Ao Claim Settled, But What About Reimbursement?

[NSA-Saigon-ET]

Hi All,

My nehmer claim for AO/IHD was granted at 10% with an EED of 2003

I am just curious and so have to ask the question concerning treatment cost paid by veteran for IHD treatment.

I have been under VA care for some time now and my Nehmer claim has a EED going back to 2003. So I have been paying for medication and testing since that time from my pocket.

Is there any re-imbursement process from the VA or is that money just gone?

Any answers greatly appreciated.

[stever]

It took about 8 months.

J

Thanks J looks like I should hearing something soon

[john999]

10% for IHD? That sounds very low. Did you have a heart attack?

[NSA-Saigon-ET]

I had what I thought was a heart attack and then was discovered to be Angina. This was in 1994 and I have had excellent care by both VA and outside doctors.

I will file for an increase later on after most of the Nehmer cases are settled. I also have many other issues on appeal which are more important now.

[NSA-Saigon-ET]

Thanks for all who responded,

There is a section in the VA rating decision that has a toll free number to call for reimbursement of fees and medications. I called it and they filed a request for audit of my account going back to 2003. The person I spoke with said it might take 30 days and that they should call me when finished. He also gave me the

audit number for reference. I will not hold my breath on the 30 day time frame , but will check back using the reference number.

I strongly suggest anyone who had a Nehmer claim settled and may be due reimbursement of fees and medications or copays to check on any reimbursement due.

Hi All,

My nehmer claim for AO/IHD was granted at 10% with an EED of 2003

I am just curious and so have to ask the question concerning treatment cost paid by veteran for IHD treatment.

I have been under VA care for some time now and my Nehmer claim has a EED going back to 2003. So I have been paying for medication and testing since that time from my pocket.

Is there any re-imbursement process from the VA or is that money just gone?

Any answers greatly appreciated.

[Berta]

That is great advice for anyone with potential co pay refund under Nehmer- NSA Saigon.

I am glad they even gave you a toll free number.

Yes, if you feel the 10% doesn't reflect any future IHD problems or any secondarys ( and I hope you dont have any) by all means file for a higher IHD rating.

[Chuck75]

10% for IHD is an obvious "low ball". (Or the medical tests needed to actually show the amount of damage were not done, or the results were not considered.)

IHD is damage caused by restricted blood flow to the heart. It also encompasses Cardiovascular disease, (CHD), and Coronary Artery Disease (CAD) among others.

"METS", as used by the VA, is not a very accurate measurement of heart damage or "efficiency". Remember that the average healthy individual does not really fully stress the heart during "normal" activity.

A few years back, the USAF was kicking athletic enlisted men out because their heart was not reacting sufficiently to the USAF's retention stress tests.

"Gold Standard" tests are such things as a heart cath, or a chemical stress test with dye, imaging, and combined with electrocardiograph results.

When a chemical stress test is done properly, heart failure is easily seen. Real time imaging actually shows when the heart starts to fail, and how it's failing. The real time image changes often occur

before or co-incident with changes in the electrocardiograph traces (also real time).

Normally, the patient feels a stronger heartbeat during the test, may or may not have some discomfort (usually due to a mild reaction to the dye used), and possibly sort of an undefined uneasy feeling.

A precautionary drug sometimes called for is Prednisone. It is usually prescribed for up to several days preceding the stress test. Basically, it helps reduce or eliminate a possible reaction to the imaging dye.

(Yes, I've been through these tests as a patient, more than once.)

The stressor chemical's effects can be reversed within a very short time.

Edited April 27, 2011 by Chuck75