C&p Today

[schauba]

Did a c&p today and the doctor had a sheet of paper on her desk saying I had 80%.... when currently I am at 60% do these doctors have access to purposed ratings?

[Radio_Dog]

So funny isnt it..I had the same thing happen to me at my C&P exam with a 3rd party Dr...She had asked me if I was recieving benifits in which I said no and she said strange I see you as 50% comp..I was like WTF..1 week after exam later I get 50%

[harleyman]

Did a c&p today and the doctor had a sheet of paper on her desk saying I had 80%.... when currently I am at 60% do these doctors have access to purposed ratings?

They might see a VBMS rating that is in the works and had to stop for more development or the rater may have decided in the middle of the rating decision there needed to be another exam or whatever.

Although very little developmnt is being done in the paperless system, the majority ofthe rating decisions are being done in VBMS. I know for a while the Veteran was able to see the raters decision prior to the rating actually getting final approval. I know the Raters were really upset about that because the Veterans were calling about decisions that were not finalized. Which was not good, as ratings come back for corrections and stuff. I don't know if that has been changed or corrected or not.

So if there is a rating in the works in VBMS, I am not sure the examiner could see it or not. I'll try to fid out.

[schauba]

To give a little more info on this case... I put in for an increase back in march 2012 for sleep apnea chest pain( they use some big word with a c) and ptsd....I have done a c&p few months ago for the sleep apnea and the chest pain. Today they were doing a c&p for the ptsd. so I thought well so far they have me at 80% because she said that of I see u have sleep apnea(referring to the paper on her desk)Anyway It seems like these c&p raters get access to special stuff.

[harleyman]

She, the examiner would have access to all your medical records, including all examination findings and all previous C&P exams. She would also be given a statement from the VSR or RVSR who ordered your examinations telling her what conditions you are currently diagnosed with and at what precentage. She does have access on the paper which is the official exam request to all this information.

Then she would also have access to your complete claims file, as it is mandatory the claims file is sent for the examiner to review for all mental exams. She also has access to your VAMC records and the Virtual VA records (old paperless) and VBMS (new paperless) records.

I do suspect the examiner was asked, to determine if you have a diagnosed condition of PTSD. And if you do have a diagnosis of PTSD, she would be asked to "opine" on whether or not your diagnosed "sleep apnea" was due to or caused by your PTSD, ( within a 50% PROBABILITY,as likely as not) due to your PTSD. This is a very common request for the examiner to answer as any veterans claim sleep apnea due to PTSD. I suspect that is what was happening here.

As far as a "proposed" rating I don't think she would see that, as it would be very seldom there is a rating stopped in the middle of a decision to send the Veteran out for an exam. It happens, but it is pretty few and far between. When is goes to the Rating Board for a decision, 90% of the time the file is Ready for a decision. ..That being said, I will still check on whether the examiner can see non -completed ratings in the system.- Harleyman

Edited September 11, 2013 by harleyman

[rpowell01]

I could be wrong but these C&P examiners are NOT raters and them telling you that stuff could cost them their jobs...

[harleyman]

Hey they are doctor's most of whom suffer from the God complex. They won't get in any trouble. Who is going to carry more weight the Veteran or the "learned" doctor?

Just saying- those doctors can say whatever they want, the powers that be will always give the doctor more credibiity than the Veteran. As doctors have a trained educated opinion vs. the lay statement of Veteran. That's why it is so important for a Veteran to contract for his own IMO or IME from a private doctor. Then the doctors fight it out and the Veteran's statement swings the tie to the side of the Veteran. Otherwise the Veteran is at the mercy of an exam doc they see for 15 minutes who can say or document whatever they may or may not see upon exam. Lately, I see a trend of the VA examiners getting tighter on their exams and opinions, then say the same exams done a year or two ago which seemed more Veteran friendly.- IMO

Edited September 15, 2013 by harleyman