ptsd Required Ptsd Re-evaluations

[jessejames]

I read where the Vet's Commission has suggested a REQUIRED re-evaluation for PTSD every 2 years or whatever. Congress IS going to approve this it seems: http://news.medill.northwestern.edu/washin...s.aspx?id=75895

http://www.vawatchdog.org/08/nf08/nfJAN08/nf012508-9.htm

"“A lot of veterans would view these reviews as an attempt to take away their benefits,” said Gerald Manar, deputy director of the VFW’s national veterans service.

Researching for the commission, the Institute of Medicine of the National Academies recommended case by case determinations of whether veterans need follow-up exams.

However, the benefits commission felt that required reevaluations for some types of disabilities, particularly mental health issues such as post-traumatic stress disorder, would ensure that those needing regular check-ups didn’t slip through the cracks, said retired Lt. Gen. James Scott."

This MAY sound good or ok to some, but how about those of us who are under regular treatment from VA Psychiatrists now and have tried ALL their medications and treatments, with the exception of Shock Therapy, which I hear they are considering now...you know like they did in the old days to those in Insane Asylums to calm them down. The Psychiatrist who I see EVERY 3 months at the VA is the same one who does C%P Evaluations at times. If someone has gotten 100% and dropped out of VA appointments for PTSD, then fine, re-evaluate them, but the only reason I can see for a Blanket re-evaluation is to TAKE AWAY Benefits, period...they have tried everything else to get them, so now they will finally remove some off VA Disability with Phomy Examinations created for one purpose! This makes me so mad, I couldn't sleep last night because of anxiety of not being able to work and no way to support my family if they do this to me. IF they do this, the Suicide rate among PTSD veterans will soar. Please write your Congressperson and demand a Case by Case Basis of PTSD re-evaluation if they must do this!

By the way, no where did I read about the Vet's Commission conclusion in their Study that Veterans Disability payments be raised immediately by 25%......WHY are they NOT pushing this??????????

[jessejames]

We can talk about this all year long, but my understanding from Larry Scott at http://www.vawatchdog.org/08/nf08/nfJAN08/nf012508-9.htm

"Get ready...here it comes!

This issue has been bubbling-under for some time...regular re-evaluations for veterans receiving VA disability compensation for mental health issues, especially PTSD.

And, Congress is ready to do it.

What each of us here need to do is e-mail, write, or call the Senate Veterans Affairs Committe http://veterans.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?pageid=1 and ask them to accept the advice of the Institute of Medicine of the National Academies. "Researching for the commission, the Institute of Medicine of the National Academies recommended case by case determinations of whether veterans need follow-up exams

The Senate Affairs Committe had a Hearing just 2 days ago on this, so we need to move fast http://veterans.senate.gov/public/index.cf...elease_id=11513

We should express our opinion on how there is a 500,000 case backlog now, how this would affect us personally if a 20-30 minute re-evaluation resulted in a mis-diagnosis which refuted all the years of treatment and how we would be added to the rear end of the 500,000 current case load with an appeal which would take years to decide..... explaining how......like in my case, a continous rating for over 14 years with a re-examination every three months ongoing, how much it will cost the VA in time and money to issue a Blanket re-evaluation every 2 years or whatever. As I see Mr. Scott of the Disability Commission pushing this view and I remember some of the proposals that were beaten down down during the Commission's Hearings i.e. remove everyone from VA Disability at age 65 and let them draw Social Security Disability only, I don't trust these guys, period!!

[Jazona]

JesseJames is correct, of course. However, I do believe that one thing is being overlooked here. The issue of fairness. If these reevaluations are to be fair to all, then it should be applied to all. Review all the evaluations. 10% on up. All maladies. And contract QTC to do it all. Equal treatment under the law. X-rays can be misinterpreted. Blood tests erronious. Mistakes can be made in all evaluations.

I can assure you that there will be plenty of room for the new Vets coming back from the sandbox on the VA roles after that.

jaz

[john999]

Evaluations for mental disorders are so subjective you risk everything when you go for an exam. One VA shrink might give you 10% and the other might give you 70% on the same evidence. That causes anxiety in me and I have been there many times. Unless you can produce psychotic symptoms on demand you are at risk from the QTC types.

[Jazona]

Just read the Commission's report on this issue. It can be seen here:

http://www.vetscommission.org/pdf/Appendix...ompensation.pdf

They speak to fairness, consistancy in exams, criteria in who should be reexamined, TRAINING OF RATERS, ect.

Now, if we were talking about Motorola, Chrysler or any other private corporation, these goals are acheivable. But we're talking about the VA here and we all know how the VA can mess up the simplest task.

I for one will be burning up the e-mail of all my Congress people and try to explain to them what a pipe dream this is. They seem to be stuck in a groove that the VA is consistant, equitable and straight forward and capable of making these changes. They're not capable of following the existing regulations, how can they be expected to make these changes?

It would be in everybodys interest, not just us PTSD suferers, to jump all over this. Who knows, when they see how sucessful the rout of us Viet Vets was they may go after everybody else.

jaz

[rentalguy1]

I for one will be burning up the e-mail of all my Congress people and try to explain to them what a pipe dream this is. They seem to be stuck in a groove that the VA is consistant, equitable and straight forward and capable of making these changes. They're not capable of following the existing regulations, how can they be expected to make these changes?

Now you're talking. Let them know that it must be equitable. Just like John said, do reevaluations of everybody, not just those with PTSD. I know that they already do reevals of musculoskelatal disabilities, because I have been called in several times for reevals myself. We need to let them know about the inconsistencies. Especially when QTC is the examiners. I don't see them not following the regs though. What I do see is some of the regs written so vaguely that they are easily able to sway them inthe VA's favor. This is especially true when we roll over and let them. The good thing on this point is that we can easily combat this up front, but we have to do our research first.

[Jack]

http://www.vetscommission.org/pdf/Appendix...ompensation.pdf

It recommends that specific guidance

on the criteria for setting case-specific VA-initiated reevaluations be established so that the

reevaluations can be administered in a fair and consistent manner; furthermore, VBA should

collect and analyze data on VA and veteran-initiated reevaluations so that the system can be

improved in the future. The committee does not believe it is appropriate to mandate across-theboard

periodic reexaminations for beneficiaries already being compensated for PTSD. Such a

strategy would not take the diversity of the beneficiary population into account and would unduly

single out veterans with PTSD for scrutiny. Within the context of VA’s limited resources, the

committee believes that it would be best to invest in thorough C&P evaluations for new

applicants—including the clinician’s determination noted above—rather than in the blanket

review of past decisions