Copies of C&P Exam Results Must Now Be Requested from Your RO?

[lotzaspotz]

This is interesting and unfortunate, if true.  My husband had another C&P exam yesterday. It was at a VA office in town dedicated to these exams, but not at the VAMC.  While it was going on and I was waiting in the lobby, I asked the receptionist for the form to complete to get a copy of it, as I've always done.  She replied, and the examiner later concurred when I asked him the same thing, that the VA nationwide has implemented a new policy.  Copies of exam results must now be requested directly from the RO, and will not be available until after a claim is decided.  VAMC's will no longer provide copies to veterans.  You can guess what's going to happen (or more likely, not happen) if veterans have to jump through this brand new hoop to get medical information that rightfully belongs to them in reference to their claims and appeals.

Has anyone else heard this?  I'm wondering how the HIPAA laws impact this.  Our Congressman is also an M.D., and I'm ready to contact him, but I'd first like to get my facts straight.  I asked about accessing the information on ebenefits, but they told me to expect a change in that, but they didn't know how that was all going to shake out.  

 

Edited April 8, 2016 by lotzaspotz

[lotzaspotz]

Buck, this was the first time ever that I was not permitted in the exam room with my husband.  I had a packet of relevant evidence however, which I've always brought for the occasion if something like this ever happened.  The examiner did accept it and later, after it was over, indicated to me that he had read it and appeared happy to have it, as some evidence previously submitted to the RO was missing from what the VA gave him (another reason the veteran needs a copy of the exam before a rating decision takes place).  He assured me the packet, in the format I gave him and exactly in the order it was presented to him, would be inserted in the claims file.  So, at least this time, I'm not as concerned about not being there as I would have been if the evidence packet was refused.  

[Buck52]

Roger That lotz,

I have another contention to file for but I think I'm finished with the VA I finally got my 100% and SMC-S after 16 Years fighting with them  well actually my first claim was in 1988, I was 0% SC in 1990 and in 1998 was awarded 30%  had that until 2002 and was awarded 50%  and all along they should have rated me the 50% the first time!

I was a greenhorn and never filed an NOD Back in the 80's 90's  until I met a vet at my VAMC who was on hadit in 2001 and I join Hadit and Roger Phillips (Flip) and Ms Berta Helped me guided me through the claims process.

So now with what I got I'm satisfied  even tho I did get beat out of years of retro...I am tired of them,so that's it for me...even if I could get some retro back to me its not worth it as my health has deteriorated and I would just rather help other veterans with there claims...that's what I do part time and get on here at hadit  it actually helps me from going in sane.

I've learned to try to think of everything under the sun and always have a back-up for the vets I help before we file. and the very first thing I tell a vet is request your military records and C-FILE and then we can work with that  before we file.

 and now I have them to file a ITF after he /she gets that C-File and just go from there,   not always I do this... just for the veterans that don't have much to go on.

I wish you and your hubby the best just keep hanging in there and eventually you guys will win and get what your hubby deserves and be through with the VA....Actually we're all never truly through with them until we reach that 20 year mark  but we will be through with the damn claims process and hopefully have and live a better way of life.

I wish that for all Veterans and spouses.

...Buck

[lotzaspotz]

Very well said, Buck.  We're looking forward to that day, too.  Thank you.

[Gastone]

Was the C & P completed by a VA Dr or Contract Dr? The VA Rating Dept requested the C & P DBQ, being that the Vet didn't request the DBQ, I don't think it's your property till it hits your C-File or Your Med Recd if done at the VMC.

In 2014 a VMC VA Dr conducting my C & P, agreed that another SC was the more likely cause of the Secondary issue. He told me he couldn't address it, on the Rating Dept requested DBQ. Further discussion regarding VA DBQ Policy got us to the point, if I were to ask him for a Specific DBQ to be complete during our C & P appointment, he was obligated per VA DBQ policy, to comply with my request.

I did, he did and gave me a copy of the requested DBQ. Made notation for the Record that I had requested the DBQ.

(3) months later, Denial Letter from original C & P DBQ, as expected. Couple weeks later, received SC Secondary Award based solely on his 2nd DBQ, no additional C & P Exam was necessary.

Semper Fi

[iceturkee]

your choice. but as long as the va clinic i used did the exams (they haven't in years), there was, at least, one clerk who worked with scheduling the exams, making sure they were entered where they were suppose to go, et cetera. that was the person who told me the clinics policy. no, i didn't ask if it was a system wide policy. but i knew our clinic's policy. so did the FOI clerk. that person told me more than once i couldn't have a copy of the exam before adjudication.

i hope you get a satisfactory answer and get this resolved.

[broncovet]

My VAMC gave me copies of exams prior to adjuticiation, all I had to do was ask.  Sometimes you need to tatoo this on your arm:

"THE VA DOES NOT ALWAYS TELL VETERANS THE TRUTH"

I can not count the number of times when I got bad information from both VA employees and VSO's.  On this issue, Im not being paranoid, I just have experience.    The VA "fully deserves" its bad reputation, IMHO, for the most part, tho I will heartily agree there are very good honest VA employees.  The trouble is, you never know which you will get.