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Ptsd Inpatient Program Temp 100%

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fireforeffect

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Hi all,

So I've just gone through an Inpatient PTSD Program at the VA Hospital in Lyons, NJ. Had a panic attack at work on August 3rd of this year and was admitted into a 2 week stabilization period on August 4th - started the PTSD program on August 23rd going from the VA Hospital in East Orange to the Lyons Campus. I was finally discharged on Oct. 7th. I had a follow up appointment with an outpatient psych (in a VAMC) and he made the determination for me to return to work on Nov. 5th. So...if we tally that all up it comes out to 93 days (hospitalization and convalescence combined). This total time was all due to my SC for PTSD of which I am rated at 50% for.

Can someone please tell me what kind of temporary 100% disability I can look forward to? Will it cover the 4 months (Aug - Nov)? I have a claim in for it , and this might be a dumb question, but, does the claim take forever like other claims do? I hand delivered my certificate of completion from the program to my regional office in Newark and work with the Military Order of the Purple Heart (VSO) for claim support - anything else I can do?

Plus, I have an increase claim in for PTSD. I've heard so many stories from other vets on what kind of increase I can expect - some have said I'm headed for 100 and others have said I'm probably just gonna get 70% - can anyone clearly advise on this?

I would love to share more of this story: returning home, getting my initial award, struggling with but finally getting some employment and then having severe issues with that employment due to PTSD, being hospitalized and pursuing an inpatient program...maybe we can get some chatter going on this topic. I know some of the vets I went into the program with looked very confused when I mentioned the temp 100%. This is a tragedy. But that's why vets help vets.

This is my first post so, hopefully, I put it in right. Thanks for those who have made this site possible. I've obviously grown tired of waiting and being unclear as to what I should get for a benefit, but, haven't we all?

Hope to hear from anyone soon - thanks.

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Sorry that this is a question not an answer but I get confused how to use this site..  I saw the posts were for 2010.  It seems they are "restructuring" so that SC PTSD vets in specialized programs do not get temp 100% anymore.  Is this true?  Does anyone know if the "residential" label is preventing vets from getting 100%?  

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These posts are a little out of order-

for the new member- VA is still paying Temp comp 100% for PTSD InHouse:

"

VA may grant a temporary 100% disability compensation rating to a Veteran who is hospitalized for more than 21 days for a service-connected disability.

Learn more about Hospitalization"

https://www.benefits.va.gov/compensation/claims-special-index.asp

I am not sure what you mean by "residential " labeling.

 

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Gee-when my husband was in the PTSD inhouse program, they handled the temp comp claim right there at the VAMC. It took just a few months for the check to arrive.

I think they will definitely give you 2 months temp 100% comp- and perhaps more- hard to say-

"I'm probably just gonna get 70%" possibly--- because you are still employed.

The temp comp is paid at the 100% rate -someone here will know the exact amount and it should include extra for any dependents.

"I know some of the vets I went into the program with looked very confused when I mentioned the temp 100%. This is a tragedy. But that's why vets help vets. "

That is awful!!!!! Only one vet who was in the same inhouse program with my husband didnt get any 100% temp comp.

The vets at the inhouse program as well as the VA doubted his stressor story.My husband (combat USMC Vietnam)had to wait months to even get into the program but this vet somehow got in right away and he was not even diagnosed with SC PTSD.

I am appalled to learn that the VA is not handing the temp comp claims as part of this program anymore.

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Thanks so much for your response Berta!

Perhaps I do need to wait a little bit more. I have been in touch with some of the other guys from the program and they've gotten their money already (and they graduated around the same time I did).

My real curiosity was how much compensation would be dished out due to the amount of time I was in there. What's clear is that after 21 days, the compensation can be granted. But, are my two weeks in the stabilization period counted? The convalescent leave time - is that counted too? Your response was you were not sure but I'm sure other vets are in similar situations. And, there was a regional rep that came to the program every other Wednesday. I know I already satisfied the 21 day requirement so I filed a claim with him when he visited. But then I brought my certificate of completion to the regional office and filled out a statement in support of that claim noting the extended amount of time that I was hospitalized for. Maybe I filed too much?

True, since going back to work - which is a bit more do-able now with medication on board (all 9 medications) - probably would deny me of 100% SC. I do have a claim in for the increase for PTSD and a separate claim in for TBI, Short-term memory loss due to PTSD and for my back. I have gone to C&P for all claims noted and, obviously, it's a waiting game. But, some vets have mentioned that if I get an increase awarded, let's say up to 70% from 50%, and I have 10% for tinnitus, that my TBI could be awarded and possibly combine with everything to get to 100%. I'm unclear on this idea too. And, furthermore, I'm unclear on the VA math system that is applied to percentages awarded after you recieve your initial 50%. Not only does the VA make you wait forever but they've cleverly figured out a way to round up/down and short change a compensation award which makes a combined 100% verrrryy difficult to achieve.

Not to sound so money-hungry, but that significant amount of time in the hospital left me high and dry. "Hurry up and wait" is almost non-applicable - I can't afford to hurry right now.

Thanks again, maybe there's something I can do to get this moving along.

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Newark is one of the better offices we have re time for claims getting processed. As you went in for PTSD, we usually consider an increase in whatever the disability was that caused you to be admitted to the hospital in the first place for either paragraph 29 (hospitalization in excess of 21 days) or paragraph 30 (convalescence). The temporary 100% can be dished out beginning when you were admitted and extended to up to 3 months without need of a veterans service center manager review...they can grant longer if the evidence shows you need more than that. As for your PTSD evaluation, since you are still employed, chances are you will not get the 100% disability since you are still at a job.

As for the VA math...i never liked regular math, let alone this kind! But we have a calculator program that figures it out for us so that there's no human error re combining the evaluations. If you give me a tally of all your disability evaluations now (not what you expect to get) i can try to figure it out for you.

Thanks so much for your response Berta!

Perhaps I do need to wait a little bit more. I have been in touch with some of the other guys from the program and they've gotten their money already (and they graduated around the same time I did).

My real curiosity was how much compensation would be dished out due to the amount of time I was in there. What's clear is that after 21 days, the compensation can be granted. But, are my two weeks in the stabilization period counted? The convalescent leave time - is that counted too? Your response was you were not sure but I'm sure other vets are in similar situations. And, there was a regional rep that came to the program every other Wednesday. I know I already satisfied the 21 day requirement so I filed a claim with him when he visited. But then I brought my certificate of completion to the regional office and filled out a statement in support of that claim noting the extended amount of time that I was hospitalized for. Maybe I filed too much?

True, since going back to work - which is a bit more do-able now with medication on board (all 9 medications) - probably would deny me of 100% SC. I do have a claim in for the increase for PTSD and a separate claim in for TBI, Short-term memory loss due to PTSD and for my back. I have gone to C&P for all claims noted and, obviously, it's a waiting game. But, some vets have mentioned that if I get an increase awarded, let's say up to 70% from 50%, and I have 10% for tinnitus, that my TBI could be awarded and possibly combine with everything to get to 100%. I'm unclear on this idea too. And, furthermore, I'm unclear on the VA math system that is applied to percentages awarded after you recieve your initial 50%. Not only does the VA make you wait forever but they've cleverly figured out a way to round up/down and short change a compensation award which makes a combined 100% verrrryy difficult to achieve.

Not to sound so money-hungry, but that significant amount of time in the hospital left me high and dry. "Hurry up and wait" is almost non-applicable - I can't afford to hurry right now.

Thanks again, maybe there's something I can do to get this moving along.

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  • HadIt.com Elder

If you are working and you have a rating of less than 100% for physical problems it is going to be very hard to get to the 100% rate. I am rated 90% TDIU. I have 7 SC disabilites and the closer I get to 100% the harder it gets. VA math makes it hard. If you can get a rating of 70% for PTSD/TBI that would put you in a good position the day you find you can't work anymore. It will make getting TDIU much easier than starting at lower level of disability. The maximum you can get for a mental disorder and still be working is probably 50-70%. If the VA grants 70% then know it is a matter of time before you pull the TDIU plug.

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