Va Doc Can Write Letter For Claimant

[carlie]

http://www.nvlsp.com/images/VHADirective2007.pdf

[halos2]

Thanks a bunch! Just copied it so now when I ask pain dr. ay VA to write one for me he will not look at me like I am crazy.

http://www.nvlsp.com/images/VHADirective2007.pdf

[Rockhound]

I'm trying to understand this derective. What do they mean when our Dr. must avoid any conflict of interests? Aren't his interests supposed to be the Veteran he is treating. What conflict of interests are they talking about?

Rockhound Rider

[Pete53]

VA conflict of interest is for the Doc to make it easier for Vet to get benefits as the VA is guarding the gate to the US Treasury. Sorry for my cynicism this comment was made tongue in cheek.

[Mcafee]

I approach my PCP with this very thing and presented the Directive to him he said absoloutely not will he give his opinion as to the state of my physical condition he atsted that all the necessary information is in the treatment records.To me he set the tone right there and i am now looking for a replacement for him if your PCP can not be your best advocate its time to move on . JMHO.Thank You All

[william n]

Carlie, have u ever asked ur PC to write a letter as to ur Med. conditon and as it relates to ur medical records??? Just curious..Regards, William

[ruby]

My Rhemu specalist did without hesitation. My derm specalist who is a contract MD, said he would have to ask the Unit medical director, who said NO!

I don't think I would ask my PCP.

[Pete53]

Well its been awhile for me but I doubt that anyone will find a shrink who will help them with claim. Its all in your records I heard plenty of times.My general conversation would go like this

"Doc what is wrong with me"

You have panic disorder

"When did I get it?

You got it in Service its in your records

"Would you help me out with a letter saying what you just told me"

Absolutely not I would not be able to be your Doctor if I did it

"Have you ever written a medical opinion to help a Veteran get compensation?"

Nope I would not be here if I did

I did put enough for you to win when you have a Hearing just don't use big words

So besides the comment from Ruby who I trust I have not seen much of Focs helping Veterans.

[Stu Sanders]

What this says to me is the VA thinks the Docs are not qualified to write a statement about your condiction and to judge the disability, BUT, the raters are, casue we all know they are SO much smarter than the Doctors, and they never makes mistakes in rating your disability to insure you get what your entitled to.

[rattattat]

Dave's VA lung doc called Thursday and said he would put in the official medical record everything that he could to support a higher percent rating for pleural effusion.

Dave's claim got a low ball 0 % rate for pleural effusion. They are trying to say his breathing problems are due to non service connected COPD. Well his doc is going to blow that out of the water.

The doctor said Dave had only mild COPD before the effusion and that the effusion is why he is on oxygen and can't pass a pulmonary function test.

He also made an appointment for Dave to see him, to discuss his problems and so he could show him what he is putting into the computer.

So some of the docs are honest and have integrity. He is the ony one that we have ever dealt with that has actually tried to help.

[LarryJ]

Well, actually, what the directive says is that the VAMC is to institute a policy whereby the VA doctors can fill out medical forms/statements for the veteran to use outside the VA, like, for example, for insurance purposes or employment purposes or for those of us who are handicapped, for handicapped licenses/parking permits.

As a MOF, it directs the administrators of VA medical facilities to institute such a policy.

That does not mean that the VA doctors have to give you a statement to take with you to DRO hearings or to include with your various claims for disability..........just as someone said, those records are already in your medical file at your VAMC, and available for the VBA's use (and are also available for you to access through your VAMC FOIA medical records department.

If, as someone said, the VA doctor(s) refuse to fill out these various medical forms, THEN they are in violation of VA Policy & Procedures.

or sumpthin like dat!

[yoggie2]

Pete53, you are right on, my head shrink is the Head shrink of INDY VA Hospital and you are right on (I MEAN RIGHT ON) I didn't ask for an opinion but that was what he said, they will read my file and all but said he couldn't give a medical opinion to my PTSD and other conditions and was saying it as if he was telling me on the down low.

Edited July 14, 2008 by yoggie2 (see edit history)

[Rockhound]

For a non adversarial system, the VA is sure putting a lot of road blocks in our way, to see we don't get the proper medical opinion, to win our claims.

It's no wonder the Veteran is left with no other course of action than to spend hundreds, if not thousands of dollars for IMO to support their claims.

It should be our MD's that treat us who are the ones giving these opinions, since they are the once who know us best and have seen our ups and downs and how our conditions have either gotten worse over time or have shown improvement and not some Nurse practitioner or MD who I doubt very much has read our complete file, nor spint more than an hour with us with their so called examination.

When the claims are supposed to favor the Veteran, It sure seems that the Governments interests come first and foremost and given the number of claims awarded each year, it becomes more and more obvious that their actually is evidence that a quota system is being used in the decision process. Expecially when note the ever increasing number of cases that are back logged awaiting even a decision at the VARO level.

Rockhound Rider

[Pete53]

I guess that what really upsets me the most is that the VA makes it look like we are a bunch of whiners when its the damn VA and its dirty tricks department that makes it so.

[carlie]

William,

Dr. David Layer at Bay Pines VA (he's now with a VA homeless program)

wrote me a letter of support and made excellent progress notes in my records.

My problem is getting VARO to acknowledge my medical evidence

from him and other doctors.

carlie

[71M10]

For a non adversarial system, the VA is sure putting a lot of road blocks in our way, to see we don't get the proper medical opinion, to win our claims.

It's no wonder the Veteran is left with no other course of action than to spend hundreds, if not thousands of dollars for IMO to support their claims.

It should be our MD's that treat us who are the ones giving these opinions, since they are the once who know us best and have seen our ups and downs and how our conditions have either gotten worse over time or have shown improvement and not some Nurse practitioner or MD who I doubt very much has read our complete file, nor spint more than an hour with us with their so called examination.

When the claims are supposed to favor the Veteran, It sure seems that the Governments interests come first and foremost and given the number of claims awarded each year, it becomes more and more obvious that their actually is evidence that a quota system is being used in the decision process. Expecially when note the ever increasing number of cases that are back logged awaiting even a decision at the VARO level.

Rockhound Rider

This is bad, I think I am starting to think like them.

How long do you supose before the VA protects us from those unscrewpulous doctors and slaps a prohibition on physicians charging for medical opinions (think post civil war Lawyer regs prior to last year). Then we would only be able to use VA doctors in the C&P service.

Somthing to think about!

Best regards,

Tyler

[william n]

William,

Dr. David Layer at Bay Pines VA (he's now with a VA homeless program)

wrote me a letter of support and made excellent progress notes in my records.

My problem is getting VARO to acknowledge my medical evidence

from him and other doctors.

carlie

Thanks Carlie..never asked him cause i didnt get the chance, i know hes very thorough in his notes(stated what kind of ice cream i liked,lol) i have Dr. Susan Cutchall for my PCP,now..next month appt... well see how that goes....Meanwhile i have a CP exam set for 7/22/08 Peace, William

[ruby]

Well its been awhile for me but I doubt that anyone will find a shrink who will help them with claim. Its all in your records I heard plenty of times.My general conversation would go like this

"Doc what is wrong with me"

You have panic disorder

"When did I get it?

You got it in Service its in your records

"Would you help me out with a letter saying what you just told me"

Absolutely not I would not be able to be your Doctor if I did it

"Have you ever written a medical opinion to help a Veteran get compensation?"

Nope I would not be here if I did

I did put enough for you to win when you have a Hearing just don't use big words

So besides the comment from Ruby who I trust I have not seen much of Focs helping Veterans.

Thank you Pete for the kind words. I forgot to add that my PTSD Psy also wrote me a note, or I should say he made sure that his note was complete and when I ask him to put in more likely than not with a gaf he did better and wrote "is directly related to her MST" then he stated my symptoms and put a gaf of 40 with it.

He also put in is note that I may obtain any and all records that he writes now and in the future.

I was feeling out my PCP and could tell she would not ever write a note. The derm doc was contracted doc who would have if the chief of derm said it was OK, but he said no way that's what they have comp docs for.

It's hit and miss I think its more miss then hit I was just lucky with the 2 of them.