks ago. I hope the person does it well and doesn't somehow write in wrong answers (heard some bad stories) typically I'm not nervous because I've done multiple hearing exams a year for many many years but this one is going through a VES and I've never experienced a outside contractor working for the VA. Not sure if I can trust them but I have the test from 4/11/19 I did at Mass Eye and Ear to appeal if need be.

Buck52 thank you very much. I will for sure give her a try. I've exhausted everything I can think of.

I have requested my C-File. Can't wait to see what's in there. Hopefully more than I've been able to find in the last 20 years. Thanks

Just downloaded everything OMPF and it does not have any medical records. Just my orders, awards, separation papers and other stuff signed before joining. I asked my Rep. on what it'll take to get my C file.

Great. I never new that site existed. Just went and requested documents. I will also try and get my C-File. Its just a shame they have nothing on me for everything. My shoulder and ankle injuries got my wisdom teeth out. I even had to prove to them I was in Panama with my certificate of finishing Jungle School and buddy letters before they admitted I was there. Other than my DD214 and some basic training type of notes there's nothing in my file. Weird. Thank you Buck52

So when I first started going to the VA around 2015 I've been out of the military for 15 years. I tried for years to find my military records and I keep coming up short. I tried every year for multiple years at the Records center, Personnel files, My last permanent post, my last National guard office, I had my Congresswoman send congressional inquires in 3 times and still my records are lost. It sucks. I am lucky to have be able to get my hearing connected from my MOS and i'm at 50% with an increase in now but I keep getting all the other things denied. I won't even try my shoulder pain or ankle pain because it will get shot down. Has anyone been in the same situation. They say my name is so common my records could have been put in any John Chase folder. The archives are massive and I'm lost in the sauce.

I went to the gym and ran it off a bit so I can think with a clear head. I wrote out an email stating all the facts I have. I sent it to my DAV rep who already sent it to the Community Care manager. I have a draft ready to go to my Congressman if things don't get resolved in a timely manner. I have used them before and they get people moving. I just don't want this to get billed to me than go to collections (ruin my perfect credit) and turn into a appeal mess if I can avoid that. If I lose this one travel pay then i'll eat it but I guarantee you I won't go anywhere without making sure someone has done the consult or referral or whatever else needed. If I knew I need a second referral for a follow up and i failed to do it then shame on me. They failed to tell me and are hanging me out to dry so shame on them. Thanks for listening. I'll be updating.

I will find the Travel Director next time I go there. I left today. Saw 3 different people and was getting pretty red faced and anxiety was starting to flare up and had to leave before exploding.... I also reached out to my DAV rep because if they send the bill to me I need to be ready to deal with that. The nurse agreed with me on everything I did was as the emails were written. Nobody once told me to get a referral or that the first referral expired. That would have been so easy but now its a mess.

So I learn new ways to get screwed every time I go to the VA. I just left there quite angry i've got to say. I went to the travel guy and he said there was no consult/referral in the system for my appt. on 4/11 at Mass Eye and Ear. This was a follow up to the Appt. that the VA ENT set up for me because its beyond what they can do. I have the email from the nurse for my ENT stating to continue my further care with this specialists at MEE. So I do. Well I got denied mileage because nobody approved it. I went to the community care guy after and he said the same thing. Then i meet with my PCP's nurse for help.The nurse today says they'll probably deny the care claim as well. So now i'm out a work day and $78 for mileage and they'll probably be billing me for the care. This really chaps my ass. This is all for my service connected issues. I guess i'll be figuring out how to appeal healthcare now. So not fun...

I agree with you totally but they sent the NOD 21-0958 form in with the same envelope as the denial. Thats why I thought it was weird. I'm going to go in today and see whats up. Thanks

OK so this will be my first NOD and I can't believe I have to do it. It makes me angry that I get a letter in the mail yesterday from the VA denying my mileage and parking pass for treatment I received outside the VA for a service connected issue and the appointment was a followup to the initial appt. setup by community care. The only reason why I am driving 2 hours one way to Boston is because the VA doesn't have the specialist for me and they told me to go here. I have an email from my VA ENT stating to continue care through Mass Eye and Ear and my PCP also was on board with all this. I know its only $78 dollars but its also a full day lost of work and I fought tooth and nail to try and stay somewhere local. It seems like you have to spend so much time and effort to make sure the VA follows through with what they are supposed to do. Basically fighting on both ends to stay straight. Has anyone else ever had to deal with denied mileage? I figured i'd be doing a NOD on a claim at some point but not something cut and dry like this.

Thanks I plan too. He also had a backup if they come in low and other claims to work on since my vestibular issue is so complex. He said we have different angles and unfortunately it takes time. He said if we claim all of them some cancel others out and it'll stall in the system for a long time. I have multiple diagnosis that stem from the same problem so its a matrix of ways to maximize my rating. He layed out a timeline of steps. I was impressed. Not like going to someone that doesn't open your email/file for an appointment until you are sitting right in front of them.

Buck52 you are right on. Just got back from my DAV meeting and the guy did a great job filling me in on everything and how I was reading it. We did the chart off the audiogram from Mass Eye and Ear and it was in the 60% range. He already filed for an increase for me. He said I'll most likely have to do another VA hearing test because they probably won't go off the private sector one. He then told me to make an appt. for my anxiety issue from this. He says it shouldn't be hard to understand that someone with this much hearing loss has a stress and anxiety issue. He also told me I need the notes to connect that to the hearing loss and vestibular issue. He took great time to explain everything so i could hear it an understand which i really appreciate. He said if i do go through with a cochlear implant then we will have to file for another increase after and he will work with me on the out of pay stuff too. I was pleasantly surprised with the rep. as opposed to the last one I dealt with. I already have the confirmations of the claims in my email. Hope I can get the c & p soon as well.

So i got some notes from my Mass Eye and Ear report from 12/17/18 and it reads my last audiogram (From the VA) on 6/22/18 states I have 73dB on my right ear and 63dB on my left with word recognition of 16% on my left and 56% on my right. I believe this is the audiogram they used for my last rating. I pulled up the rating chart and my right ear is Roman numeral XI and my left ear is VII. I looked at the rating table and that shows 60%. I received 20% for hearing loss. Do they use the rating table or throw an arbitrary number out there?

I'll check that out. I'm still waiting for my copy of the notes. Thank you

I can't find where they show it so i can cross reference it. Not the best at navigating things in the system. Suck at phone calls so i'll go in and face to face someone on it haha.

Ok I will need to reopen. My rep. didn't say anything and I apparently missed it being in the beginning stages and not really knowing most of the ins and outs at the time so i'll start doing it over and being more careful and following procedures. Thank you

Thank you Buck52. This applies even after a year?

I don't see how the employment form pertains to this. I am not seeking IU. I am not 100% and I am working full time and have been for the last 19 years and I don't plan to stop. I guess I missed the bus listening to my last Rep. Now i figure I just need to start the whole process over.

Yes my C&P was done at the VA in NH for my 20% rating last year. Now that my hearing has gotten to the point of needing a CI and my vestibular disorder is now to the point of Meneieres disease they sent me to Mass Eye and Ear for further workup above the VA capabilities through the community care program. I have the C & P exam notes but it doesn't show any of the hertz breakdowns and the Mass Eye and Ear doesn't either. So I am trying to obtain those to compare them at the moment.

I never sent anything in. I was just going through the motions and the DAV person at the time said "well thats that" and hear I am now. Sucks

My wife is going to call Mass Eye and Ear (I can't even get through a phone conversation to request on my own) to have them send me the results of the audiology report spelling out the puretone thresholds and hertz so I can try to decipher the VA rating chart. The paperwork they gave me only gives me a graph i don't understand and the word recognition. I am also going to go to the VA and request my 2018 Audiology test so i can compare them.

The denial was Dec. of 2017 and it was for anxiety and stress secondary to both hearing loss and tinnitus.

I went once about a year ago when I felt overwhelmed and my PCP told me I should she this lady. After about 15 minutes of talking to her all she wanted to do was put me on pills. At that point i got angry and the rest of the meeting didn't go so well and never went back. I'm sorry but i feel there are so many problems in this country because they push pills. Lost a family member to drug addiction a few months before i met this lady. If i need meds fine but if you don't even know me and want me to start popping more pills I'm not in. I probably over reacted but i still have her card hanging in my vehicle and I'm at the point when i might need to talk with her again.

Thank you