Suggestions On Power Chair And Housing Allowances

[Testvet]

As most of you know I suffered a severe heart attack in early April that took my ejection fraction from 25% down to 10% which has left me short of breath and pretty much left to use either a wheel chair or my power chair to move around if I have to move much more than about 50 feet, should I be eligible now for the house allowance to make the house more adaptable for the power chair and the mortgage insurance since I no longer have full mobility due to a service connected issue the heart is not pumping enough blood for me to move on my own power anymore or will I just be wasting my time and the VAROs in filing a claim for these benefits?

Edited May 8, 2011 by Testvet

[Testvet]

I know I have fought this out years ago but my cardiac problems are now SC they were not back then and my ejection fraction has dropped from 25% to 10% as the April 10 cath shows the weakening of my heart causes me to become short of breath and unable to walk more than 10 steps without having to sit down so the doctor said it precludes normal ability to walk on my own so I should now meet the requirements here now

c. The loss, or loss of use, of one lower extremity together with

(1) residuals of organic disease or injury, or

(2) the loss or loss of use of one upper extremity.

Item (1) and Item (2) above must so affect the functions of balance or propulsion as to preclude locomotion without the aid of braces, crutches, canes, or a wheelchair.

I am just trying to get my wife all the benefits she is entitled to if I do NOW qualify for the mortgage insurance and the home adaption allowance I would be harming her financially not to apply for it I can't buy life insurance or mortgage insurance on the free market, I would if I could they all reject me due to my SC disabilities

I appreciate the answers and I know there are no guarantees on claims with the VA all I do know is if I don't file the claim they can't approve it or deny it so I will submit it and see what they do and see if they deny it what there reason was and see if I can overcome their objections with end stage congestive heart failure what can they do shoot me?

[carlie]

test,

Did you get the SVDI Insurance ?

[broncovet]

Test

While I appreciate Teac posting these rules, it is unclear that you are eliminated from eligibility, based on the rules. In fact, it would appear you are eligible. With an ejection fraction of 10%, there is probably little doubt that can cause "loss of use" of your feet or legs, possibly requiring a power chair. A weak heart can hardly pump enough blood to the legs..thus the need for the power chair.

Of course, my opinion is no good, and you may need a doctor to say this instead.

[Teac]

Test

While I appreciate Teac posting these rules, it is unclear that you are eliminated from eligibility, based on the rules. In fact, it would appear you are eligible. With an ejection fraction of 10%, there is probably little doubt that can cause "loss of use" of your feet or legs, possibly requiring a power chair. A weak heart can hardly pump enough blood to the legs..thus the need for the power chair.

Of course, my opinion is no good, and you may need a doctor to say this instead.

I didn't say he was eliminated from anything, I simply posted the requirements for adaptive housing... While others have said he should apply it appeared that know one knew what makes someone qualifed for adapted housing. I know because I have adapted housing. Jbasser ( who was the most helpful) stated he would not be wasting his time but then posted a link for the HISA which is the Home Improvement and structural alteration program, not the adaptive housing grant. You should also know that just because someone is in a wheel chair doesn't mean thay qualify for adaptive housing. the rules for service connection for adaptive housing are very specific.

Hell I was in and out of a wheel chair for a long time because of my back conditon before I was rated loss of use of my foot, and even with the loss of use I couldn't get the adaptive housing until I went to a C/P exam, and proved my case. And then I had to show that my organic disease, (Back and lungs were bad enought to get the housing) and it was an up hill battle with two C/P's a NOD and de novo review before it was awarded to me.. and three years later it was awarded only for the VA to tell me I could not adapt my home because it was too old.. So what did I do, I bought another home and had it adapted which took another year.. It is not easy to get.

Now if the heart disease is causing other problems, ( and I have no doubt that it is) then a claim should be made for the secondary medical conditions that were caused by the heart disease. It would do no good to put the horse before the cart. If adaptive housing is claimed, based on the fact that testvet is not service connected for the issues that would require adaptive housing the va would just deny the claim based on the merits. Once an award is granted for service connection of the secondary issues, then request adaptive housing.

In the old days I would come on these boards voice my opinion, and let it go.. others would come back at me and accuse of discouraging a veteran... I try to advoid those type of situtations, but I also try to provide valid references and as honest and real an opinion as possible.

It is my sincere disire that Testvet gets adaptive housing ... but telling him to apply without tell him the facts isn't going to help him much.. I do hope the troubles I had and the knowledge I have about the program help him advoid the pitfalls.

ADDED: Also it is my understanding that you cannot get the mortgage insurance untill after you are awarded adapted housing, and actually adapt the home..... and in my case it cost me $154.00 a month for the maximum of $90,000 of mortage insurance ( the law increases the max amount of insurance in Jan 2012 to $200,000. ) But you can only purchase insurance either to the max allowed by law or how much you owe on the mortgage whichever is less.

The cost of insurance is based on the amount of the mortgage, age of the veteran, and if you have 10, 15, 20 or 30 year mortgage.

Edited May 12, 2011 by Teac

[retiredat44]

the VA installed a special bed in my house for me. It is electric and it raises and lowers. The buildup of fluid in my lower half was killing me...

[Testvet]

Carlie yes I got the free 10,000 and I bought the other 20,000 that was available we still owe 164,000 on the house so if I can get the mortgage insurance thru the VA I will go thru the C&Ps and the fight with them over it, I was told that I would never get the cardiac claim approved by all of the VSOs that looked at my case and you all encouraged me to keep fighting it I did it took from Dec 2002 until June 2009 but I did get the back pay and the SMC S rating out of it that was a huge win, financially and mentally.

I know that nothing comes easy from the VARO a lot of times they don't want to approve claims and want the BVA to force them to award them I accept this, I just know that if I don't file the claim and ask for the benefits then I have already lost the claim

since my legs not working right are secondary to my SC Cardiac issues there is a nexus to this being a valid claim nothing ventured nothing gained

I know the mortgage insurance will be expensive but the odds of me living another 25 years that is left on the mortgage is mighty slim I know that there are no guarantees about life expectancy but with the last 2 heart attacks in April 2011 it brings the total up to 9 heart attacks, the stroke in 92, my ejection fraction was 25% in 2002 when SSA found me to be disabled for SSD purposes the cath in April shows it to now be 10% the odds are not in my favor to living a long and fruitful life I am just trying to get my family all the benefits they might be entitled to, if the VA says no, I can accept that but I still feel I owe it to my wife to try and get these benefits if I am eligible for them.

My thanks to all for all comments I need to hear the good and bad sides of the arguments, I don't need anything sugar coated I try and do my research before I jump in but sometimes a person needs to swim against the current