tinnitus Service Connection Granted , now what ?

[Bigwrench]

Hello everyone , I'm new to the site and new to the VA as far as Disability and ratings go . I'm not sure if this post is in the right area so feel free to move it if needed.  

Army 13 Bravo 87-91

filed a claim on bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus in December 2015, in January I was called back to the VA for another test and February 8th I was granted service connection for both with a 10% on Tinnitus and 0% for the hearing loss. I am somewhat confused by the 0% Rating for the bilateral hearing loss , the reason for the 0 rating was given as a speech discrimination in right ear of 86 with avg dB loss of 46 and left ear SD of 88 with avg dB loss of 44

   The audiologist also noted a moderate to severe sensoneuroial damage to both ears 

my ear problems started at Ft Bragg 8/88 with a field training exercise where someone threw a simulator grenade under the net of our gun in the middle of the night which landed very Near my sleeping bag . I Couldn't hear for a couple days and ringing off and on since. I wore hearing protection during all live fire missions but not while sleeping on a dry fire training exercise. At that time a hearing test was done which is on record as showing hearing loss at higher hertz levels. The pre enlistment hearing test also showed perfect hearing. 

My Hearing has progressively gotten worse over the years and I really hadn't thought of filing for a claim until a hearing test was done at the VA in 2010 and the audiologist at the time recommended I file , I stewed on it and figured it would be a long drawn out hassle and not worth my time . I was issued hearing aids and life went on. Well I finally filed in December as stated due to the worsening of both conditions and was absolutely floored that a decision was made in 6 weeks which was somewhat favorable.  A friend suggested I add the sensoneuroial loss (since their most recent audiologist added this in her findings during the January 16 test) to the claim and ask for an increase in rating on the hearing loss, which I have done . Also everything has been done electronically online at the eBenefits site up to this point. 

 My questions are many but I guess I just wanted to see if there is anything else I should do or if there has been something I have done wrong up to this point to cause the 0% rating ? I uploaded copies of the audiologist statements about the sensoneuroial damage with my last request also. Any suggestions or recommendations would be appreciated , Thank you for this outlet and resource. I have been reading through a bunch of posts today and thought id introduce myself.  

[Bigwrench]

3 minutes ago, Buck52 said:

Bigwrench

Don't spend it just yet   just put it in another account for now.

call the 1-800 Number and ask them to figure it out and what are you suppose to do   just ask them plan is this your $$  and have them to send you an email to confirm it.  if they say  yes its yours...usually they pay for the next month  if your claim is decided on Dec 1st  then they pay from Feb 1st...that's the way I understand it.

but I certainly could be wrong    so when your not sure   just set that $$ aside and have the VA to figure it out   if the say send it back then you will have it to send back...anyway that's what I'd do.

 

............Buck

Thanks Buck I was afraid to do anything with it lol

Ill give them a call and see what they can tell me

[boomer2]

It is good that you were at least rated at 0%. I have been using hearing aids now for over 13 years and I will tell you that the last set I got in Dec of 2015 are by far the best I have had. I was rated 0% for 9 years and then went to 30% for HL. One of the things you want to ask for is the Bluetooth device that will enable you to talk on your cell phone thru your hearing aids.  The new one I have is great I also use it to listen to the TV. I absolutely cannot talk to any Latins or Orientals  on the phone I do not understand them even with hearing aids. An audiologist at the VA told me your aids should last about three years.  Also, there is a hearing test being used in the civilian sector that has background noise with it. A much more realistic test but, the VA will probably never use it because all of us would probably be rated over 50%.

[Bigwrench]

2 minutes ago, boomer2 said:

It is good that you were at least rated at 0%. I have been using hearing aids now for over 13 years and I will tell you that the last set I got in Dec of 2015 are by far the best I have had. I was rated 0% for 9 years and then went to 30% for HL. One of the things you want to ask for is the Bluetooth device that will enable you to talk on your cell phone thru your hearing aids.  The new one I have is great I also use it to listen to the TV. I absolutely cannot talk to any Latins or Orientals  on the phone I do not understand them even with hearing aids. An audiologist at the VA told me your aids should last about three years.  Also, there is a hearing test being used in the civilian sector that has background noise with it. A much more realistic test but, the VA will probably never use it because all of us would probably be rated over 50%.

That's some great info , Thank you ! The Audiologist I just used stated I should get new aids every 3 years , I didn't know this so I also asked my PCP about it in the message yesterday.  This is exactly why I am glad I found you guys , my biggest obstacle has been NOT knowing what I am allowed to do ... (How often should hearing aids be replaced or checked , how often should I get my prescription glasses replaced , how often should I have by CPAP machine checked or replaced or how often should I order supplies for it ) even the compensation that I am getting now I didn't file until last December, didn't even start using the VA for medical till probably 09 because I just didn't know it was an option for me. I think there must be thousands of Vets out there that don't have any idea like me and I am so glad there is somewhere to ask these questions and get straight answers ! So again Thank You all so much !

[Chuck75]

6 hours ago, bleggett29 said:

Are you sure on this. I contacted the Veterans Choice directly and was told it didn't matter if the closer clinic provided the services I needed; If any clinic was within the established distance, no Veterans Choice. However, you may be able to get "pay basis" (not sure on the terminology), if your local provider accepts. You'll still need to start the process with your VA PCP.

The clinic PCP has to say in the VA computer system that you are eligible. Somehow, this gets to the Choice program as initial authorization. This may mean that you have to get an appointment to get access to the PCP to get the process started. (More Delay) The qualifying reasons were two. Distance from the VA facility able to provide the service (Difficulty is a sub category of this one). OR delay over 31 days to get an appointment.

(The 31 day bit can be interpreted as time to an appointment to get a referral appointment to the whatever that can provide the service)

In 2014, it took me a bit more than six months to get the fee paid process to authorize a cardiac cath.  Going directly to the cardiologist, and having Medicare Advantage pay - a few days, No more than two days or even less if I started having certain symptoms.

The VA option was used because it was much less expense to me, and, having lived with a serious heart condition for decades, I can recognize various get something done now symptoms. In the past, I often did not have the luxury, either due to the VA's snail pace, or emerging symptoms that required immediate attention.

The PCP is the one that says that the clinic cannot provide the needed services.  In my area, the changes have totally screwed up the old fee paid scheme that was the process before "Choice".

Edited February 26, 2016 by Chuck75

[Bigwrench]

A few updates on my situation and first Id like to thank you all for the support and help with my questions no matter how dumb they may seem.

 Since this posting I have been approved for using the vets Choice program for both ophthalmology and Audiology !!!

For the glasses I called the MHVAMC directly to set up an eye exam (It had been over 2 years since my last one) and the closes appt they could get me in was June, (I called around March 28th) and I was asked directly if I wanted to use the Choice program at that time and I said yes and it was set in motion , was contacted by Tri West and asked about my preferences and they set it all up , the exam was performed this last Monday. So easy peasy ! I was given a new prescription but have to send, mail or fax that to Mountain Home VA in JC, TN ( Not Sure which yet , will call today to find out) before they will issue my new glasses . I could have purchased directly from the examining office for a fee but otherwise the entire process went smooth and easy and was entirely 100% FREE !

I also have a scheduled appointment with my Local Audiologist for a fitting and issuance of new hearing aids with the Bluetooth option and there is no fee for that either. This process was actually a little more involved than the glasses was as I had to have my PCP recommend the Choice program (Several Emails back and forth through the Secure Messaging option on the MyHealthEVet website started process on 26 February as noted in earlier posts on this thread ) got the call from Tri West about Audiology Tuesday , Appt is May 3rd  but otherwise that was pain free as well.

Also on the Audiology subject, I received a letter yesterday from the VA ( I did file an appeal on the Percentage as Buck Suggested above ) with the new results from my Local Audiologist and I was denied and left at 0% LOL

their decision reasoning ;

-The evaluation of is continued at 0 percent disabling

- An evaluation of 0 percent is assigned because your right ear has a speech discrimination of 100 (WTH?) with an average dB loss of 50 and your left ear has a speech discrimination of 100 (WTH?) with an average dB loss of 49. The evaluation of hearing loss is based on objective testing. Higher evaluations are assigned for more severe hearing impairment.

-An evaluation of 0 percent is assigned because the audiometrics are not adequate to assign an evaluation. There must be Maryland CNC speech discrimination scores and recorded dB thresholds at 500, 1000, 2000, 3000, and 4000 Hz. The evaluation for hearing loss is based on objective testing. Higher evaluations are assigned for more severe hearing impairment.

- We considered your Audiometric findings from Dr. Hel*****  from February 2016 with word recognition scores of 75% in each ear (was actually 75 & 78) . While these scores are not shown to be from a Maryland CNC speech discrimination test, we did consider them in our decision, but they did not change your evaluation. Even with consideration of these findings, your overall evaluation for bilateral hearing loss remains 0 percent.

Ok lol I wish I could upload the documents to show what the results were and get everyone's opinon but don't see how to do that but my Audiologist clearly states in her findings on page 2

Slight Sensorineural loss 500HZ-2KHZ dropping to a Moderately severe loss 3KHZ-8KHZ , bilaterally.

Speech reception and discrimination testing was completed with words in quiet using the Maryland CNC word list recorded.

 

The actual Hz readings were in a graph format but clearly labeled and understandable even for a dummy like me lol

My question now is should I just file a NOD and staple all this together with a written map and highlighted areas that they need to pay attention to ? Clearly its a 10% rating using table VI of their 38CFR 4.86 rules so not sure if I should give up or not lol.

 

  Another thing is I still haven't gotten my C File from the regional VA ( Roanoke VA)  , Haven't received any medical or otherwise records from the NPRC that I sent off for , they said the records were unavailable because they were out for a C&P exam lol !!!  I also requested all records from Mountain Home VA and they are supposed to mail me a CD but gave me the orginal hearing test results that day that they did back in 2010 which were before the  Maryland CNC test I guess because they were a little different 

 So what do ya'll think ? NOD? Appeal ? or forget it for awhile until I get all these records in my hands to make a stronger case ? I truly think I have a solid argument with the Audiologist results I have now but evidently they aren't seeing the same things I am lol

   I have to say I have lived with this hearing loss since 1988... pretty much a stress free life the last 15 years or so but this whole process is bringing on a stress level I am not too comfortable with and sometimes think I just opened a can of worms LOL

Thanks Again !

Rick

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited April 22, 2016 by Bigwrench