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djpsworld

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Posts posted by djpsworld

  1. Djp

    You should get a referral to the VA pain clinic and to a psychiatrist. Most people with back problems and chronic pain have depression. You need to start building your claim for IU. If you can get 30% for depression/chronic pain disorder you will be home free for IU. You need a doctor's statement for FERS and for SSD. You could probably use it for your IU as well. It should say you are totally disabled from all work for at least a year due to the SC conditions. After all the deductions I get about $1800 from both SSD and FERS. Your health insurance and medicare part B comes out of that. That is not enough to live on unless you have a trust fund. However, with IU you add another $2600 plus to it and you can make it most places. Do you have long or short term disability insurance? I get money from disability insurance as well. Every vet should get it if they can afford it.

    The thing is that you can't be making significant money while waiting for SSD or IU. It is like taking a very early retirement. With your IU,SSD and FERS that is more than you will ever get in retirement from the feds. FERS is a pitiful retirement system. It is supposed to be a three legged stool consisting of your FERS, SSA and your 401-K. You have to work until you are 70 years old to make it.

    Thanks again John999. I just received 30% for anxiety, depression, and alcoholism in remission. The alcoholism was unexpected. C&P doc ask how much I drank. I told him, I quit a year after my medical discharge, but the last year and a half of my service, I was sent to rehab twice.

    I have a couple months left at my VA job. The fers medical retirement is in the process. I'm still working 3-4 days a week with restrictions because of the lab shortage. My job is posted, I will be done if they find a replacement or when the retirement process is complete.

    My service rep told me I'm not able to file for 100% due to unemployability because I'll make too much from fers medical retirement which is only 40%. Is this true? Is unemployability also based on monthly income?

    Thank you again,

    Dan

  2. Djp

    You should get a referral to the VA pain clinic and to a psychiatrist. Most people with back problems and chronic pain have depression. You need to start building your claim for IU. If you can get 30% for depression/chronic pain disorder you will be home free for IU. You need a doctor's statement for FERS and for SSD. You could probably use it for your IU as well. It should say you are totally disabled from all work for at least a year due to the SC conditions. After all the deductions I get about $1800 from both SSD and FERS. Your health insurance and medicare part B comes out of that. That is not enough to live on unless you have a trust fund. However, with IU you add another $2600 plus to it and you can make it most places. Do you have long or short term disability insurance? I get money from disability insurance as well. Every vet should get it if they can afford it.

    The thing is that you can't be making significant money while waiting for SSD or IU. It is like taking a very early retirement. With your IU,SSD and FERS that is more than you will ever get in retirement from the feds. FERS is a pitiful retirement system. It is supposed to be a three legged stool consisting of your FERS, SSA and your 401-K. You have to work until you are 70 years old to make it.

    Thank you John999, the wife agrees about the referral to a psychiatrist. I'll call monday.

    Dan P

  3. ScottC,

    I see your posts are a year old, but I have some questions. My case is similar. I am 40% for Degenerative Disc Disease and herniation of L5-S1. 18 months ago it got worst and I have been working 3-4 days week at the VA. 6 months ago my manager tried to get me put out on FERRS disability, I freaked out and went to the union. The union stopped the disability process and now I'm using FMLA to take a day off each week. I saw my VA Dr last week and she wanted to know if I wanted to be permanently put to part-time. (That would mean I would be put out of work on FERRS disability unless I settled for a part-time job.) I asked for another 6 months of 4 days a week, because I was waiting for my service connection increase. I just received my increase decision. I'm continued 40% for DDD and now receive 10% for Radiculopathy for left leg totaling 50%. In December of this year I will run out of FMLA to take the day off a week and my doctor will ask again if I want to be put to permanently part-time. I'm thinking I'll go to part-time and let the FERRS disability process start. When I'm put out on FERRS disability I'll file for TDIU. My doctor thinks part-time work would be best for me. I work in the lab standing only, with occasional sitting allowed. Anybody have any thoughts. I think I can get the 10% for left leg increased to 20% so I can have the 60% needed for filing TDIU.

  4. I work at the VA in Maine. There is a hiring freeze right now because of the budget. The VA I'm at is short two people to draw blood. The VA is not going to hire any new people until the vets start complaining about the wait. This probably goes for all departments. If you have any long waits for medical care, make sure you stop by patient advocacy or call to complain, this is the only way vacant positions will be filled.

  5. Hello,

    I had a medical discharge in 1990 for back. I get 40% from VA and went to voc rehab. I've been working at the VA laboratory for 2 years now in the laboratory. I glad I found this site. I learned of it at the VA.

    Dan :)

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