Email To Allison Hickey

[vern2]

Sent an email to Ms. Hickey today.

Wow!

got responses from VARO director at St. Pete, Nashville, and director of Efile storage/claims at St. Louis. as well as Ms. Hickey.

Stirred up a firestorm. more to follow.

Vern2

[Devil_Dog]

Same here. I have the Hartford RO director calling me daily with updates now. Things moving along. It's about time someone started doing something for us!

[free_spirit_etc]

That's great Vern2!

I emailed her March 6 about getting my BVA decision processed. I already received notification today from the Assistant Director at the RO. "The award action on your full grant of benefits should be authorized today. Typically, you should expect to receive the benefit award notification letter in the mail in 7-10 business days, maybe less. "

Edited March 11, 2015 by free_spirit_etc (see edit history)

[vern2]

What really makes me mad is the endless C& P exams, I have had 7 so far, all for same issues. WTF?

[paulcolrain]

if the va could make one Allison hickey for every state hmm. maybe even just 4 regions..like North East,South East, South West, North West..... things would rock...... just saying i cant see her keeping up with every email we are now gonna send her.

[Navy04]

Vern2, I get you bud. My current FDC was submitted in Nov 14. This claim was Prep for Decision with no C&Ps from Dec14-Feb15. Then all of a sudden claim goes back to Gathering of Evidence, RO sent me to 8-10 C&Ps, also the VA reviewed 4 of my current SC conditions, even though they were not due until Feb 2016 to be reviewed. Now my claim has been at Prep for Decision for the last month. Funny thing is going by the C&P notes, it looks like I will granted almost all of the current conditions claimed, and a few of the Reviewed conditions look like they are going to be increased, right back at ya you dang VA!!!!

[Buck52]

Check out this new form21-526 (b) its a secondary supplemental to SC disability's to file as secondary to your current disability's.

Suppose to make the claim go faster with out all the red tape to adjudicate the claim/claim's.

This is a fairly new form!

.............Buck!

[vern2]

Latest update. I had one C & P exam Friday for scars. Then Saturday I get notice of 3 more exams, one is for heart. They just did a cardio exam in August 2013, no change to my heart. I had complained to Ms. Hickey about the number of C & P exams, which was 7, now the total will be 11. They are repeat of same exams that had in 2004-2005. I will not miss the C & P exams, but feel like a hamster in wheel, round, n round

One new thing, I did get a CD of my Claim file from St. Louis, 1729 pages, but noticed that I had 4 copies of most documentation. Is this normal? Also still had 5 pages of another Veterans files on my CD. I had asked that this be removed, but they never removed it.

[georgiapapa]

vern2,

If the other veteran's address is listed on his documents in your file, I would mail them to the other veteran with an explanation as to how you received them. He may have some of your records in his file. Possibly, a VA employee at your RO was working on both of your files at the same time and mixed up the records. Even if the other veteran's address is not in your file, he more than likely lives in your state since you both appear to share the same RO. Unless it is unlisted, you could probably find the other veteran's telephone number on the Internet and be able to contact him if you want to make him aware of the records. JMO

GP

[georgiapapa]

vern2,

In regards to my other post, I am assuming you can print copies of the other veteran's records from your CD.

GP

[vern2]

These are same records I had received in my paper copy of claim file in February and sent those back to Kerrie Witty, Director of St. Pete VARO. It upsets me that after this fact and an email to MS. Witty, that my E file still has the other vets records. Wonder where my missing 200+ pages went?

[georgiapapa]

Probably to the other veteran.

[MarkInTexas]

I had over a 100 total pages of other veterans' information sent to me over the past few years. About 90 of them were in my C-File copy and another 10 or so were crammed in with a brown envelope along with a request for more information a few years ago.

I made copies and mailed the copies to the VA and also sent an IRIS notification to them. The response back was for me to include the names and SSN information of the other veterans for the VA to "have proof" that they had mistakenly sent some other veteran information to me. After I sent them the information, for a total of about 5 veterans, I never heard a word back from them.

However, in December last year, a new C-File request popped up on my eBenefits page. I didn't request a second C-File yet, but I would imagine that they probably had to reopen and review the documents. I had also mentioned that the C-File copy they had sent me had literally none of my service medical records, which I also happily sent to them, noting that they had failed to obtain the records themselves, at least what I had on hand and what I retrieved from the National Personnel Records Center.

I had also sent them a demand letter via certified mail, asking that they acknowledge that I was rated by the VA utilizing a C-File containing only a few of my SMR's, when they were easily retrievable through the NPRC and should have been retrieved under the VA's duty to assist, and around 90 pages of medical records of other veterans. No response. However, I think the sudden C-File review was prompted by this.

I would keep the original documents of the other veterans in a secure place as proof in case you need it. You didn't request them, and had no idea they were there, but as long as you safeguard them and don't use them for any other purpose, except as possible evidence of wrongdoing on the VA's part, you are probably safe. That's what I did.

I also did it to hopefully slow down their NOD response to buy myself more time to obtain an IME/IMO to better substantiate my claims. Only time will tell if that works out.

Peace out,

Mark

[vern2]

I called the JACC today, and they admitted that the upcoming exams are exactly the same ones that I had in August 2013. WTF. I complained to Ms Hickey about the sheer number of exams, and result is that St Pete schedules me for 4 more, so far. The only thing tha happened after my last exams, and subsequent denial of claim is that I filed a strong NOD, and sent copies of DBQ's by 2 cardiologists, 2 IME's, and 2 letters. I just filed a CUE on this matter as well. Seems like they are trying to counter my cardio doctor's DBQ and letters.

I will post again after my exams next month.

I will bring copies of my DBQ's and read from them at the exam! I have clinicians guide printed as well. It has been my experience in last 7 exams that the examiners have a "game plan", they ask leading questions in an attempt to elicit the response they want to put down, not exactly what the veteran is telling the examiner. Do the C & P examiners lie? It has been my experience that they will readily lie to support what the VARO wants them to say, not the truth.

[paulcolrain]

I called the JACC today, and they admitted that the upcoming exams are exactly the same ones that I had in August 2013. WTF. I complained to Ms Hickey about the sheer number of exams, and result is that St Pete schedules me for 4 more, so far. The only thing tha happened after my last exams, and subsequent denial of claim is that I filed a strong NOD, and sent copies of DBQ's by 2 cardiologists, 2 IME's, and 2 letters. I just filed a CUE on this matter as well. Seems like they are trying to counter my cardio doctor's DBQ and letters.

I will post again after my exams next month.

I will bring copies of my DBQ's and read from them at the exam! I have clinicians guide printed as well. It has been my experience in last 7 exams that the examiners have a "game plan", they ask leading questions in an attempt to elicit the response they want to put down, not exactly what the veteran is telling the examiner. Do the C & P examiners lie? It has been my experience that they will readily lie to support what the VARO wants them to say, not the truth.

leading questions to what they are told will be denying points. like if the patiant experiences pain but does not experience fatigue. how the hell can a 8 minute exam find out if the patient has fatigue . puts it in subjective evidence but in objective says NO. thes exams should be deemed bias and not helpful by all the veteran organizations. then we should all be allowed to get paid for imo/ime from any doc of our choice. if the true value of this expensive entitlement is that they look out for veterans then why do 90% of veterans claim that the C+P exams are not done legit... why do one day the va medical Dr. do an evaluation and state severe range of motion pain and then the next day a C+P Doc say has no range of motion problems and cannot objectively state pain with fatigue.... i dont get why we the citizens we who are veterans are paying our tax money for the C+P doctors. our mothers and fathers and siblings pay taxes for this as well but yet these exams are so biased and never result in a real exam. they should be shown in congress for what they really are

Edited March 27, 2015 by paulcolrain (see edit history)

[paulcolrain]

congress should push for the DBQ to be paid for by the money the va gets for the C+P exams. and veterans should have a choice to get a DBQ from a privately found Doc or a veteran Doc.. at the end of every budget year it should be looked at as to how many vets chose the private over va doc and the budget for the C+P exam should then be adjusted... NO MORE MILLIONS GOING TO C+P EXAMS THAT ARE BIAS AGAINST THE VETERANS

Edited March 27, 2015 by paulcolrain (see edit history)

[paulcolrain]

THIS MIGHT INCREASE THE NUMBER OF SERVICE CONNECTED VETERANS BUT IT WILL ALSO INCREASE THE TRUST OF THE AMERICAN PEOPLE SO THAT DURING A TIME OF WAR A DRAFT WILL NOT BE NECESSARY...WE CAN TRUST OUR VETS WILL BE TAKEN CARE OF!!!!!!!! THIS MIGHT SCARE ALL THE OTHER VETS THAT FEEL AS IF THE BENEFITS WILL STOP ONCE THE COUNTRY IS BROKE BUT AT LEAST WE WILL ALL BE IN THE FIGHT NOT JUST THE VETERANS WHO HAVE JOBS AT THE VA

[free_spirit_etc]

These are same records I had received in my paper copy of claim file in February and sent those back to Kerrie Witty, Director of St. Pete VARO. It upsets me that after this fact and an email to MS. Witty, that my E file still has the other vets records. Wonder where my missing 200+ pages went?

My husband's discharge physical was missing from his file. I wrote to the VA and told them that other veteran's records were in my husband's C-file - and asked them:

1. To please look in those veteran's files for my husband's missing records.

2. What they wanted me to do with the other veteran's records that were in my husband's file.

They just gave me some blanket generic statement about how they had sent me everything in the file and that was all his records . They didn't really acknowledge that I had reported other veteran's confidential information being sent to me.

[Maria Harkins]

Can someone give me her email address?

thanks

[free_spirit_etc]

Can someone give me her email address?

thanks

Allison.Hickey@va.gov

[vern2]

Latest update on my most recent email to Ms. Hickey:

Received an email from a Candace Thorpe yesterday. per Linkedin, she is a Senior Claims Examiner with the VACO in D.C.

"Allison truly cares about answering your email. She is reading them but has asked her claims team to help expedite your inquiry. We have also included your Regional Office Director.

Best Regards,

Candace Thorpe"

it is truly amazing what you can discover using the Internet. The last time I sent an email to Ms. Hickey, another person on her staff read it. I was intrigued and did a little Internet research. Found out she was Management Analyst with VA and type of car she drives, to include tag number, home address, phone number etc. Wow! So I checked and found out that my personal info is "out" there as well. WTF!

All I was trying to find out is who she was and her job title, but the amount of info out there is too much. I surely do not want my personal info available, but it appears that some of this came from DMV.