Effective dates and back pay for FDC's

[DevilDog12]

Was wondering if someone could clarify this for me.  I had called Peggy, and got 2 different answers.  If I filed a FDC in October 2015, can they still go back a year for Retro pay?  I filed a FDC in April of 2015, and the effective date was April 2014, so I got a year of Retro Pay.  The gentleman I spoke to today, said that the program is over, and they will not go back a year anymore.  So, instead of an effective date of October 2014, this claim will be effective of October 2015.  Therefore, I will not get Retro pay going back one year prior.  Just wondering if anyone can clarity this for me.

[Guest]

WASHINGTON – The Department of Veterans Affairs announced today that Veterans filing an original Fully Developed Claim (FDC) for service-connected disability compensation may be entitled to up to one-year of retroactive disability benefits.  The retroactive benefits, which are in effect Aug. 6, 2013, through Aug. 5, 2015, are a result of a comprehensive legislative package passed by Congress and signed into law by President Obama last year.

“VA strongly encourages Veterans to work with Veterans Service Organizations to file Fully Developed Claims and participate in this initiative, since it means more money in eligible Veterans’ pockets simply by providing VA the information it needs up front,” said Allison A. Hickey, Under Secretary for Benefits. “At the same time, it helps reduce the inventory of pending claims by speeding the process.”

http://www.va.gov/opa/pressrel/pressrelease.cfm?id=2464