I Tried To Reschedule My C&p- I Need Help And Advice, Please!

[Akaymik]

Hi,

I've been waiting about two years for my C&P exams. I just recently got them, which is excellent. I was told of only two appointments via a phone call, with 2 weeks notice. Ebenefits shows that I have actually 6 appointments.

Anyway....I tried to reschedule my appointment for April 22nd (so my appt hasn't happened yet). The guy at the C&P office told me he couldn't find a slot, I was then told that they would have to send a request to the RO and they would reschedule this appointment. I figured this wasn't a big deal, as this guy was not helpful and quite rude. He didn't bother to tell me that my claim could be denied. I had no idea either until searching this forum.

Ebenefits still shows my appointments on the 22nd, however it says "canceled by patient". I have out of town plans for a wedding that day, but I will go to these appointments if it means my claim will be denied. My question is this...is there any way to get that appointment back? Does it still exist and is it still reserved for me? Can they still call it "failure to report" if I show up on April 22nd for my two appointments? Any advice is greatly appreciated!

Thanks,

Amanda

[brokensoldier244th]

anytime I cancel an appt, even to reschedule, it shows as cancelled until they list another one that is the rescheduled appt. The claim itself, if waiting for a C&P, will continue to wait until you have the C&P.

[Jon1371]

I've only had a C&P twice. Once when I was getting discharged and the other by the Dr that diagnosed me a few years later. I have never been called in for one, but I would like to know how your changing the appointment dates affects your decision. Good luck and I hope it's in your favor.

[john999]

My advice is go to your C&P exams. Don't try and reschedule them. These exams are so important to your claim that I would walk barefoot to the exam if I had to get there. If you miss and exam for any reason the VA will deny your claim. They are so dumb that even if they agree to cancel and reschedule your exam they may just make a decision and say you missed your appointment. Twice the VA has canceled exam appointments on me at the last minute and then while I was waiting for them to reschedule they denied my claim saying I was AWOL from the exam. This is what you are dealing with so don't miss or try to reschedule an exam. Just get there if you have to walk on water to get there.

[brokensoldier244th]

On the other hand, how is your relationship with your PCP and RO? I am under the Nebraska RO and I have never, in 10 years and 8 c&P appointments, had a claim denied on the basis of missing an exam that I rescheduled. For other reasons, sure, but not due to not having the exam. Maybe im lucky, but I am in regular communication with the RO or DAV, and every so often I send them a 'nudge' just to see what's up. If you don't manage your own claim to an extent proactively, then you face the risk of getting shuffled in to a corner somewhere.

There are like 900,000 claims in the system. Are they all valid? Who knows, but they are to the veteran filing, and so they deserve to be heard. The VA is my primary health care for both MH and my nerve/lower back/disc issues. Ive not had any problems with them since 2002. Rescheduled on their end sometimes? Yes. Happened to me today, actually, with an MH appt with my Psychiatrist. I use the secure mail via MyHealthVet and email her a status update on my part and ask for a reschedule when she can. Same with my audiology appt. some of the practitioners are PA's, some of them contract, some of them travel a few hours every other week to be here. I get that. Is it frustrating sometimes? Yes, but I don't wear my stripes on my sleeve and expect a guilded hanky, either, and I accept that sometimes these things happen.

Am I probably an outlier? Yes. Is the NE RO smaller than some of the others? Undoubtedly. Does that mean that every VA RO/Med center is awesome or totally sucks? No.

[aggie54]

Please don't miss your appointments. Do what you have too do to make it.

Good luck.

Aggie

[lotzaspotz]

My husband rescheduled a c & p over the phone because I had outpatient surgery scheduled on the same day, and he had to be there. He received a letter shortly after that saying it was the last time he would be allowed to reschedule the appointment, and it gave him a new date and time. New Orleans VARO. Shreveport VAMC.