AimHigh1986

Congratulations!

Thanks! I'm able to work, but I don't know how much longer. I take a lot of leave without pay. I've got scarring/collapse in my lung as a result of the bypass, and it's difficult to breathe. My decision letter said that they're going to schedule me for a "at once" C&P exam to ensure that my 0% rating for my lung issues is accurate.

Thanks! I was just referring to the schedule of ratings for coronary bypass surgery: it specifically states that you receive 3 months temporary 100% after the surgery. I've read in other posts that I only received 2 months because the VA doesn't pro rate, and my claim was rec'd on 3 Aug 09. So they're only paying me for Sep and Oct because they won't pro rate Aug. It doesn't seem right, but what can I do?

Got my retro today. 2 months of temp 100% instead of 3 months. I'm confused, yet too exhausted to fight it. I even noticed that my retired pay decreased a few bucks as of 3/3/10. Shouldn't I have received a slight increase in retired pay as a result of the temporary 100%? Very confusing...

Good luck to you. What I don't understand in my situation is that the schedule of ratings for heart bypass surgery specifically states: 7017 Coronary bypass surgery: For three months following hospital admission for surgery.......................................... 100 Seemed like a no-brainer to me, but I guess I was wrong.

Foleyj: Any update? I have a similar situation, and I'm wondering if you had any success. I was supposed to get 3 month temp 100% for heart surgery. My surgery was 7/2/09; the VA rec'd my claim on 8/3/09; the effective date of my temp 100% is 1 Sep 09, ending 1 Nov 09. 2 months instead of 3. I understand that they don't prorate - so I'm wondering why it wouldn't be 1 Sep 09 thru 1 Dec 09 for the temp 100%.

I finally received my decision letter yesterday. 10% for hypertension, 10% for heart disease. Overall increase from 70% to 80%. They also granted 0% SC for some scarring in my lung as a result of my bypass surgery. The letter states that they are going to schedule an exam to see if the 0% needs to be increased (I'm paraphrasing). I was also granted temporary 100% for my heart bypass surgery convalescence. I could have sworn that it's supposed to be for 3 months, but they have an effective date of 1 Sep 09, ending on 1 Nov 09. Isn't that only 2 months, or am I reading it incorrectly? They received my claim on 4 Aug 09.

My initial claim with Atlanta took 9 months. But I didn't claim 27 issues.

The VA received my reopen claim on 4 Aug 09.

I submitted an IRIS inquiry on 18 Feb to check on the status of my reopen claim (heart disease/heart bypass surgery secondary to SC hypertension) that had seemingly fallen off the radar (long story short: the 800# counselors were telling me that my file was closed but it wasn't). On 24 Feb I rec'd an IRIS response saying that they have everything that they need and my claim is now ready for a decision and is with a rater. It shouldn't be much longer now before I receive that infamous envelope in the mail, right? (I've had all of my C&P exams, etc)

Promising news. It seems like the IRIS inquiry worked. I received an email today saying that my claim is with the rating board and a decision is ready to be made. Shouldn't be much longer now!

George, I hope your claim moves quicker than mine. In Aug 09 I filed a claim for heart disease secondary to my sc hypertension (0%). My left anterior descending coronary artery is 99% blocked; I had to have emergency heart bypass surgery, and I thought that this would be a no-brainer. For some reason, the VA has stalled on my claim. They scheduled my C&P exams pretty quickly (Echo, EKG, X-rays, Stress test, etc), but once QTC sent their findings to the VA on 14 Dec 09, things came to a screeching halt. I don't even receive those obligatory "we're still working on your claim" letters anymore. Nothing, nada.

I requested a copy of my C&P exams for my heart condition. I worry that the request will also fall thru the cracks. My VCAA letter was dated 4 Aug 09. About a month later they began scheduling my C&P exams. Everything was moving along pretty quickly until they decided to reevaluate my migraines. I thought it was just a stall tactic. My migraine decision letter made no mention at all of my heart claim. I think the 800 counselors simply looked in the system, saw a decision letter and assumed that it was for my heart claim. One counselor even mailed me a duplicate copy (of the migraine decision letter) because he swore that it was for my heart claim. I finally convinced another counselor to actually READ the letter and she confirmed that it was for my migraines only. If I don't hear anything by 1 Mar 10, I'm going to the DAV and talk to a vet rep. Thank you for all of your help!

Still no response from the VA. It's like they're waiting for me to die. Last night I submitted an inquiry through IRIS. Maybe now things will get moving.

Thanks for the good advice! If I file a N.O.D., you don't think that they would make me go thru another battery of C&P exams for my heart do you? I don't think I could endure that. :D

The 15 Dec decision letter only covered my migraines. No other issues were addressed. The letter stated: REASONS FOR DECISION Evaluation of migraine headaches currently evaluated as 30 percent disabling. The evaluation of migraine headaches is continued as 30 percent disabling. {38 CFR 3.321(a); 38 CFR 3.321(:D(1)} Period. That's all. They go on to describe my C&P exam on 20 Nov and how my migraine diagnosis has not changed. Nowhere in the letter is there any reference to my heart disease, heart bypass surgery or hypertension.

The DAV helped me with my initial claim. Everything was settled relatively quickly, so I was satisfied. About 3 years later my health declined (heart disease, heart bypass surgery), so I filed a reopen claim by myself. Everything seemed cut and dry: heart disease/heart bypass secondary to my SC hypertension. Seemed like a no-brainer. The VA got the ball rolling with my C&P exams like clockwork. Everything was going as planned until suddenly I dropped off of their radar last December. If I don't hear from the VA within the next week, I will find a vet rep thru the DAV. But in my gut feeling, I truly believe this was not a conspiracy to make my claim go away. What do they (the VA) have to gain by denying my claim? If anything, I may have been the victim of a lazy, careless, irresponsible rater who was more focused on the Xmas holidays than adjudicating the claims on his or her desk. When I was active duty, I supervised an Air Force Claims Ofice for many years. I know first hand how some people let things slip thru the cracks. I'm hoping that my inquiry will put things back on the radar.

I find it very hard to believe that the VA would purposely ignore my heart disease/heart bypass claim after subjecting me to 5 C&P exams to check out my heart. Especially the treadmill stress test -- that was quite risky for someone who just had heart surgery. I'm hoping that it was either an oversight or that the VA counselor incorrectly read the screen. Berta: yes, the case number refers to my latest inquiry. I will take your advice and do an IRIS inquiry. Thanks! I'm still able to work, but now I'm confined to light desk duty and have lost a step or two (which makes me less competetive for promotions/bonuses, etc).

I filed a reopen claim in Jul 09 for heart disease/heart bypass secondary to my SC hypertension. The VA rec'd the claim 4 Aug 09. In Sep/Oct/Nov 09, I was scheduled for several C&P exams (stress test, EKG, ECG, x-rays, etc) with QTC. Concurrently with my heart disease exams, the VA decided to reevaluate my migraines, so they scheduled me for a C&P exam with QTC specifically for migraines. On 14 Dec 09 I rec'd a call from QTC saying they were finished with my heart disease C&Ps and was going to transmit their findings to the VA that day. On 15 Dec 09, the VA sent me a decision letter on my migraines, stating that there would be no change to my 30% rating. Somehow, the VA thought that the migraine decision letter finalized my heart disease claim as well. I spoke to numerous counselors and they swore up and down that the 15 Dec 09 migraine decision letter covered my heart disease claim as well. I finally convinced one counselor to listen to me and actually READ the decision letter to see what I was talking about. This counselor told me that he would initiate an inquiry to my local VA center. 2 weeks passed but I still hadn't heard from the VA. Not even an obligatory "we are still working your claim" letter. I called the 800 number again today and the counselor told me that the system still showed that my heart disease claim was completed on 15 Dec. Another inquiry was initiated. This time, I was provided a case number. Again, I wait...

Wow, I thought that was for initial claims only. I hope this will be quicker.

Here it is the end of January and I must say that I am surprised that I haven't received a decision on my reopen claim for heart disease/heart bypass surgery secondary to my SC hypertension. The VA received the claim on 4 Aug 09, scheduled me for several C&P exams (xrays, stress test, ultrasound, scar measurements, EKG, etc.) in the months of Sep/Oct/Nov 09. On 14 Dec 09, I received a call from QTC saying that they were about to electronically transmit their findings to the VA. I called the VA 800 number a few days ago and was told that my claim was with a rater who was "determining if they required additional information". It would seem to me that they have everything that they need. I'm hoping that they simply have a backlog and that they won't say that they need more tests. I'm afraid to use IRIS because I have a fear that they may try to start my claim all over again if I write the wrong thing. Just venting, Alex "AimHigh1986"

Thanks. Yes I went back to work about 2 months after my surgery. I just got off the phone with a VA counselor...he said my reopen claim was completed on 15 Dec and I should have received a decision letter. He said he'd mail out another one since I haven't received it yet. Must be bad news...when I called a few years ago to check on my initial claim, the counselor told me the decision over the phone. This time, the counselor said that he couldn't tell me anything over the phone.

Question: if I am granted temporary 100% (3 months) for my heart bypass surgery, how would my retired pay be affected for those 3 months? Would my retired pay increase temporarily as well? Right now I'm rated 70% and am receiving concurrent receipt.

CONGRATS!!!!!!!!!!!

I just received a letter from the VA dated 22 Dec stating " we have received your application for benefits." What gives? They received my reopen claim back in August. As a matter of fact, just last week they sent a letter dated 18 Dec stating that my claim is being processed and that they apologize for the delay. All of my C&P exams for my reopen claim have been scheduled and completed. Are they trying to stall for more time with this latest letter? And can they DO that?? I tried calling the 800 number but they said that there were too many calls and they couldn't patch me thru to a counselor.