(Ides) Integrated Disability Evaluation System

[D4rest]

So, my husband just retired March 31, 2015 at 20 years. In June of 2014 the Navy began processing him for medical retirement in IDES. Sept. 8, 2014 he got the combined disability proposed ratings of 100%. The command supported my husbands desire to finish his 20 years to reach retire (he was so close anyway) and so the PEB listed him as fit for service to finish out the 6 months he had left. He agreed because he wanted to ensure he got his 20 years. Everyone he spoke to made it sound like all the VA compensation was in process and would begin upon retirement. He has had many VA appointments where they have been talking about awaiting his final decision award letter, etc. We have been checking Ebenefits and it has been listed as Pending Decision since Oct. 20014. Well, we just checked and suddenly is listed as closed with NO indication of a decision letter being sent. My husband called today and they said they closed the case (April 9, 2015- after he retired March 31st) because PEB listed him as fit for service. So, all of this time we thought we had applied early while in service under and now find he has to start the process ALL over again. Everyone we kept talking to told us we were just awaiting an award letter and that it would come after his retirement date. This is a HUGE blow as we thought we had all of our ducks in a row to get this processed smoothly since starting while still in service. I was sooo FOOLISH to hope that everything we heard wasn't true. Here we are back at square one. I'm pushing for my husband to go get an advocate.

[D4rest]

Thank you Georgiapapa and Paul. Our VA program coordinator never called us today, as he said he would. I do believe this could have been avoided as well. I spent a lot of time looking through all the paperwork we had on hand, and finally came across a 21-4138 form dated (along with accompanying form 21-526EZ) 10/07/2014 with a statement:

"See attached VA Form 21-526ez. This is submitted to file a Benefits Delivery at Discharge (BDD) claim. I did undergo Claim processing via IDES/Medical Board Process. I underwent all exams thru QTC Medical Services which were completed in July 2014 (ie, under one year ago). My Claim Folder is located at VA Regional, Providence, RI. (VARO-304)"

In addition to the new claims my husband just submitted, there is one pending in eBenefits listed as "Dependancy" dated 10/8/2014 that is "under review." Could that be this? I tried to post a screen shot, but it doesn't seem possible.

I really appreciate everyone's contribution. This is an amazing resource. You have been a comfort by listening to our troubles and sharing your input. Thank you, thank you, thank you.

[D4rest]

Update: Today my husband and I visited our local VA to get answers. We had been unsuccessful getting in touch with the 800#, and also our prior VSO at my husbands final duty station failed to return our calls. I have been working, so unable to accompany my husband to get things sorted out. He really needs support due to his depression and medication levels, so is unable to do much of these things on his own. Our new VSO said the ball was dropped big time on our claim and that it was "a hot mess". Apparently the IDES claim needed to be closed out before the BDD claim could be initiated, or/and the last VSO completed the wrong document, etc (he suggested it was the IDES councilor's fault and our old VSO's). Through our new VSO we made our claim a fully developed one and he uploaded our DD214 and added new dependancy claim to go with it. I just checked eBenefits and the claim has been updated to "preparation for a decision". Hopefully, we are really squared away now. Fingers crossed & praying...

[georgiapapa]

D4rest,

I really hope your husband's claim situation is back on track and the two of you receive good news in the near future. Please continue to keep us posted. I hope your husband's health situation improves so you can take a well deserved break.

Good luck and take care.

GP

[D4rest]

Update.  Still waiting.  Claim still says Preparation for Decision on Ebenefits and is flagged for past due. We haven't heard anything else except for receiving a couple letters from the VA saying sorry for taking so long.  That is it. 

Take care!

[pwrslm]

You should talk to your VSO and find out exactly what is past due.  Were they asking for another exam that never got scheduled?

[D4rest]

Thank you pwrslm.  I agree that we need to head over to the VSO and see what is happening. The flag is meaning that the claim is past its expected completion date. All C&Ps, etc. were done prior to my husband retiring from service. The BDD was somehow lost in the shuffle because the IDES claim was never closed like it was supposed to be.  At least that is what the VSO told us.  We filed a fully developed claim using all the records C & Ps that were less than a year old.  We had hoped because my husband had a proposed rating prior to his exit from service that things might go faster.  That is not seeming to be the case.