hypertension Va Claim Developmental Phase

[CShock]

Hello,

I’m new to Hadit and this is my first post. I was feeling pretty good about getting what I felt was a jump start on my C&P claiming by visiting a VSO 6 months prior to my effective retirement date of 28 Feb 11, meeting all my appts, providing info and completing my exam the first week on Nov. However after reading several post about the length of time to receive an award, I must say the wind has been taken out of my proverbial sail. I thought by filling under quick start/BBD that I could expect the process to run smoothly and “as advertised” I’m sure that elicits a chuckle from all who will read this.

So now for my question/concern, on 1 Mar I logged on to the ebenefits website and noticed that my claim was still in the development phase with a date of 1 Mar 11. This is quite discouraging since I visited the VSO office on 13 Oct and completed my exam the first week of Nov. Should I be concerned about the 1 March date or is this typical since I my last day of active duty was 28 Feb?

Additionally before ending my time active duty, I completed a sleep study and was diagnosed with sleep apnea and recommended for CPAP. I think I will wait until my initial results and then submit my paperwork for the sleep apnea. Thoughts?

Lastly my contentions are the following, which I don’t feel are a lot but possibly this is also a reason why I haven’t heard anything yet.

- hypertension (on meds)

- chronic bilateral knee pain (, osteoarthritis right knee, and 5 hyalgan injections. Left knee history of buckling with documented falls)

- s/p right surgery (rt knee ACL, PCL meniscus replacement and screws)

- scars and physical therapy (from rt. knee surgery 12 inches and eczema)

- chronic right wrist pain (frac)tured in 2010, some loss of motion

- right shin splints

- history of right leg cellulitis (hospitalized 4 days)

- chronic neck pain (degenerative and aggravated by the falls caused by knee buckling)

- gout

- bilateral hearing loss

- chronic right shoulder pain (some loss of motion)

V/r

Shock

[carlie]

CShock,

Welcome to Hadit.com

Other's will chime in.

[Tbird]

It can be a discouraging phase of your life, going through the VA system. Remember though when you are approved your retroactive pay will go back to March 1st so that is a good thing.

It is really pretty much impossible to figure out how long your claims process will be, it's frustrating and disheartening but you are not alone. You must not be to discouraged, it's only April though it feels like a long time, it really isn't for the VA system. Just keep your head up and moving forward with your life. When it gets hard ask for support here and we will be there for you.

I have seen a claim approved in about 90 days but that is the fastest I have ever seen, now that doesn't mean it doesn't happen more often it's just the only one I've seen go that fast.

We know how you feel, waiting for the mail everyday, calling the 800 number, pacing the floor, pulling out your hair, it sucks. But hang in, if the stress because unbearable contact the VAMC and see if you can see a psychologist it may help you relieve some of the stress and frustration you feel.

Hello,

I'm new to Hadit and this is my first post. I was feeling pretty good about getting what I felt was a jump start on my C&P claiming by visiting a VSO 6 months prior to my effective retirement date of 28 Feb 11, meeting all my appts, providing info and completing my exam the first week on Nov. However after reading several post about the length of time to receive an award, I must say the wind has been taken out of my proverbial sail. I thought by filling under quick start/BBD that I could expect the process to run smoothly and "as advertised" I'm sure that elicits a chuckle from all who will read this.

So now for my question/concern, on 1 Mar I logged on to the ebenefits website and noticed that my claim was still in the development phase with a date of 1 Mar 11. This is quite discouraging since I visited the VSO office on 13 Oct and completed my exam the first week of Nov. Should I be concerned about the 1 March date or is this typical since I my last day of active duty was 28 Feb?

Additionally before ending my time active duty, I completed a sleep study and was diagnosed with sleep apnea and recommended for CPAP. I think I will wait until my initial results and then submit my paperwork for the sleep apnea. Thoughts?

Lastly my contentions are the following, which I don't feel are a lot but possibly this is also a reason why I haven't heard anything yet.

- hypertension (on meds)

- chronic bilateral knee pain (, osteoarthritis right knee, and 5 hyalgan injections. Left knee history of buckling with documented falls)

- s/p right surgery (rt knee ACL, PCL meniscus replacement and screws)

- scars and physical therapy (from rt. knee surgery 12 inches and eczema)

- chronic right wrist pain (frac)tured in 2010, some loss of motion

- right shin splints

- history of right leg cellulitis (hospitalized 4 days)

- chronic neck pain (degenerative and aggravated by the falls caused by knee buckling)

- gout

- bilateral hearing loss

- chronic right shoulder pain (some loss of motion)

V/r

Shock

[CShock]

Tbird and Carlie,

Thank you for the welcome and response. You mentioned that my claim would be retroactive effective 1 March, that's one of my concerns. During TAP and all the other information I have received, I was under the impression that when I initially filed my claim back in Oct, that this would be my claim start date and all retroactive activities (if any) would have the same date. Is this information incorrect or should I inquire about the 1 March date. I had a friend of mine receive his rating the day after his effective retirement date, utilzing the quick start program, all others not as lucky. Thanks for the insight and this is an amazing website full of all the information I could ever hope to find under one umbrella. Truly a benchmark website. Thanks again.

Shock

[john999]

Since you do have retirement pay you can afford to wait this out and appeal if you don't get what you thing you should get. Your effective date should be the day after discharge. I would think this will take some time 6-18 months is normal. As long as you have submitted the evidence and all claims you can only wait. Did you get a VCAA letter? If you are in treatment for all these problems stay in treatment at the VAMC. This will help document you continued problems.

[CShock]

Thanks for the info. Yes I did, received my letter on 20 Oct and sent in copies of treatment I had received for my left knee since I provided a copy of my medical recods to the VSO on 13 Oct. Perhaps I misunderstood the info which was provided at the time I submitted my claim. Now I know but it still seems confusing to me why the claim starts on 1 March 11, if the decision process is suppose to start 30 days after the date of receiving the VACC letter or I could request to waive the 30 days. Bottom line it seems I am at the mercy of the VA process.

[CShock]

Thanks for the info. Yes I did, received my letter on 20 Oct and sent in copies of treatment I had received for my left knee since I provided a copy of my medical recods to the VSO on 13 Oct. Perhaps I misunderstood the info which was provided at the time I submitted my claim. Now I know but it still seems confusing to me why the claim starts on 1 March 11, if the decision process is suppose to start 30 days after the date of receiving the VACC letter or I could request to waive the 30 days. Bottom line it seems I am at the mercy of the VA process.

[Xnavynuke]

Additionally before ending my time active duty, I completed a sleep study and was diagnosed with sleep apnea and recommended for CPAP. I think I will wait until my initial results and then submit my paperwork for the sleep apnea. Thoughts?

As this hasn't been addressed, I will chime in with what I would recommend.

I would fill out a 21-526ez and get copies of all military treatment for the sleep apnea, Additionally if while waiting for the original claim to go through you get any treatment for the sleep apnea, make sure to get copies of the treatment notes / records no matter what the source even if it is the VA, as VHA and VBA don't play nice, they can't share properly. If it hits the Jan 31, 2012 and there is still no decision submit for sleep apnea anyways. If you get a decision sooner, submit at that time.

Also, if as time passes your s/c conditions get worse put in for increases.

Just my 2 cents.

[TXNVYMOM]

CShock...I will be following your progress...my son filed his VA paperwork prior to leaving the military and had his C&P exams also prior to leaving under the BDD program. He turned in everything including his DD214 about the middle of December 2010 before leaving his duty station in Virginia and returning home to Texas. His end of service was a month ahead of yours. Good luck!!

[TXNVYMOM]

CShock...I will be following your progress...my son filed his VA paperwork prior to leaving the military and had his C&P exams also prior to leaving under the BDD program. He turned in everything including his DD214 about the middle of December 2010 before leaving his duty station in Virginia and returning home to Texas. His end of service was a month ahead of yours. Good luck!!

I read "somewhere" ( maybe on the BDD site) that they would start processing his VA claim the day after his end of service date.

[CShock]

Xnavynuke

Thanks for the insight, I hadn't allowed myself to even remotely think this process would drag out until 2012, but after perusing the site I would be jaded (now) to think otherwise, it's just disappointing. Qucik start, BBD, yadda, yadda, yadda... At least I now feel I am informed and I can stop checking the ebenefits site everyday in hopes to see a change.

Shock

As this hasn't been addressed, I will chime in with what I would recommend.

I would fill out a 21-526ez and get copies of all military treatment for the sleep apnea, Additionally if while waiting for the original claim to go through you get any treatment for the sleep apnea, make sure to get copies of the treatment notes / records no matter what the source even if it is the VA, as VHA and VBA don't play nice, they can't share properly. If it hits the Jan 31, 2012 and there is still no decision submit for sleep apnea anyways. If you get a decision sooner, submit at that time.

Also, if as time passes your s/c conditions get worse put in for increases.

Just my 2 cents.

[CShock]

Thanks,

I hope things work out for your son as well, lets try and keep each other posted.

CShock...I will be following your progress...my son filed his VA paperwork prior to leaving the military and had his C&P exams also prior to leaving under the BDD program. He turned in everything including his DD214 about the middle of December 2010 before leaving his duty station in Virginia and returning home to Texas. His end of service was a month ahead of yours. Good luck!!

[ExAirman]

CShock,

To add my own two cents, I retired from Active Duty Air Force effective 1 March 2010 and had submitted my VA claim under the Quick Start program. I received my first claim result of 10%, for one of my 11 claimed issues. My other 10 issues were deferred for further consideration. Those claims are now walking through the system and I am again in the development phase of the process.

My experience in the quick start program is excessive long due to a mistake made by the VA with my physical address (they had it wrong and couldn't seem to get it straight between the VA Claims offices and the VA medical centers) which led to me not receiving proper notification of required events.

Thus if all goes well for you, you will most likely see a response within a year. If it goes not so well... you get the picture!

Good luck!

[CShock]

ExAirman,

All I can do is sit here and chuckle, (laughing at myself) because I believed if I took care of things on my end... Hopefully in a year (if all goes well) I can still laugh...as a matter of fact lets mark today as day one. Only 364 more days to go, perhaps in the end I will try and file a claim for a failed "funny bone".

Thanks for your insight

Shock

CShock,

To add my own two cents, I retired from Active Duty Air Force effective 1 March 2010 and had submitted my VA claim under the Quick Start program. I received my first claim result of 10%, for one of my 11 claimed issues. My other 10 issues were deferred for further consideration. Those claims are now walking through the system and I am again in the development phase of the process.

My experience in the quick start program is excessive long due to a mistake made by the VA with my physical address (they had it wrong and couldn't seem to get it straight between the VA Claims offices and the VA medical centers) which led to me not receiving proper notification of required events.

Thus if all goes well for you, you will most likely see a response within a year. If it goes not so well... you get the picture!

Good luck!

[CShock]

Xnavynuke

I will ensure that I request records for any and all future treatments, had an MRI last week for on going issues with left knee. Since I am now also a dependent for at least the next 3-4 years, I shouldn't have a probably obtaining copies of med. records. Not sure how it works with VAMC. Which brings up a question, is their a benefit to being seen a a MTF vs VAMC?

Shock

Xnavynuke

Thanks for the insight, I hadn't allowed myself to even remotely think this process would drag out until 2012, but after perusing the site I would be jaded (now) to think otherwise, it's just disappointing. Qucik start, BBD, yadda, yadda, yadda... At least I now feel I am informed and I can stop checking the ebenefits site everyday in hopes to see a change.

Shock

[carlie]

Xnavynuke

Which brings up a question, is their a benefit to being seen a a MTF vs VAMC?

Shock

What is an MTF ?

[ExAirman]

MTF is a Military Treatment Facility - otherwise known as a base hospital.

If you are a dependent of a military member you should have fairly uninhibited access to cost-free care at the MTF, but you will be competing for care with the active duty members.

At the VAMC you can be seen for free for your conditions that have been service connected (it is free above a certain percentage - I am not sure what the percentage is) and also depending on your disability percentage I believe you will be placed in certain priority levels when seek care - the higher the percentage the easier access to care.

The main benefits I see to using the MTF: It is probably closer to you than the VAMC and it is cost free. A negative would be you might have to wait longer for care.

[CShock]

That makes sense, I think I'll take my chances at the MTF. Not to mention until I receive my rating and SC is determined it seems little if any benefits exsist for me if I want to been seen at the VAMC. On a positive note my Ed Benefits kicked in effective this month and I have rec'd a payment.

Shock

MTF is a Military Treatment Facility - otherwise known as a base hospital.

If you are a dependent of a military member you should have fairly uninhibited access to cost-free care at the MTF, but you will be competing for care with the active duty members.

At the VAMC you can be seen for free for your conditions that have been service connected (it is free above a certain percentage - I am not sure what the percentage is) and also depending on your disability percentage I believe you will be placed in certain priority levels when seek care - the higher the percentage the easier access to care.

The main benefits I see to using the MTF: It is probably closer to you than the VAMC and it is cost free. A negative would be you might have to wait longer for care.

[COOL BREEZE]

That makes sense, I think I'll take my chances at the MTF. Not to mention until I receive my rating and SC is determined it seems little if any benefits exsist for me if I want to been seen at the VAMC. On a positive note my Ed Benefits kicked in effective this month and I have rec'd a payment.

Shock

50% and above is free health care, not dental though-I believe you have to be 100% for that

[TXNVYMOM]

You bet...your are now #1 on my watch list. Your time periods are so closeto my sons...but of course....it's the VA!!

[CShock]

I served during Operation Desert Storm/Shield and OEF/OIF, can I find out if my records reflect same or does this not matte regarding my claim.

V/r

Shock