Anyone Ever Req A Diff Varo?

[autumn]

it was mentioned to me today that veterans can request moving claims to different VARO.

why would one do this and is this wise?

[john999]

Can you request a specific VARO? If not you may end up at a worse VARO like St. Petersburg.

[broncovet]

The "Why" is easy. If your claim is stuck someplace like Cleveland, St. Pete, Buffalo, etc...its easy to know why: The bottom line is that Veterans in some states are more likely to get awarded benefits than those in other states.

This explains WHY Vets would want to change Regional Offices:

http://blog.cleveland.com/openers/2008/04/tracey_boulian_hank_vasil_of.html

As far as I know the Veteran can not switch RO's ...or else the bad ones would have to shut down for lack of customers. I would "LOVE" to switch RO's...to one like Maine or New Mexico. It would almost certainly mean a higher benefit level.

The VA OFTEN "farms claims out" if they are busy, allegedly to get claims out faster. My RO "farmed out" my claim at least twice, and it resulted in further delays. The VA can switch you...but I was not awared if/how Vets can switch, especially if they have not gotten a fair shake in their first RO.

[Berta]

"it was mentioned to me today that veterans can request moving claims to different VARO."

I don't think that is possible otherwise I would have requested ANY RO but the one I have as AOJ.

When you see the initials AOJ in BVA cases it means Agency of Original Jurisdiction -the first RO who held the claim.

If you move to another state then I guess you transfer over to that state's RO if they have one.

I was thrilled when my AO claim went from Buffalo to Togus but then it went instead to Philadelphia RO which is A OK with me.

VA's policy of "farming out" to me is synonymous with saying Let's deliberately add some more time to this one.

[autumn]

>>I don't think that is possible otherwise I would have requested ANY RO but the one I have as AOJ.

the one in this state doesn't seem to grasp there are secondary issues with MS. the c&p doc in not so many words said that. that leaves me a bit cautious with this VRO

>>VA's policy of "farming out" to me is synonymous with saying Let's deliberately add some more time to this one.

that is certainly the result

[autumn]

The "Why" is easy. If your claim is stuck someplace like Cleveland, St. Pete, Buffalo, etc...its easy to know why: The bottom line is that Veterans in some states are more likely to get awarded benefits than those in other states.

>>This explains WHY Vets would want to change Regional Offices:

http://blog.clevelan...k_vasil_of.html

exactly (see my reply to ms berta)

>>It would almost certainly mean a higher benefit level.

>>if/how Vets can switch, especially if they have not gotten a fair shake in their first RO.

if the rater /and/or RO doesn't quite understand the nature of the medical issue(s) even to the point of not being able to schedule adequate exams for secondary issues, what is a vet to do?

[carlie]

if the rater /and/or RO doesn't quite understand the nature of the medical issue(s) even to the point of not being able to

schedule adequate exams for secondary issues, what is a vet to do?

autum,

They know what to schedule.

If you are having a difficult time getting what is needed

my suggestion is to get an IMO - I know they usually cost but

it is an investment.

JMHO

[Philip Rogers]

I believe you can change RO's, however, if you need hearings or C&P's, you'll need to travel to that RO for exams & hearings. jmo

pr

[broncovet]

Autumn

Your preaching to the choir...I know well how I would love to change RO's. I think I recall reading somewhere that the RO location is determined where you live...and, except by moving cant be changed.

It reminds me of the "bad school" thing. I know I would love my kids to attend a different school district...but it was not allowed...probably because the "bad schools" would essentially be abandoned and all the teachers would lose their jobs. Ditto for the RO's.

I do think "inserting capitalism" into the RO's and schools would be good and raise the level several notches. RO's would "compete" for Veterans instead of "complaining" about them. ...getting paid by how many Vets go to their RO...just like car companies or insurance companies or food companies do now. They "compete" for the consumer.

Just think if love were governmentalized:

"Unit 407896? Yes, you have been assigned to me for the purpose of procreation. Have you completely filled out your 21-478 form, in triplicate so we can begin the procreation process? It looks like your item line #13 has been checked "NO". A no in this box prohibits procreation. Next applicant please."

[autumn]

autum,

They know what to schedule.

If you are having a difficult time getting what is needed

my suggestion is to get an IMO - I know they usually cost but

it is an investment.

JMHO

i thought so. that last exam was more of a time buyer for the VA, not me.

some time ago i did take ms berta's adivce and got IMO's for ms, spine and shrink. my savings almost gone. that is the only reason i got dx'd and SC'd for ms was the IMO. up to that point the VA still would not dx me.

so, i guess i wait, as usual. i'm just so skeptical that without actual secondary exams they'll just prolong this. you understand. i know you understand because you confirmed what i thought, "they know what to schedule", even though they mentioned they don't exactly know what to do with MS ratings. supposedly the pva has my back

[autumn]

Autumn

Your preaching to the choir...I know well how I would love to change RO's. I think I recall reading somewhere that the RO location is determined where you live...and, except by moving cant be changed.

It reminds me of the "bad school" thing. I know I would love my kids to attend a different school district...but it was not allowed...probably because the "bad schools" would essentially be abandoned and all the teachers would lose their jobs. Ditto for the RO's.

I do think "inserting capitalism" into the RO's and schools would be good and raise the level several notches. RO's would "compete" for Veterans instead of "complaining" about them. ...getting paid by how many Vets go to their RO...just like car companies or insurance companies or food companies do now. They "compete" for the consumer.

Just think if love were governmentalized:

"Unit 407896? Yes, you have been assigned to me for the purpose of procreation. Have you completely filled out your 21-478 form, in triplicate so we can begin the procreation process? It looks like your item line #13 has been checked "NO". A no in this box prohibits procreation. Next applicant please."

well, when you go to a ms secondary exam requested by the rater a VRO and the doctor states he doesn't really know what they want, and that they don't know much about handling ms secondary issues it doesn't give a veteran much confidence in the outcome of the rating!! if they were going to do the right thing i doubt such an exam would have taken place.

[autumn]

I believe you can change RO's, however, if you need hearings or C&P's, you'll need to travel to that RO for exams & hearings. jmo

pr

i'm not one to toss a wrench in the gears of this claim process but its a serious future life and health issue for many of us.

if this va and their vro has inadequate raters or raters that are..., heck i can't think of a correct description here,... why wouldn't a vet want to have such claims moved to more professional VRO?

not making a general blanket statement about VA raters. but that article from ohio here expresses the issue much better than i can. and most of the choir here understands that issue even better than i.

[Pete53]

I have read but cannot cite where that the VA uses two VARO's for complicated cases. I know that Waco is one of them. As most know each state has at least one VARO and large states may have two. I think that there are also VARO's in some of the territories like Philippines, Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico

[Philip Rogers]

My claim started w/the Manchester, NH, VARO and they were dragging their feet so bad that I got a mailbox, in VT, so I could have them do my claim. I found out later I didn't need to do that, I coulda just requested the VT VARO do my claim. I eventually won steady increases, that were moot when I won 100% thru the BVA, retro to day one.

pr

[autumn]

The "Why" is easy. If your claim is stuck someplace like Cleveland, St. Pete, Buffalo, etc...its easy to know why: The bottom line is that Veterans in some states are more likely to get awarded benefits than those in other states.

>>This explains WHY Vets would want to change Regional Offices:

http://blog.clevelan...k_vasil_of.html

exactly (see my reply to ms berta)

>>It would almost certainly mean a higher benefit level.

>>if/how Vets can switch, especially if they have not gotten a fair shake in their first RO.

if the rater /and/or RO doesn't quite understand the nature of the medical issue(s) even to the point of not being able to schedule adequate exams for secondary issues, what is a vet to do?

is there a website that lists the results for all RO's in order to compare states?

[broncovet]

I think that Pete is right. I know complicated cases are sometimes referred to the "Tiger Team" located in Cleveland.

This is part of the reason why Cleveland RO is so bad. You see, there was a "brain drain", where all the top talented rating specialists were recruited to the Cleveland Tiger team, leaving only the least experienced and least talented rating specialists to rate claims in Ohio.

It would kind of be like a new expansion football team who only could pick from ONE team and pick out all the best players for the new team, and leave all the bad or marginal players to play at the old team. The NFL was smart enough not to do that..it would take decades for the "victim team" to recover, so when a new expansion team comes in, the expansion team picks one or two players from each NFL team...its the only fair way. The new expansion team needs experience also...to become competitive...and not just all rookies.

Cleveland has never recovered from taking the best for the Tiger Team, IMHO. You see, they did not even have any experienced people to train the others..they were gone and newbies took over Cleveland....always a prescription for disaster. The pressure got to the manager, and she started shredding Vets evidence because "single issue " claims are much faster to work than "multiple issue" claims.

Here is how the VA dealt with it:

http://www.vawatchdog.org/08/nf08/nfdec08/nf120408-1.htm

[autumn]

My claim started w/the Manchester, NH, VARO and they were dragging their feet so bad that I got a mailbox, in VT, so I could have them do my claim. I found out later I didn't need to do that, I coulda just requested the VT VARO do my claim. I eventually won steady increases, that were moot when I won 100% thru the BVA, retro to day one.

pr

with what you say, then if the RVO is draggin there feet, i could request it be moved to say NM or AZ or somewhere?

[autumn]

I think that Pete is right. I know complicated cases are sometimes referred to the "Tiger Team" located in Cleveland.

This is part of the reason why Cleveland RO is so bad. You see, there was a "brain drain", where all the top talented rating specialists were recruited to the Cleveland Tiger team, leaving only the least experienced and least talented rating specialists to rate claims in Ohio.

It would kind of be like a new expansion football team who only could pick from ONE team and pick out all the best players for the new team, and leave all the bad or marginal players to play at the old team. The NFL was smart enough not to do that..it would take decades for the "victim team" to recover, so when a new expansion team comes in, the expansion team picks one or two players from each NFL team...its the only fair way. The new expansion team needs experience also...to become competitive...and not just all rookies.

Cleveland has never recovered from taking the best for the Tiger Team, IMHO. You see, they did not even have any experienced people to train the others..they were gone and newbies took over Cleveland....always a prescription for disaster. The pressure got to the manager, and she started shredding Vets evidence because "single issue " claims are much faster to work than "multiple issue" claims.

Here is how the VA dealt with it:

http://www.vawatchdo.../nf120408-1.htm

But, we have come to expect nothing less from the VA.

in my experience, that is true more often than not

[Philip Rogers]

To the best of my knowledge, there is no reason why you can't move it. Remember that moving it may cause you the need to travel to that RO for more C&P's or hearings, should the need arise, and they won't pay travel to the new RO.

pr

with what you say, then if the RVO is draggin there feet, i could request it be moved to say NM or AZ or somewhere?

[autumn]

To the best of my knowledge, there is no reason why you can't move it. Remember that moving it may cause you the need to travel to that RO for more C&P's or hearings, should the need arise, and they won't pay travel to the new RO.

pr

i don't mind if it presents more accurate and honest rating. i've already spent most of my savings on IMO's just to get accurate med evidence vs the VA's absolute minimum or off the wall diagnosis.

thanks

[autumn]

To the best of my knowledge, there is no reason why you can't move it. Remember that moving it may cause you the need to travel to that RO for more C&P's or hearings, should the need arise, and they won't pay travel to the new RO.

pr

is there an online list of these tiger teams and what states they are in? or any recommendations for where to move?