Vync

Carlie, I'll try to find out that info. The funeral is tomorrow. I don't think they did an autopsy. They were just happy that he is not in pain any longer. tyvm

I was encouraged by my VSO to get into Voc Rehab. After the testing, video, and interview, they told me I had one problem: I was still employed. Ranger, After the career testing, what did they say were your career strengths? For me, they said I would excel as being a software engineer (my current job), scientist, psychologist, or psychiatrist. I see your point about the six month evaluation. I definitely would need some schooling before I would even consider working in those other fields. Maybe they want to see if it is a good fit for you... Not every job is the best fit for every person.

Hello everyone, I was wondering if anyone could offer advice on how to handle this one. The father of one of my friends passed away a few days ago. He was a 'boots on the ground' Veteran of Vietnam, Thailand, and Johnson Island. For the past few years, his cognitive functioning went steadily downhill. He was completely unable to speak for the last year and was nonresponsive for most of the last five months. My friend's mother now lives solely on a single social security check. Luckily, insurance paid off the house and just about all of their bills. His family made a SC attempt a few years back, but it was denied as the VA could not tell if he had dementia, Parkinson's, or Alzheimer's. They accepted the denial and never pursued it. From what I understand, he had a number of other health problems, but I don't have any more info than this. I am not 100% sure about his diagnosis. His family is almost certain that his health problems were due to where he was stationed. I know there is not much to go on with this, but is there anything that can be done, possibly from a presumptive basis, to retroactively go back and establish SC and/or possibly some sort of pension for my friend's mother? Thanks, -V

I'm 38 and I have had HTN for 4 years. It can happen you young folks too. 162/9x is high, but not very high. While in the service, my BP was always riding a bit on the high side. Then again, they did have me on seldane and sudafed for almost the entire five years I was in. Pondering a claim, but working on putting together a packet of evidence to present to my cardiologist. Try to obtain all of your records: personnel file, service med records, VA med records, VA prescription list, and C-file. Take the time to go through every page and look for anything which possibly could be related.

My 201 file had less actual content than the personnel file info I got with my C-File. You may consider requesting copies of your personnel file, C-File, service medical records, and any VA treatment records. The more you have, the better. It will give you a full picture of what is available.

Carroll, Pete and Berta are correct. You will need your cardiologist (preferably) to opine that your condition was caused or made worse by your military service. If you have not done so already, get a copy of your service medical records, VA treatment records (if any), and your C-file. Getting a copy of your military personnel file can also come in handy. Also, if you ever got any medication from the VAMC, go to their Release of Information office and ask them to print out a list of all medication they ever prescribed. Look through every page (both sides) and look for any event, treatment, or medication which may have had an impact on your condition. You may need to do some additional research online to look up what you find. Also, if you were 'boots on the ground' in Vietnam or stationed where agent orange was used, it is known to contribute to a number of health problems. If you fall into that group, don't discount it as a causal factor. I hope this info helps...

If something is listed on the Axis table, would that constitute a diagnosis or does it have to be spelled out in some other fashion? (Of course, the Axis table solely lists the impression for each particular visit)

bump

You can only receive a single mental health rating percentage, even though you might have SC ratings for one or more disorder. The MH rating percentage will be based on the highest rated disorder. For example, if you were rated 30% PTSD and 50% GAD, your MH rating would be 50%.

Not sure where you are from, but here's a link to a Carle clinis in Illinois: http://www.libertyvillageofdanville.com/health Maybe that's the one.

Ranger, I had the exact same thing happen to me back in March. I took the letter to the C&P office at the VAMC and showed them the letter date and postmark date. They apologized and rescheduled my appointment for a week later. This seems to be happening a lot lately.

Good luck! I hope it works out well for you. At this stage, like most of the involvement with the RO, it's a "hurry up and wait" routine...

Exactly!

I hope this helps. Here's how my situation went: I was SC 10% for asthma. I met the requirements for 30% last Fall. I met the requirements for 60% last Winter. I pointed this out clearly (and quoted that regulation). The VA did the rest and set my effective dates accordingly.

(SC increases are special) Here it is: 38 CFR 3.400 ( o )( 2 ) warms.vba.va.gov/regs/38CFR/BOOKB/PART3/S3_400.DOC (copied straight from the document, but I adjusted the items in parenthesis so they do not look like smileys) ( o ) Increases ( 38 U.S.C. 5110( a ) and 5110( B )( 2 ), Pub. L. 94-71, 89 Stat. 395; §§3.109, 3.156, 3.157 ): (1) General. Except as provided in paragraph ( o )( 2 ) of this section and §3.401( B ), date of receipt of claim or date entitlement arose, whichever is later. A retroactive increase or additional benefit will not be awarded after basic entitlement has been terminated, such as by severance of service connection. (2) Disability compensation. Earliest date as of which it is factually ascertainable that an increase in disability had occurred if claim is received within 1 year from such date otherwise, date of receipt of claim.

Carlie, Certainly, but I will have to dig for it...

DAV reps tend to get a letter mailed to them when it looks like a claim decision has been reached. It usually takes the VA a week or two to finish up whatever they do before they mail out a letter to you. One important thing to be aware of is that your claim could still change and you might receive a different letter from the VA than what you received from the DAV. Sometimes it is better to know something earlier than having to wait for the entire news. If you received a rating increase (not a new claim), look back 12 months from the date you filed your increase request. If you "meet" the requirements for the increased rating within 12 months prior, they are supposed to set your effective date based on that date. They did it with my asthma increase request and I actually had two effective dates because I had records which proved two different levels of increase.

Congress wrote into the law a provision that says the Veterans' health care program, administered by VA, meets the standard for health care coverage. They forgot to say "minimum standard"

Myhealthevet level 1 merely allows you to login and access the basic features and self-service tracking. It will allow you to refill meds, but you are only able to see the prescription numbers. The only benefit to Level 2 seems to be adding the name/dosage info to prescription.

"When they told me I was going 3/4 they said all benefits would stay like a full time employee but just cut down to 3/4 (vacation etc...)." Get it in writing...

You can update DEERS by mailing/faxing your info to the folks at the 1-800 number on the site, which may take several days to complete. Or, you can go to a site which makes ID cards: http://www.dmdc.osd.mil/rsl/owa/home Level 2 on myhealthevet is not the same thing as level 2 on the ebenefits site. Currently, they are supposedly indpendent, but eventually may be integrated with each other.

Finally got access. DEERS had my date of birth incorrect. Got that fixed and have level 1 access. Now to request level 2...

Mine were in my service medical records. Got them by filling out a request at the VAMC Release of Information office. It took about a month for them to arrive.

bump (considering another steroid shot very soon...)

Hedgey, That's good info! I am going to call a couple of those numbers to see what they say about me not appearing in the system. It's also nice to know that we can use the MyHealthEvet site for something other than refilling prescriptions....