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Michellee

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VA Simplifies Access to Health Care and Benefits for Veterans with PTSD

July 12, 2010

WASHINGTON – Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric K. Shinseki announced a critical step forward in providing an easier process for Veterans seeking health care and disability compensation for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), with the publication of a final regulation in the Federal Register.

“This nation has a solemn obligation to the men and women who have honorably served this country and suffer from the often devastating emotional wounds of war,” said Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric K. Shinseki. “This final regulation goes a long way to ensure that Veterans receive the benefits and services they need.”

By publishing a final regulation in the Federal Register to simplify the process for a Veteran to claim service connection for PTSD, VA reduces the evidence needed if the trauma claimed by a Veteran is related to fear of hostile military or terrorist activity and is consistent with the places, types, and circumstances of the Veteran’s service.

This science-based regulation relies on evidence that concluded that a Veteran’s deployment to a war zone is linked to an increased risk of PTSD.

Under the new rule, VA would not require corroboration of a stressor related to fear of hostile military or terrorist activity if a VA doctor confirms that the stressful experience recalled by a Veteran adequately supports a diagnosis of PTSD and the Veteran's symptoms are related to the claimed stressor.

Previously, claims adjudicators were required to corroborate that a non-combat Veteran actually experienced a stressor related to hostile military activity. This final rule simplifies the development that is required for these cases.

VA expects this rulemaking to decrease the time it takes VA to decide access to care and claims falling under the revised criteria. More than 400,000 Veterans currently receiving compensation benefits are service connected for PTSD. Combined with VA’s shorter claims form, VA’s new streamlined, science-based regulation allows for faster and more accurate decisions that also expedite access to medical care and other benefits for Veterans.

PTSD is a medically recognized anxiety disorder that can develop from seeing or experiencing an event that involves actual or threatened death or serious injury to which a person responds with intense fear, helplessness or horror, and is not uncommon among war Veterans.

Disability compensation is a tax-free benefit paid to a Veteran for disabilities that are a result of -- or made worse by -- injuries or diseases associated with active service.

For additional information, go to www.va.gov or call VA’s toll free benefits number at 1-800-827-1000.

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Wow if I am understanding this right seeing that I am under the influence of multiple medications to include narcotics for pain I have to always read and reread and still careful with my interpretation. But as I read this it sounds like it is saying that to make it easier for veterans that they no longer have to prove a stressor for PTSD just have VA Doc confirm the stress experience by the veteran and have a diagnoses by the DOC. Woweeeeeeeee!

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I think the ONLY change is the fact that a vet that can not get a verifiable stressor will be the ones helped. Now how many of those are out there? Probably quite a few but we have to remember that a lot of the Vietnam vets that dealt with this when they came home took their own lives and there are a few in any war that will not apply to not get the stigma of a MH conditions. I was one of those and just ignored or self medicated my life and found a good women or I would have been dead and gone by now. She still might kill me one of these days because of they way I have been acting lately!:))

Anyhow there are going to be those that try and jack the system and I hope they don't succeed and there are going to be those that do and will find that keeping up the facade is not worth it!

This is a good rule and way over due but I am using my circumstance more than anything I almost had to be dragged in and still have the feeling I have let everyone down. Want to live like that be my guest.

The invite is only for the fakers, for those of us that suffer Peace!

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The proposed rule that some of us commented on as well as the comments themselves is here:

http://www.regulations.gov/search/Regs/home.html#documentDetail?R=0900006480a10bea

The proposed reg did not seem to eliminate any veteran at all but I dont know how this would apply to MST PTSD claims.

I am a civilian but I would think the military itself can be a hostile and fearful environment in some circumstances.

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Someone please tell me if I am reading this right. It appears that this pretty much applies to everyone diagnosed with PTSD, not just combat or war zone vets. Is that correct?

7. Is the new regulation applicable only if the Veteran's statements relate to combat or POW service?

No. The rule states that the stressor must be related to a "fear of hostile military or terrorist activity," and the claimed stressor must be "consistent with the places, types, and circumstances of the veteran's service."

10. Is a Veteran's testimony about "fear of hostile military or terrorist activity" alone sufficient to establish a stressor?

Yes, if the other requirements of the regulation are satisfied, i.e., a VA psychiatrist or psychologist confirms that the claimed stressor is adequate to support a PTSD diagnosis and that the Veteran's symptoms are related to the claimed stressor, and the stressor is consistent with the "places, types, and circumstances of the Veteran's service."

11. Are the stressors accepted as adequate for establishing service connection under new § 3.304(f)(3) limited to those specifically identified in the new regulation?

No. The examples given in the revised regulation do not represent an exclusive list in view of the use of the modifying phrase "such as" that precedes the listed examples. Any

event or circumstance that involves actual or threatened death or serious injury, or a threat to the physical integrity of the Veteran or others, would qualify as a stressor under new § 3.304(f)(3).

Vync,

From my reading of what I have seen on this, I think you can claim "fear of hostile military or terrorist activity" from right here in the good old US of A. But, I'm just guessing!

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I think this rule makes PTSD almost presumptive for any vet who has been in a combat zone. If a soldier or vet has the symptoms and served in a combat zone it should be presumptive. The vet should get the benefit of doubt. There are combat infantry soldiers who don't have PTSD. There are truck drivers who do have it. How do you measure the fear factor? People are individuals. You can't use a cookie cutter to qualify PTSD sufferers.

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For us vets who have real combat issues, I don't see any problems.

BG,

PTSD does not discriminate, it can hit any vet - combat or not.

A vet is a vet and PTSD is PTSD, no matter how you get it.

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BG,

PTSD does not discriminate, it can hit any vet - combat or not.

A vet is a vet and PTSD is PTSD, no matter how you get it.

Well said Carlie. PTSD is PTSD no matter how you look at it. PTSD= NON DISCRIMINATION

Edited by Chu Lai69
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