Does Anyone Benefit From Ebenefit?

[BFR]

Does eBenefit work? Does it provide its users with useful information?

Just wondering...

[justrluk]

I agree with others: the letter generator and payment history are at least the most accurate for me. Claims info is "iffy". The TRICARE link works and I haven't had the chance to start continued education/post 9/11 education benefits to know about this feature yet.

[BFR]

Thanks, all. I'll submit what you posted to the eBenefits team along with the info that I hope to get out of my next topic in this thread.

[bill1978]

I like the letter generator. I just discovered it recently even though I've been on eBenefits for a few months. I always hated calling the local VA office to request these letters. They probably got tired of sending them out.

I wish I could get my Army records from eBenefits, but because I was discharged in 1982, all of those records are at the NPRC and it's like pulling teeth getting all my records from them. Fortunately the ones they won't give me I already had and scanned years ago.

[Teac]

Just my two cents, sure you can get a letter, or check your deposit history, or check the status of a claim... sure and not to be a butt head but so what...

I've seen many letters that are incorrect, and for retirees rated 100 or TDIU the commissary letter is available but not necessary. That means that Ebenefits has default letters,and are not actually personallized for each vet.

as to deposit history.. who needs this.. thats what bank statements are for...

check the status of a claim... sure if the information is actually updated.. but really it doesn't give you anymore informaton than a phone call would... but have you noticed.. the information is so vague... on this and other boards there are a lot of questions about ebenfits that no one can answer.

So if you like ebenefits I am truely glad for you.. I find that it causes more questions than it answers. Not all features are available to all veterans and a lot of the information is incorrect....... In short., I find it totally useless...

[Quaymar]

I have found ebenefit to be helpful thus far. I was able to get the necessary paperwork for a VA loan in minutes. Back when I was in the Army the first time, it took 30 days or more to get such paperwork lol.

I also appreciate being able to track the status of my claim although I have read that it can be inaccurate at times.

[hedgey]

While I have found the letter generator to be somewhat helpful (I'd like to see Permanent & Total on all of the letters, not just some. For non-vets, reading "80% but paid at 100% for TDIU" is confusing (paraphrasing the letter).

Meanwhile, the Claims Status section is causing my DH extreme stress right now. He received his VCAA letter on the 17th of February and it was dated February 8th, so his suspense date for replying is showing as March 9th.

He went to his VSO on the 1st of March with his additional records and with his statements from us and the the VCAA letter signed. The eBenefits site still shows that they have received nothing from him.

Also, eBenefits is showing that they do not have his records from the VAMC or Mental Health, that they are still waiting on them. This is weird because at the C&P he went to on the 29th of Feb, the examiner had his C-file and his MH records on hand.

So what's accurate?

DH's VSO made a call to the VARO and the person she talked to said they have received the VCAA and the statements, and DH has date/stamped copies that she got them to fax.

Trouble is, he checked eBenefits this morning and now it says "Evidence Requested is Past Due".

Guess whether he's freaking out about this? Guess whether or not I think this is helpful to a vet with PTSD?

If the VA is going to provide information on a vet's claim status, it should dang well be accurate information. Otherwise, we're left sitting here sweating about his claim, worrying whether it's going to be denied out of hand because someone in the process didn't check the right box in the computer.