Hearing Aids Without Disability Or Service Connected?

[Ricky C. Swanson]

Question.

A few years back I filed a claim for hearing loss which was denied. They needed more info. My hearing was terribly bad and my medical records show my hearing got a lot worse from when I went in to when I was discharged - tests done by the VA. I did flightline work.

So I was going to refile my claim. All I have ever wanted was hearing aids and nothing more. So I went to a private DR, licensed in my state, who wrote a most wonderful letter that stated in no uncertain terms that my hearing loss was caused my my military work and the VA should give me hearing aids. I thought he was just going to give the letter to me as I told him I wanted it for the VA to refile a hearing loss claim. But he also sent the letter to my VA clinic and to my main DR. at the VA clinic. Thelocal VA clinic called me and said they couldn't do anything as I wasn't service connected. But they must have forwarded the letter or at least a recommendation the the main VA medical center audiology dept. about 75 miles away. I didn't know this until the VA medical center called me and told me they had an audiology cancellation and if I could come in first thing in the morning. This was last Wednesday. I did. The VA audiologist and I started talking about disability and she said this was nothing to do with disability and was a referral. I showed her the letter from the private doctor, we discussed what I did in the military and occupation since. She tested my hearing said it was shot and said the VA would give me hearing aids and fitted me for them. Said I should have them in about a month!!!! I was so happy. I guess I just didn't realize I could get these without some power to be rating me as service connected - unless she could do that - does anybody know- as she was a VA dr. She might have even called somebody as after my test and before fitting me for hearing aids she was out of the room for quite awhile. She assured me I would get them at a cost of what I guess will only be my copay, if that. She also stressed that I should file for the disability as now I am a lower priority and could be wait-listed for future appointments. But if I got the disablility it would give me a higher priority. So I will file for it again.

I guess my question is that I was surprised I can get hearing aids without being service connected - does anybody know if she can give me that rating like she did. I mean she had no doubts I would get them and she even said the batteries. This was last week and if I do indeed get them it will be the biggest Veteran's Day present one could ever ask for.

I guess I will wait and see but certainly am extremely optimistic.

Ricky

[Ricky C. Swanson]

Currently, at least the last Iknew, I am not service connected anything. I had filed a claim for hearing loss a few years ago and was denied. It was when I got a letter from the private Dr. and that Dr. sent it to the VA did all this start to happen. Initially my intention was to get the private Dr. to give me a letter for the VA. He sent it to the VA, my local clinic, and that was when I was called in for an appointment with the VA audiologist at the VA medical center and then fitted for hearing aids.

When I initially filed my hearing loss claim for disability I have to admit it was completely my fault and my lack of effort. I once read where if you worked on a flight line and you have hearing loss you were pretty much automatically granted the hearing loss and provided with hearing aids. I even had my medical records from the VA which showed my hearing when I went in and when I was discharged. It was a lot worse when I got out. So I figured it was a slam-dunk!!! Wrong. It was denied and the letter said:

"Service connection for hearing loss is denied since there is no evidence that your current hearing loss first manifested during your military service; there is no medical opinion linking your current hearing loss to your military service; and the current hearing loss did not manifest to a compensable degree (10% or more) within one year of discharge from the military service."

The part that I made bold was what I just provided them. As far as when I filed I just went to the VSO and said I wanted to file a claim and gave him a copy of my medical records. Then when I was initially denied I was volunteering inn MS for Katrina and just went into the VSO there said I was denied and signed a paper saying they would appeal. That was denied.

But that was in 2005 so now I plan to refile like my VA audiologist recommended. I was trying to wait to get some more evidence but I will just file this week. Hey, the worst they can do is deny me. But having learned what I have, I will stay on top of it this time.

[Ron II]

Per Tbird, Nov 23, 2005: " 18. Does VA provide hearing aids and eyeglasses?

Yes, if you are service-connected with a disability rating of 10% or more. Otherwise, hearing aids and eyeglasses will only be provided in special circumstances and not for generally occurring hearing or vision loss."

[68mustang]

Question.

A few years back I filed a claim for hearing loss which was denied. They needed more info. My hearing was terribly bad and my medical records show my hearing got a lot worse from when I went in to when I was discharged - tests done by the VA. I did flightline work.

So I was going to refile my claim. All I have ever wanted was hearing aids and nothing more. So I went to a private DR, licensed in my state, who wrote a most wonderful letter that stated in no uncertain terms that my hearing loss was caused my my military work and the VA should give me hearing aids. I thought he was just going to give the letter to me as I told him I wanted it for the VA to refile a hearing loss claim. But he also sent the letter to my VA clinic and to my main DR. at the VA clinic. Thelocal VA clinic called me and said they couldn't do anything as I wasn't service connected. But they must have forwarded the letter or at least a recommendation the the main VA medical center audiology dept. about 75 miles away. I didn't know this until the VA medical center called me and told me they had an audiology cancellation and if I could come in first thing in the morning. This was last Wednesday. I did. The VA audiologist and I started talking about disability and she said this was nothing to do with disability and was a referral. I showed her the letter from the private doctor, we discussed what I did in the military and occupation since. She tested my hearing said it was shot and said the VA would give me hearing aids and fitted me for them. Said I should have them in about a month!!!! I was so happy. I guess I just didn't realize I could get these without some power to be rating me as service connected - unless she could do that - does anybody know- as she was a VA dr. She might have even called somebody as after my test and before fitting me for hearing aids she was out of the room for quite awhile. She assured me I would get them at a cost of what I guess will only be my copay, if that. She also stressed that I should file for the disability as now I am a lower priority and could be wait-listed for future appointments. But if I got the disablility it would give me a higher priority. So I will file for it again.

I guess my question is that I was surprised I can get hearing aids without being service connected - does anybody know if she can give me that rating like she did. I mean she had no doubts I would get them and she even said the batteries. This was last week and if I do indeed get them it will be the biggest Veteran's Day present one could ever ask for.

I guess I will wait and see but certainly am extremely optimistic.

Ricky

I was also denied for hearing loss back in 1990. The denial was also based on what the VA stated on your denial letter, that I had no proof that the hearing loss was caused during my military service. I refiled again this year for hearing loss and tinnutis after my private audiologist stated on the diagnosis that the hearing loss and tinnutis was more likely than not caused by my military occupations. When I refiled I sent in a copies of each military job description and the type of enviornmental hazards present for each job. Plus I sent in buddy letters from two fellow shipmates who stated that we were exposed to hazardous noise while accomplishing our military jobs. I also sent sent two letters from family members who stated how my hearing loss was affecting my everday life. It did not take long after filing my claim to be schedule for a hearing test with QTC, the contractor that does exams on behalf of the VA. QTC also stated that I had a hearing loss and tinnutis and would send the results to the VA. Not long after that the VA allowed my claim with 10% disability.

68mustang

[cowgirl]

Way to go mustang! Did you have supporting data in your SMRs as well? Did you get a VCAA letter too? Just curious and thinking your addition of job descriptions is fab idea (my performance reports state some of the nitty gritty noisy work I did, hope they help me!) just me, cg

I was also denied for hearing loss back in 1990. The denial was also based on what the VA stated on your denial letter, that I had no proof that the hearing loss was caused during my military service. I refiled again this year for hearing loss and tinnutis after my private audiologist stated on the diagnosis that the hearing loss and tinnutis was more likely than not caused by my military occupations. When I refiled I sent in a copies of each military job description and the type of enviornmental hazards present for each job. Plus I sent in buddy letters from two fellow shipmates who stated that we were exposed to hazardous noise while accomplishing our military jobs. I also sent sent two letters from family members who stated how my hearing loss was affecting my everday life. It did not take long after filing my claim to be schedule for a hearing test with QTC, the contractor that does exams on behalf of the VA. QTC also stated that I had a hearing loss and tinnutis and would send the results to the VA. Not long after that the VA allowed my claim with 10% disability.

68mustang

[Guest rickb054]

Looks like I posted some bad information, I am some what surprised... not that I was wrong but that it looks like the va actually gives hearing aids to those who are not service connected or to some at a 10% rating reguardless of disability. Here is what I found:

http://www1.va.gov/pugetsound/docs/Audio_N...equirements.rtf

[68mustang]

Way to go mustang! Did you have supporting data in your SMRs as well? Did you get a VCAA letter too? Just curious and thinking your addition of job descriptions is fab idea (my performance reports state some of the nitty gritty noisy work I did, hope they help me!) just me, cg

Thank CG. I had not read your post until today. The only hearing tests I had in my SMRs were the audiometric entrance and exit exam, which was a whisper test. I had no periodic hearing exams, which were a requirement due to types of military jobs I did in the 1960s to realy 1970s. I also requested from the Navy, through an FOAI, copies of the BUMED Instructions covering hearing conservation during the time I was in service. I told the Navy that the FOIA and information requested was for a VA claim. I was not charged an FOIA fee. I noted in refiling my claim that my audiologist stated that the whisper test is not a reliable form form of hearing test because it does not accurately measure the different levels of hearing loss. I also sent in copies of my performance reviews, which show that I was being review for the jobs I stated that had caused my hearing loss and tinnutis. I also did get VCAA letter. I know that everyone's claim is different, but I hope this helps.

68mustang