Letter On Ebenifits

[bugguy]

I recieved s letter dated today 3/16/2014 saying that I can apply for state benifits. However on same letter is says one or more disabilities none. Does this mean I have been denied?

[bugguy]

Sorry this letter was posted on ebenifits

[TiredCoastie]

If you check eBenefits documents, look for the letter that says it verifies what benefits you are receiving. Mine always update whenever my claim closes with enough increase to raise the overall rating. If your claim is closed and no new letter stating that you can verify what you're receiving appears, that may mean you've been denied.

[bugguy]

My rating has not been completed yet it just went to pfn this morning next stage complete

[TiredCoastie]

Then it's most likely too early to tell. When your claim is marked as "complete," you'll be able to get your overall rating then by pulling down that letter.

Hope and pray it works out for you. Also, if you're not retired, keep an eye on your bank account and the payment history on eBenefits for any backpay.

[iroberts]

Out of curiosity, why did you qualify that with "if you're not retired"? Does backpay work differently for retirees?

[TiredCoastie]

It sure does. There are two different programs under which a military retiree will fall - either Concurrent Retirement and Disability Payments (CRDP) or Combat Related Special Compensation (CRSC). I don't know very much about CRSC but have been under CRDP since being rated disabled.

In the past, military retirees could not collect both retired pay and disability compensation. The pay center (DFAS or USCG PPC) would deduct all the disability compensation from the retiree's monthly pay, effectively making a portion of the retiree's pay tax free as the disability payment. Congress changed the law some years ago and slowly began separating the pay systems for retirees rated 50% or higher with the recognition that retired pay is based on longevity and disabiilty pay is based on disability - two separate things that had at one time been seen as double pay for the same service. This year is the first year that no money is being deducted from retirees' pay under CRDP.

For those of us under CRDP, once a retiree is rated disabled at 50% or higher, notification is provided to their servicing pay center. The pay center runs an audit of the retiree's pay to determine if more or less pay was due to the retiree back to the date of the claim, then forwards the audit to the VA to do the same. Once the processing of both sides is complete, the backpay payment is sent. At the VARO, the same rating chain that processes claims processes backpay, and backpay is the lower priority of the two - it's better to get more veterans something each month than a handful of retirees a lumpsum payment, and it's hard to disagree with that overall philosophy until you're the one waiting and waiting for thousands of $$$.

If a retiree receives a rating of less than 50%, then the pay center still deducts the disability payment from the retiree's pay. There have been bills in Congress to address this and allow those retirees rated at less than 50% to receive both full payments, but they have not yet passed into law.

DFAS seems to be quicker than PPC. It took almost a year to get my last backpay after the VARO had trouble receiving and properly routing the audit form from PPC. Have just started the waiting period on the current claim that just closed.