Dental problems caused by medication side effects. Does the VA pay?

[JuanP]

I tried searching you guys, I did. but the new site is, challenging. I think my settings on my browser may not be right.

Anyway, hello to all of you...you've saved my life by guiding me to an income, thank you.  I'm back and about to go back at em., And for now, I have a question about dental issues.

The meds I was on due to SC Spinal pain, have caused dental problems.  Dry mouth, teeth grinding, tmj, etc.

So bottom line is, doesn't that make the VA responsible for the bill (around $8000 ish)?

I've seen similar topics through search here, but none seem to stick out to me as an answer.  Just that there are similar issues (under bruxism) and that the VA does NOT do dental easily.

 

[Buck52]

with VA Dental veterans need a 100% rating or IU Rating.

I don't really understand your question? did you have eight thousand dollars worth of dental from private Dr and your asking id VA WILL PAY for it?

or are you asking if the meds you take from VA caused your present dental problem and you want to file a claim for that to be compensated as to a secondary claim?

[JuanP]

Sorry for the confusion Buck, yes, I think this is my question.

" or are you asking if the meds you take from VA caused your present dental problem and you want to file a claim for that to be compensated as to a secondary claim? "

I thought, that the prevailing rule was that if treatment by the va methods cause harm, then the va is responsible for that as well.

If I understand you correctly, you are saying that I have to go through the claims process for that, right?

[JuanP]

Yes, I had an exam yesterday.  crowns, root canals, etc.   All from grinding teeth as well as dry mouth.  Both caused by meds (pains killers and mood stabilizers).  The bill is going to be around $8000.  So yeah, I want to see if the VA pays in this case.

Thank you

[Berta]

Right. Whether it involves a SC or an NSC condition, the VA will pay for any ratable condition that a medication prescribed by VA  had caused. 

The claim can be filed under 1151-for NSC issues) plenty of info here on that or,if directly due to a SC disability the claim can be filed as secondary and also as 1151.info her on that scenario too in our FTCA and 1151 forums.

You will need medical proof of the additional disability(ies) and that they are at a ratable level.For 1151.

If claimed secondary, to an established SC, then even if the VA rates the secondary at "0" SC, it could get worse in time and then be proven to be ratable.

If a private doctor has said the VA meds caused your problems, and give a full medical rationale ,and they put that  into the form of an IMO/IME here ( topics on IMos available here too,you would have a very valid claim.

[JuanP]

Berta you rock!! Thank you.  I'll get over there and check it out  there's so much info to take in now......

 

 

[Berta]

If any of your 60% is for SC PTSD, that too has been found to cause TMJ.

Dental was covered when my dead husband, at 30% SC ,was also in Voc Rehab.But they didnt need to do much...his teeth were in good shape...

still those few dental records were crucial to me proving that he had untreated, undiagnosed Diabetes Mellitus from Vietnam(AO). It pays to save everything!

This is the VA Dental care criteria:

http://www.va.gov/healthbenefits/resources/publications/IB10-442_dental_benefits_for_veterans_2_14.pdf

Did you see a VA dentist or a private dentist?