Is Anyone Else Using The Va Ebenefits Site Yet?

[Bill (USAF Retired)]

I happened across this during my online wanderings, and it's awesome.

http://www.ebenefits.va.gov allows me to check my VA claim status, check my VA pay status for disability compensation, GI Bill and voc rehab, pull a home loan eligibility certificate, pull a copy of my Air Force service record (I'm retired), and other stuff. I've been kicking the tires on this for an hour or so.

Bill

[Thad49]

Wish it was available to more vets; I like it to save phone calls to the 800 number wondering whether theyre's any movement on the case. I've watched my current claim go from "phases" Development to Decision to Notification (yesterday) to Closed (today).

Argh: really wish there was some way other than NODs/hearings/appeals to stop the VA low-balling and rejection of facts.

So today Ebenefits site has me wondering if so little time in notification means it's just another denial; at least now I know I should hear soon.

[Vync]

Thad is right. It seems that I am on hold 10+ minutes every time I call the 1-800 number and press 110 to get to an operator just to check my claim status.

For those of you who have access to eBenefits and can see your claim status, does it also show the suspense date?

[carlie]

It seems that I am on hold 10+ minutes every time I call the 1-800 number and press 110 to get to an operator just to check my claim status.

For those of you who have access to eBenefits and can see your claim status, does it also show the suspense date?

Vync,

IMO the 800 number is a total waste of time when trying to check the status of a claim.

The 800 number is not set up for an accurate answer on this.

They can easily tell you the claim is ready to rate and the decision maker orders

additional development.

As for suspense date - that's something that they just change and update as needed.

jmho,

carlie

[Thad49]

For those of you who have access to eBenefits and can see your claim status, does it also show the suspense date?

No suspense date, just a statement "the phase your case is in typically takes XX-YY days based on our data as of a few months ago, but of course your wait time may vary greatly depending on the complexity of your case."

They were fairly close on my "Decision" time: they said something like 20-35 days and it ended up taking 25 or so. They said Notification could take 10-25 days, and it only took 1 -- my "argh" is I'm afraid that means they don't have to go thru any $$$ calculations.

But I'd rather have unhappy truth than no status at all, and it is really quick to log in daily and see if anything happened.

[Vync]

Carlie,

I appreciate the info. So far, the 1-800 number has provided the exact same claim status info that I get from the DAV, including the suspense date. I would try to get a claim status more frequently from the DAV, but it seems that they take a week or longer to call me. I'm hoping that access to this information via ebenefits will help me be able to monitor the claim status without resorting to a third party.

[hedgey]

Okay, I was able to get a DEERS DS Login account. I had to enter maiden name (name I had in the Army). I am NOT retired; I got out back in 1984 and was really surprised to learn that I'm still in the DEERS system.

I talked to a nice woman at this phone number: 1-800-983-0937 and she helped me through the process.

She also told me that soon we would be able to be ID verified through our MyHealthEvet accounts. So if you've gone and gotten ID verified for a MyHealthEvet account, you won't have to go to the VARO to be ID verified. She said that there would soon be a link on the MyHealthEvet website to take us to the eBenefits site. It was supposed to be there by the end of April, but it's taking longer than they expected.

I also talked to someone at DEERS to get my mailing address updated. That phone number is 1-800-538-9552. The man I spoke to there was very helpful as well, and knew all about eBenefits.com coming online, and that we were soon going to be able to access it via MyHealthEvet.

Hope this helps!