NEW VA RULE: PHYSICIANS NO LONGER NEED TO CO-SIGN C&P EXAMS
NEW VA RULE: PHYSICIANS NO LONGER NEED TO CO-SIGN C&P EXAMSA physician's co-signature is no longer required for a C&P examination performed by a mid-level practitioner. This should expedite the claims process.
by Larry Scott, VA Watchdog dot Org
I am not sure if this is good or bad.
It certainly could speed up the claims process.
However, I already hear complaints from many veterans that they don't want mid-level practitioners, such as a NP or PA, doing their C&P exam ... they want a doctor.
Now, in many cases, doctors are being taken completely out of the loop.
VBA's Fast Letter 10-32 is posted below.
-------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS
Veterans Benefits Administration
Washington, D.C. 20420
September 1, 2010
Director (00/21)
All VA Regional Offices and Centers
In Reply Refer to: 211
Fast Letter 10-32
SUBJ: Removal of Certain Co-Signature Requirements and Ordering Specialist Examinations
Purpose
A joint workgroup of the Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA) and the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) identified several initiatives to expedite compensation and pension (C&P) examinations. This fast letter implements one of these initiatives by liberalizing signature requirements for VHA clinicians performing C&P examinations.
Examination Report Signature Requirements
Effective immediately, regional office and center staff may accept examination reports signed by a nurse practitioner or physician's assistant that are not co-signed by a physician. This change in signature requirements does not apply to examinations conducted by specialists, such as mental health, dental, audiology and optometry.
The M21-1 Manual Rewrite (MR) requires that a physician signs all original examination reports (see M21-1MR Part III, Subpart iv, Chapter 3, Section D, Topic 18, Block a, or
M21-1MR III.iv.3.D.18.a). Law does not mandate this policy, and it can unduly delay processing C&P examinations. In VHA, an individual physician accepts legal responsibility for the unsigned work of a mid-level practitioner, such as a nurse practitioner or physician's assistant. As a result, a physician's co-signature is no longer required for a C&P examination performed by a mid-level practitioner.
We will update the MR to reflect this change.
Specialist Versus Specialty Examinations
Please note that a specialist is only required in limited situations such as dental, vision, hearing, and psychiatric examinations, as indicated by
M21-1MR III.iv.3.A.8. For all other types of examinations, a generalist clinician may perform the examination. For example, an office may order a cardiac examination, but it should not generally request that a cardiologist (a specialist) conduct it.
My intentions are to help, my advice maybe wrong, be your own advocate and know what is in your C-File and the 38 CFR that governs your disabilities and conditions.
Do your own homework. No one knows the veteran’s symptoms like the veteran. Never Give Up.
I do not give my consent for anyone to view my personal VA records.
Question
pacmanx1
NEW VA RULE: PHYSICIANS NO LONGER NEED TO CO-SIGN C&P EXAMS
NEW VA RULE: PHYSICIANS NO LONGER NEED TO CO-SIGN C&P EXAMS A physician's co-signature is no longer required for a C&P examination performed by a mid-level practitioner. This should expedite the claims process.
by Larry Scott, VA Watchdog dot Org
I am not sure if this is good or bad.
It certainly could speed up the claims process.
However, I already hear complaints from many veterans that they don't want mid-level practitioners, such as a NP or PA, doing their C&P exam ... they want a doctor.
Now, in many cases, doctors are being taken completely out of the loop.
VBA's Fast Letter 10-32 is posted below.
-------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS
Veterans Benefits Administration
Washington, D.C. 20420
September 1, 2010
Director (00/21)
All VA Regional Offices and Centers
In Reply Refer to: 211
Fast Letter 10-32
SUBJ: Removal of Certain Co-Signature Requirements and Ordering Specialist Examinations
Purpose
A joint workgroup of the Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA) and the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) identified several initiatives to expedite compensation and pension (C&P) examinations. This fast letter implements one of these initiatives by liberalizing signature requirements for VHA clinicians performing C&P examinations.
Examination Report Signature Requirements
Effective immediately, regional office and center staff may accept examination reports signed by a nurse practitioner or physician's assistant that are not co-signed by a physician. This change in signature requirements does not apply to examinations conducted by specialists, such as mental health, dental, audiology and optometry.
The M21-1 Manual Rewrite (MR) requires that a physician signs all original examination reports (see M21-1MR Part III, Subpart iv, Chapter 3, Section D, Topic 18, Block a, or
M21-1MR III.iv.3.D.18.a). Law does not mandate this policy, and it can unduly delay processing C&P examinations. In VHA, an individual physician accepts legal responsibility for the unsigned work of a mid-level practitioner, such as a nurse practitioner or physician's assistant. As a result, a physician's co-signature is no longer required for a C&P examination performed by a mid-level practitioner.We will update the MR to reflect this change.
Specialist Versus Specialty Examinations
Please note that a specialist is only required in limited situations such as dental, vision, hearing, and psychiatric examinations, as indicated by
M21-1MR III.iv.3.A.8. For all other types of examinations, a generalist clinician may perform the examination. For example, an office may order a cardiac examination, but it should not generally request that a cardiologist (a specialist) conduct it.Questions
E-mail questions concerning this letter to VAVBAWAS/CO/21Q&A.
/S/
Thomas J. Murphy
Director
Compensation and Pension Service
My intentions are to help, my advice maybe wrong, be your own advocate and know what is in your C-File and the 38 CFR that governs your disabilities and conditions.
Do your own homework. No one knows the veteran’s symptoms like the veteran. Never Give Up.
I do not give my consent for anyone to view my personal VA records.
Link to comment
Share on other sites
Top Posters For This Question
4
2
1
1
Popular Days
Sep 17
11
Sep 19
4
Sep 18
2
Sep 20
1
Top Posters For This Question
john999 4 posts
pacmanx1 2 posts
carlie 1 post
Ricky 1 post
Popular Days
Sep 17 2010
11 posts
Sep 19 2010
4 posts
Sep 18 2010
2 posts
Sep 20 2010
1 post
18 answers to this question
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now