Clothing Allowance Time Again

[JayBrown1]

I went to the Prosthetic Department at my local VA Medical Center as directed by letter I received. I took my damage clothes and was wearing my devices as I do daily. I was ask if I was wear my devices and I told them yes. He wrote on letter that I was wearing devices and said I will make you a copy to keep. I ask him don't you want to see my damage clothing, he said that's not necessary, I said yes it is and I pulled out every thing I brought with me and showed him. He then said ok, I make that copy now. I said first you need to annotate on the letter that you observed my damaged clothing, he said okay and wrote on it and said would you like a copy now and I said yes I would. Veterans, please make sure that they make note of all damage clothing otherwise they could deny you allowance just like they did last year with me. My appeal is still waiting a decision. I was receiving a clothing allowance for over ten years and when they changed to dual allowances I was denied one of them because they stated that it was not noted that I showed damaged clothing even though I did but because it was not noted it was denied so I only received one allowance.

[iceturkee]

Just left the prosthetics department at my local VA med center to check on my clothing allowance and get a new back brace. First on the clothing allowance I was told that there was only one lady processing the clothing allowance and she is still working on both my appeal from last year and the dual clothing allowance for this year. I was told that she has a couple of thousand to clothing allowances to process and its going to take a while to get them done. I guess I shouldn't be expecting anything soon. Second on the new back brace, I guess they are trying to cut back on having to payout clothing allowances by making all the veterans that receive allowances get new braces that they claim will not wear out clothing. The brace that I was given they said will be just like the one I had. However, I had a rigid back brace and they gave me a soft back brace that caused me an increase in pain. So I had to great my primary care doctor to request a rigid brack brace for me. Got there and they tried to give me another soft brace stating that it was just as good as a rigid brace. I told them I didn't want to take that chance and that's not what the doctor ordered so they reluctantly gave me a rigid brace. It is sad that they are treating us this way. They know every year clothing allowances are coming up, you would think they would make adaption to get the clothing allowances done in a timely manner especially since they give us a deadline to get our applications in. Also, I don't feel that they should be cutting corners on our health and well being to save money.

my doc ordered me a TLSO back brace. i go to my appointment with the orthotist. first he says i should have a jewitt brace, then he changes his mind. then he says the aspens are really good and then changes his mind. i ended up with a cheapo soft brace that isn't even designed to help the numerous problems i have in my thoracic and lumbar spine. jay, are you saying i can complain to my primary? because i will because what he gave me was crap. and, of course, not on the list for clothing allowance. probably a good thing i have a va issued power chair, a va issued home health care bed and a va issued custom knee brace.

[JayBrown1]

my doc ordered me a TLSO back brace. i go to my appointment with the orthotist. first he says i should have a jewitt brace, then he changes his mind. then he says the aspens are really good and then changes his mind. i ended up with a cheapo soft brace that isn't even designed to help the numerous problems i have in my thoracic and lumbar spine. jay, are you saying i can complain to my primary? because i will because what he gave me was crap. and, of course, not on the list for clothing allowance. probably a good thing i have a va issued power chair, a va issued home health care bed and a va issued custom knee brace.

Yes, you should contact your primary care doctor and let him know that you were not issued the brace that he requested for you. Let him know that the one you were given is not working for you and ask him to send a consult for what you need. I refused to let them talk me into giving me something different.

[iceturkee]

Yes, you should contact your primary care doctor and let him know that you were not issued the brace that he requested for you. Let him know that the one you were given is not working for you and ask him to send a consult for what you need. I refused to let them talk me into giving me something different.

thanks jay. fyi, my doctor is a she. the only requirement she wrote on the consult was for a TLSO back brace. i got that. but what i got was crap.

[JayBrown1]

You can request that she put in a consult for something different if what you got is not working for you. You have to look out for yourself by letting them know what works.

[iceturkee]

You can request that she put in a consult for something different if what you got is not working for you. You have to look out for yourself by letting them know what works.

true. i'm actually thinking of going to talk with the orthotist first, tell him what he gave me isn't cutting it. i recall he gave me the option of asking for something else if the first one didn't work. i brought a friend to my appointment. hopefully, she'll remember him saying that. if this doesn't work, i'll talk to my doctor.

UPDATE: i wrote a note for my doctor instead and will drop it off in a couple of days. i did a lot of research and found a couple that pretty much addressed all of my back problems. i mentioned that in the note which i dropped off thursday.

Edited September 20, 2013 by iceturkee

[TheImpaler]

FINALLY GOT MY CA!