How To Talk To A Real Live Person About Your Claim, Every Time You Call

[puppyduks]

Not sure if this is common knowledge or not but in case it could help anyone....

If you call the 800.827.1000 number during business hours to check the status on a claim or ask a question, the recorded message will tell you that all representatives are busy helping others and please try your call again later.

If you get up early in the morning and call before business hours, you can utilize the callback feature. At the prompt, select the option to leave your name and number and have a representative call you when it is your turn in line. Say your name and confirm your number and hang up. Then, KEEP YOUR PHONE HANDY until you receive a call back (I have even answered it dripping wet from the shower). It may show up as a restricted or unknown number, ANSWER THE PHONE. It will be a recorded voice telling you that there is a call for "Your Name". ACCEPT THE CALL. Then voila! Real live person. And they have almost all been super friendly, courteous and willing to help you get your concerns heard/questions answered.

They have never failed to call me back, and it is usually pretty fast, within a couple hours or so. MUCH better than waiting on hold or getting frustrated and upset by repeatedly calling in a futile effort to get through faster.

Hope this helps and that it is not simply redundant info. :)

[Vync]

I remember the days when the claim load was high and you never got the call back later message...

[NavyWife]

Good info. Thanks for posting. If you're not an early bird you can also call in the evening after they close and arrange a callback time for the next day.

[puppyduks]

Berta, I heard that they have 3 different software versions that they are trying to consolidate or at least get them compatible so one can show the other's info... just what I heard so not sure how true that is.

I can tell by the way they talk if the reps are new or less experienced employees. It is frustrating to get a rep who doesn't have a good grasp of the system but I guess they gotta learn somehow. One good thing about that number is that you will probably get a different rep the next time you call.

After the VA denied my claim because I did not show up for a C&P (I was not notified of exam date/time) and I got conflicting information from two different reps while trying to get the error fixed, I emailed Ms. Hickey for help. She replied the same day. My case got re-opened within two days. I am now waiting for them to contact me to schedule the exams and it is back on track.

I went into the OPC yesterday to update my financial papers since my salary has changed. There were some ladies there with a huge cake, giving pieces to everyone who walked in. I was too anxious to see what the cake was for (I have really bad anxiety and panic at the VA and everything becomes a blur). But my five year old daughter was all over that cake. Everyone was really nice and helpful but the VA medical clinics just make me want to bolt. The same feeling you would get if you were standing on the edge of a cliff and someone accidently jostled you. I had to take the papers outside to fill them out. I felt like an idiot. But I got them turned in.

[Berta]

VA celebrates Valentines Day for the vets and anyone else who might turn up...so maybe that was reason for the cake.....or someone's birthday...

I went to our local VAMC's POW day celebration. The POWs and their families got a fabulous prime rib meal prior to the public service and then Everyone there got cake, coffee, cookies, all sorts of goodies.

I think your reaction to the med clinic is normal for Many vets.

And I think it is great that you contacted Ms. Hickey.

"But my five year old daughter was all over that cake. " I was touched by that.

My daughter was close to that age ,maybe 6, when I first took her to the Vet Center (VA) where I was a volunteer in the PTSD Rap group. It was for a Veterans Day parade and a cake and ice cream party there.

It was her first real experience with disabled Vietnam vets because her dad, a disabled vet (Korea War era), was hospitalized within months after her birth, and after he died she really didn't remember going to the hospital to see him.She helped carry our POW MIA flag in the parade.

My closest PTSD friend there had been shot in the face in Vietnam and told me to prepare her for his appearance before she met him. ( he had even prepared me too by phone before I had met him and within a few seconds, he looked like everyone else to me, a great friend , defined well beyond his obvious facial deformities ......... others had PTSD and some had other visible injuries.too .I wasn't sure if she was too young to be there but took her anyhow and she had a great time., totally comfortable with the vets there..

She is now a veteran, USAF Intel ( Vietnamese Linguist) served for 7 years and has been at DOD for 13 years.as a civilian ....and helped some disabled veterans with PTSD get their awards.(VA and additional service awards on their DD 215s......and one even got the Distinguished Flying Cross ........decades after the Vietnam incident.

We shape our children in many ways.

After I married my USMC husband, we went to the local VA often with her, sometimes just playing pool or cards with the vets in their Recreation room, and sometimes, just talking to inpatients.

Once or twice in the PTSD therapy sessions too.

Bringing our kids to VAMCs or VA ceremonies, or other events that disabled vets are at (like the Moving Wall) shows them what military sacrifice truly is ,

and could inspire them someday to even serve in the Military or even choose to work at a VAMC.

Edited February 14, 2015 by Berta