Julie2

From start to finish, all ducks in a row, and since at that time I was drawing Unemployment, I believe they put mine through as priority, well, it took 8 months, but, it was a true blessing to recieve all the back pay, burial benefits came about a week later...Good Luck, it is very un-nerving playing the waiting game...

No, you won't get a 1099 form for your D.I.C. it is a "Non Taxable Payment". You will however, get a letter stating the rate that was paid to you each month. As far as your taxes are concerned you don't have to tell your tax preparer anything about it. It's Tax Free, so Nobody's business but yours.

Tricare Prime rates are going up, I believe $30.00 a year....The Co-pays on prescriptions are also going up...$3 will be $5 and $9 will be $12 . I believe the Dr. Office visit charge is going from $12 to $15.

You can keep your monthly VA ck if you remarry after 57 years old, but, you will not be able to keep your Health Ins. The Health Ins. is gone forever if you remarry......

I would certainly go to a "Pathologist" or "Coroner", I realize your not dead, but, a "Pathologist" would certainly be able to comment, and it was FREE for me....Best of Luck...

HOO-RAY for many!!!!! Those new Regs will include alot of Deserving Fine People.... Best Wishes to all of you with Claims in...

:) Was your Husband Service-connected with any disability before or within 1 year of his Discharge?? One Letter is all you need, I had one from Pathologist, and it was about 3 or 4 sentences. But my husband was recieving pension and disability for Hypertension 20%. His death cert. said he died of Coronary Artery Athersclerosis, nothing about his HBP, so I just had Pathologist state that Hypetension was one direct causitve factor in his death. So, 8 months later, I got the award letter. See I was told by a VA Doctor, if it was documented in service--it happened, if it wasn't--it never happened. You may have a fight on your hands if he didn't have any service connected disabilities, unless it is a persumtive of AO. What did he die of?? You can e-mail me at jrhodes5657@charter.net if you want to, and we can talk.....

:) Julie2 To my knowledge, as I just recieved my DIC. The rater will make the decision to grant or deny, after the decision is made, after that, you can expect to get a letter within 5 weeks, as my claim was filed June 22, 2009, Decision was made Jan.13th and February 19th I recieved my letter, granting Dic. Money was in account in 2 days. It took a total of 8months to the day to get everything. Hope this helps you out. Good luck!!!! I know it is a long wait, but, well worth it once it is over!!!!!!!!

Julie2 Thanks again to all of you, and just to let you know, I will be watching the forum, as I am so interested to see the New Regs on the new 3. So, I will be around, I have studied this forum so much over the last few months, and gotten so much information, I just can't thank-you all enough for the knowledge one another gives, along with the Support of one another. Thank-You!!!!

B) Julie2 Thank you everyone, one question though, I see they did not mention in my letter anything about "Buriel benefits"??? I know I applied. Also, yes I have had TRICARE since last Aug. it is absolutely wonderful health Ins. Also, SBP, ex-wife got half his pension, so, he never put me on, I can only figure now, that he knew the DIC benefits would pay more than his half of Pension that he got, as I know I asked him a while back and he said that for what the cost was that it wouldn't benefit me. Guess he was right, and never talked about it again. Just didn't figure I needed to talk about it anymore, as he was only 58 years old when he passed. But, if anyone could advise me on the Buriel benefit I would appreciate it, I do go see the VA Rep tommorrow so guess he will tell me. I got the Chapter 35 to information. At least I don't have to worry about Unemployment running out now, my bills will be paid!! Thank-God.

B) Julie2 Hi All, the white envelope must have come yesterday in the mail. I just got it, and wanted to let Berta, JRW, and whoever else I was talking to about my Husbands Death. He was Service Connected with Hypertension 20%, he was RVN 23 years service, he died June 10th 2009. Death from "Coronary Artery Atherosclerosis" after 8months tommorrow, I have just been granted DIC, chaper 35, I guess ck will follow. Thank you all for your comments, as I was sure I was gonna have to wait and re-file under the Ischemic Heart Disease, but, they did me right, I'm 52years old been on unemployment since last May 1st and have been trying to get a job, but, I have run into alot of "Age Discrimenation" out there, so, at least I know for the rest of my life, my bills will be paid. Thank-You God, my Husband and the USA and all of you as I was really stressing out, and on my last nerve, so I want to thank-you all for being so supportive. I probably should have put this in the "Sucess Stories" but, this is where I found you all, so once again Thank-you all.

Julie2 Thanks Berta, I will keep you all posted, when I recieve my letter. Hopefully it will be soon and Good news!!!

Julie2, Berta please look above I responded.

Julie2 Hi Berta, Thanks for all the info, I called 800 number, and my Dic claim has been done, as of Jan. 13, 2010, but, the girl on the phone couldn't tell me the decision, she said I would be recieving a letter. My husband served 23 years Viet-nam and Persion Gulf. Retired with SC 20% Hypertension. Death Certificate states "Coronary Artery Athersclerosis" with Old mycardial Infart, and smoking was marked. I talked to my VA guy, and he said that the three new ones have not been added yet, probably take a couple years. The new Secretary did not add them as the old Sec. had added in the past. So, if I get a denied letter, guess I'll have a long wait ahead of me. Just hopeing that I don't. Oh, I also had a letter from Pathologist that stated, his hypertension was one direct caussitive factor of his resulltant heart-attack. So, what do you think?

Julie 2 Thanks JRW I will go tommorrow and bring it to the VA guys attention. It's like after they have filed your claim, there done with you. I contacted him 2 months ago, and he said, Well, you'll know something before I do. He knows I don't know anything about this, I was the 2nd wife, 8years, and my husband did not talk to me about any of this, all he told me was his 2 brief cases contained important papers, and if anything happened to him, to look at them. So, my oldest daughter and I went down to the VA with the paper work, that's when I learned about DIC. He never spoke of it to me. Ex-wife got half his pension, so, he never put me on his half, guess he must of thought that DIC would pay me more, so why bother. He was right about that, as Dic will pay more than half his pension. Thanks, and real good talking to you.

JRW- Thanks again for responding to my Smoking question. Good point you made about Diabetes too. You are absolutely right. I was reading somewhere that they were looking at smoking and obsity, but, since Hypertension was Service connected before 40 years of smoking, I should be alright. I filed for DIC before I even knew anything about "Ischemic Heart Disease" because "Atheroscerosis" is a Progression of Hypertension. The Pathologist wrote that his Hypertension is one direct caussitive factor in his resullant Heart Attack. So, I guess I just sit and wait on a letter of some kind. Don't know if I should tell the VA guy to file it as AO or just to leave it alone, already been 7 months and haven't heard a thing. Thanks again.

I am not getting a direct "Answer" I know about the 'Ischemic heart disease" are they going to look at "Atherosclerosis" the same way?? Just want a Yes or No answer to my above question. Thank-You

Go to a Pathologist, as that's where I went to get a letter, to help me.

I have a Question. My Husband died last June of "Coronary Artery Atherosclerosis" and was a Vietnam Vet, I applied for Dic benefits, as he was discharged with a 20% disability of Hypertention (High Blood Pressure) My question is: Since he died of a Heart attack is that gonna be considered AO, or am I just gonna have to hope that they relate his Hypertention to cause of death. How long does it usually take to hear something once paperwork has been filed with the VA for Dic benefits?