Iris Response.....

[Sidney56]

I sent a request through the Iris system to find out the status of an appeal and receved the following response:

11-7-07

Mr. Mclean:

Thank you for your inquiry to the Department of Veterans Affairs. Due to the sensitivity/personal nature of the information you are requesting, we are unable to provide a response electronically. Please contact our office at 1-800-827-1000 or by mail at 251 North Main Street, Winston Salem, NC 27155.

Sincerely,

A. Stallworth for

R.S. Burke Jr.

Veteran Service Center Manager

Is this a normal response for this type of inquiry? Every time I call the 800 # I get different answers.

[Pete53]

My "C" File sat on an empty desk of my VSO's office for 2 years. I would probably still be waiting if a friend who was the State Adjutant of DAV in Texas had not taken the time to look for it. My current VSO is the Texas Veterans and I am not to damn happy with them either.

During those two years the VAMC in Dallas refused to treat me for 2 years I have the denial letters in my briefcase. Its really a sweet letter; a form letter that said that they could help me but they would not.

Now that they are starting to limit access to VA again there are some strategies that can help Veterans into the system. For you that are the lower categories I recommend that you go and see a VA Doctor at least every 6 months or you will be out sooner than later.

[john999]

My VARO will not respond to questions about claims status via Iris. Everytime I try they write back and tell me I have to call the 800 number. Iris says that for medical privacy reasons they cannot tell me anything. I get on the phone and call. IF I send an Iris today it will be returned in a day or so saying we can't give out that information. I have a DRO coming up and I would not mind getting some info.

[william n]

If you do an IRIS inquiree and your C-file is with a Rating Team, the IRIS people cannot update you with current info. They don't have access as to what the Rating Team is doing with your claim or what has been received, or not. The Rating Team may have your C-file for a year or more.

The VA System doesn't keep a close up-to-date e-record as to what is going on with claims. Thus, the info IRIS provides may be erroneous (or incomplete) since they don't have access to the info.

nam vet..hit it right on the head..it takes awhile to figure it all out, but your right!

peace- williamn

[broncovet]

I agree that IRIS is totally unreliable, but also add that telephone inquiries are also often inadequate or even false, usually because they are not up to date. Most of the time the Veteran knows more about the case than either the IRIS or the telephone person. Just about the only thing that IRIS is good for is to document something. (No they dont accept medical exams or the like over IRIS. However, when the VA looses something in your file, you can document that it was lost with IRIS. Notice I said WHEN, not IF, as the VAROs are very good at "loosing" documents critical to your case.) It just goes to show what a broken system this is. If it is any consolation, the IRS telephone line is no better. On the IRS phone line, they can give you information that is false with no repercussions with that, either. Gee, what happened when people told the truth.

[Sidney56]

Thanks guys for all the replies. I called the 800 # and was told the same thing as always, " You have an appeal, and it will take some time to process it". I already knew this...I wanted to know if the evidence I had submitted for financial hardship was being considered. She told me my case was not flagged for expedition, and I should send a letter stating that I wanted it expedited.

I called Senator Burr's office, who are trying to get it expedited, and she told me not listen to what I hear from the 800 # reps( they are not up to date or just won't look for the information).....because she had personally submitted the evidence, although it may not have been entered into the system yet. Said she would call her Rep in the VARO and check the status. Waiting for word back from her.

Can only hope and pray that me and my family are not homeless when someone decides to act. There is absolutely no help for veterans in a financial crisis in North Carolina. Ohio has a great program just for cases as this( The Veterans Organization Commission). My social services dept. even told me that they don't have funds for this, and to solicit the community for help...... so sad!