ptsd No More P & T Under Dole - Shalala Report

[jessejames]

It's my understanding (and I also received return agreement e-mail from Larry Scott) if the Dole-Shalala Report is followed, VA Comp and Pensions will be turned on their head. There won't be a P & T status. The VA will re-evaluate all Disabled vets every 3 years and make a determination if thier disability has gotten better or worse. From experience, VA will be ORDERED to say Condition has improved and cut Compensation to save more money to rebuild Iraq and give more tax breaks for the wealthy. Look at what DOD is doing now to combat vets from Iraq by giving them "Personality Disorder" Discharges instead of treatment for PTSD and in order to save money for the government. The saying from Nam is still the same, with modification, "Disabled Vets don't mean nothin"." I can't see this part of the Report being enforced because it would take thousands more Doctors at the VA and they can't provide treatment NOW because of a shortage of Doctors, plus it would be very expensive to implement and I feel most all of the Vets Organizations would oppose it, except maybe the American Legion.

Quote from the REPORT on Page 6:

"Periodic Review

The disability status of veterans should be reevaluated every three years and compensation adjusted, if their condition has worsened or improved.

http://www.vawatchdog.org/07/nf07/nfJUL07/...%20warriors.pdf

Edited July 28, 2007 by jessejames

[jessejames]

Where does it say *ALL* veterans should be reevaluated every 3 years? The line about reevaluation is clearly under the subheading of "periodic review".

You do understand that it would be completely illogical to reevaluate EVERY veteran every three years, don't you? Do you think someone will grow that lung back or regenerate an arm and leg??? Clearly, it makes *NO* sense, in that context, that the report, which was to ***streamline the VA*** would want to reevaluate veterans who cannot physiologically get better.

From a PTSD standpoint I guess I could see the recommendation, but that's putting a LOT of specificity into a very general comment under "periodic review".

Also, damn near every VA reg would have to be rewritten if no one could ever be deemed permanently disabled....the VA uses verbage like "static", "permanent in nature", etc over and over again in their regs.

I mean, good god.....I'm probably one of the bigger alarmists on this forum and this seems incredibly far fetched even for me:-)

My mistake, I removed the "All" in my last post. Apparently someone didn't read my original post though, "I can't see this part of the Report being enforced because it would take thousands more Doctors at the VA and they can't provide treatment NOW because of a shortage of Doctors, plus it would be very expensive to implement and I feel most all of the Vets Organizations would oppose it, except maybe the American Legion. "

This will be my last post until I hear from Senator Dole or Shalala to whom I e-mailed and faxed this question about re-evaluation every 3 years for disabled veterans, "WAS IT YOUR INTENTION THAT THIS APPLY TO ALL DISABLED VETERANS INCLUDING THISE WHO HAVE BEEN RATED AS PERMANENT AND TOTALLY DISABLED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS?"

Only they can answer that question, but if anyone believes for one second that the government as a whole has not attempted to save money at the expense of Disabled Vets as one Number One issue, just take a look at the 22,000 Personality Disorders since 2002 for Iraq vets. Look at the 11 cents a mile a vet receives for travel for treatment of a s/c condition vs the 48 cents a Federal Civilian worker gets for travel for a s/c injury. Look at the medicines "not on formulary at VA", look at waiting 8 months to see a Neurosurgeon, and on and on....I for one don't doubt that they would if they could re-evaluate every disabled vet every 3 years to kick some off and save money. I guess you got it right if you say about me, "you just don't trust our government."

[Jay Johnson]

That's the whole point. If they were to review EVERY veteran, P&T or not, it would likely end up costing them more, so it makes NO sense that they would even be suggesting it. Why the heck would you review someone who is parapalegic unless you wanted to piss away money???

Seriously, that makes absolutely no sense and this is coming from someone who thinks the VA is always out to get my wife:-)

Now, had the report said that they wanted to review all PTSD vets, P&T or not, then I could at least see your reasoning because it's a more subjective disorder and there's a chance that someone could get "better" (as defined by VA scum trying to save $). It's not like they hand out P&T to any slack-jawed yokel with a headache....most of those ratings are thoroughly vetted and physical in nature.