Anyone else find it peculiar?

[green]

That a VSO with power of attorney can contact the VA and get more detailed information regarding the status of a claim than a vet representing themselves can get?

[broncovet]

I agree this is bizarre, Green.  Lots of VA stuff blows my mind.  A few examples:

1.  How is it the VA (loans) charges interest to Vets on their home, but pays them nothing for interest when its the VA's fault benefits are delayed?

2.  If there is a "deemed denial", should there not also be a "deemed award"?  

3.  If 100% Vets get $2906.83, then a 10% Vet should get $290.68, right?  (10%?)  Wrong.  The Vet gets less than half, or $133.17 per month, so each month a 10% Vet gets shafted $157.51.  This happened over many many years by VA constantly "rounding down" the dollars, which has ultimately reduced the benefits of a 10% Veteran by more than half.  In other words, according to VA, 10% = 4.58%.   A veteran with a 10 percent rating, is really only rated 4.58% disabled.  

Edited February 13, 2016 by broncovet

[Chuck75]

In general, the VA laws/regs were written in such a way that they sound good on the surface, and become less so when all the gory details are put in to play.

Examples:

1. The VA is entitled to deduct $100 from the 20% fee a lawyer gets for successfully winning a claim. But, when the VA stretches things out, and forces

a veteran to file multiple claims and appeals, the VA get to deduct multiple $100 fees.

2. When the VA takes years to finally award a claim, not only is no interest paid, the claim is paid according to the year by year statutory amounts.

No adjustment is made for inflation. It's possible that a retro claim going back a decade or so, if inflation was taken into proper account, might  involve

far far more than the VA is obligated by law to pay.  To get an idea of the differences, one method is to use the government's own tables used in procurement and contracting.

3. VA medical treatment is often based more on cost than quality or appropriateness for a specific veteran's conditions. This also can be found outside the VA when insurance companies are involved. A situation I ran into involved a VAMC that has a reputation for recommending false teeth instead of more costly alternatives.

One of my daughters got into a major fracas with an insurance company over treatment while she was pregnant. The insurance company wanted her to use an approved less costly treatment that would have required an abortion. With the help of multiple doctors, she was able to obtain the optimum treatment for the condition, and not have an abortion. She and the now few months old baby boy are doing well.

 

And it just goes on!

 

 

Edited February 13, 2016 by Chuck75

[MCCFR97]

4 hours ago, green said:

I guess I was asking the question from a legal perspective rather than a "who the VA prefers to deal with" perspective but I do appreciate your opinion yellowrose.

I'm kinda new to the process, I'm represented by the DAV. Initially I showed no rep on my ebenefits. And a letter I got this week from the VARO said I did not have a rep. I called the DAV, even though I have done the ppr that DAV is my rep (and has power of attorney), they told me to go to ebenefits and enter them as my rep. I did this and had to check several boxes about what I was giving permission for the DAV to access. After that my ebenefits updated. 

I guess my question is, at any point have you filled out any forms like this appointing POA to a VSO? If not I see your point and I would question that.

if you have done this paperwork, I would think I would trust the DAV knows what they want and don't want from my overall medical record, and although I'm not informed as to what they are concentrating on, they must have more knowledge than I in their area. I hate being a sheep, but at some point I have to give up a certain amount of control to my rep and have to believe he has my best interest in mind.

i guess I'm good waiting till this is done and can read my overall file, I don't need to know everything they are doing, as long as there is something being done. 

I hope I stayed on topic brother,

Semper Fi 

[green]

MCCFR, I don't have a VSO.  I (and other vets that choose to pursue claims on their own) are at the mercy of what the VA is willing to tell us regarding the status of our claim.  This means we can call the 1-800 number, ask a VA employee through the chat feature on ebenefits or submit an IRIS question.  The problem is that none of these resources provide the vet with specific or detailed information regarding the status of the claim.  We are forced to wait until the claim is decided and receive formal notification as to the official decision. 

 

However, if we appoint a power of attorney the POA has the ability to gain detailed information about our claims.  I don't think it's right that I should have to give another person or entity the ability to speak, make decisions on my behalf to gain this detailed information.  The VA should be forced to provide this same detail to vets who don't elect to be represented by a POA.

 

Some veterans representatives are very good, some are not.

Edited February 13, 2016 by green

[MCCFR97]

Ok, gotcha, yeah you have more info than me on that one, I chose to use a rep, but I see your point. 

I just felt like I was driving with no headlights. I know nothing about the VA except what I learn here and experience myself.

i hope you find the answer your looking for.