New Medicine & Overdue Treatment, Required For Rating?

[cowgirl]

Got a vcaa note for eed correction for compensation to the original claim. The diagnosis is 'exactly' the same, the regulations state 'exactly' the same - from then to now.

Question?

Do I have really have to 'show' continued treatment from the original claim date?

Va monitored me, that was my care from the first. With my new & correct rating, I now have treatment with med(S) from va and another dr.

How the....er, grrr, was I to know I needed meds and more care a long time ago?

THanks, this may not make sense, but I'm a'tryin.

cg

Edited May 20, 2009 by cowgirl

[Josephine]

Cg,

Let me see if I have this straight.

You were seen by a VA doctor over the years and monitored, but was never given medications, but you are

now taking medication for the condition you were being monitored for.

Have I got it right?

Betty

[cowgirl]

Yes I was merely checked now & then but just recently got a specialist. So my va and private care has been increased even with meds now. I am getting a IMO thinking I was Ignored for seriously needed care. But Im just a patient, dont know, ya know? Ha. The vcaa letter indicated they need proof of treatment but for many years I only got basic va checkups, no specialist, meds or other care from va or any other doc. Mainly because I believed the va's care was ok. Now the va really up'd the rating and tends to me with meds.

So my dilema. Got a claim to correct the EED in, got sent the vcaa letter and want to be succesful to get the EED validated & corrected (10 yr + !!)

Thank you Betty

Cg (ayup, I'm confused mad anxious & stumped how to proceed)

Edited September 7, 2008 by cowgirl

[Josephine]

Yes I was merely checked now & then but just recently got a specialist. So my va and private care has been increased even with meds now. I am getting a IMO thinking I was Ignored for seriously needed care. But Im just a patient, dont know, ya know? Ha. The vcaa letter indicated they need proof of treatment but for many years I only got basic va checkups, no specialist, meds or other care from va or any other doc. Mainly because I believed the va's care was ok. Now the va really up'd the rating and tends to me with meds.

So my dilema. Got a claim to correct the EED in, got sent the vcaa letter and want to be succesful to get the EED validated & corrected (10 yr + !!)

Thank you Betty

Cg (ayup, I'm confused mad anxious & stumped how to proceed)

Cg,

I would definitely get the IMO. I see what you are saying. You were treated for the condition, now and then, in the way, at the time the VA thought was best for your condition and now this condition has increased to need meds and with a specialist.

My first treatments for anxiety were with a general practioner, and of course the VA did not think they were qualified, but in the end, the IME proved them wrong.

By all means get the independent medical opinion.

Betty

[betrayed]

Did you say you got a increase? Did they retro the date?

[cowgirl]

Thanks Betty and Betrayed, I am going after the IMO!

I'm fuzzy, stunned and very anxious just now. The clock is on, vcaa form letter arrived, no specific details, only if we need help getting medical records from 'other' sources its my responsibility....

Yup, I got a huge increase. But get this, the date was retro'd only a few years back to the c&p date, c&p was for tdiu. C&p dr notes caused rating to be corrected. So they even showed me the light!

So I am on meds, getting regular care, reading the regs, frontwards/backwards. I continue to see my diagnosis & rating are exactly the same, then and now. The sc rating within the year I departed the service wasnt easy, denied, then got imo, was rated minimally. I didnt know regs or anything, thought all was ok and continued casually on with no major worries.

Now with this new rating, I see I didnt know better, poor or no representation, and I believe I've (and my family) have been seriously shortchanged since the beginning. With irregular occasional monitoring by va in the last decade , I'm extremely concerned about the 'what ifs'. What if this or that? Guess I'm not only worried, but mad too.

So, no they did not retro the date to the first claim for the condition. Now, I've gone back for eed to fix that.

one more thing, meds are scripted by civ doc and issued by va. Once I heard that meds needed to be written by va doc to 'really' matter in situations like this. Not sure if thats a bit paranoid thinking on my part.

Sometimes I feel so clueless and sometimes very connected.

Thanks for responding and I just hope some of this makes sense,

cg

Did you say you got a increase? Did they retro the date?

[Josephine]

CG,

You are on the right track. I know it upsets you when you realize the

raters are taking advantage of our ignorance.

The statement about the meds prescribed by one doctor and filled by

the VA. should not be a problem.

You had the Rx and you had it filled and you have a record of it.

Go for it, as you and your family deserve better.

Betty