To "RAMP" or not to "RAMP"

[broncovet]

As many may know, Congress has passed new legislation which essentially requires VA to cut down on appeal backlog.  This plan is known as "RAMP".  

Currently, only Veterans who ARE INVITED by VA can elect to go with RAMP.  Im not sure it will do much good to write to VA and tell them you want RAMP, tho its POSSIBLE that VA may grant this request.  

A well known law firm has published some credible, and valuable information on RAMP.  If offered a chance to "RAMP" through a VA letter, its probably a good idea to:

1.  Just do it and go for RAMP.

2.  At least read the following before declining ramp, and discuss this with your representative.  

https://cck-law.com/news/news-cck-live-revisiting-ramp/

MY summary:

    UNLESS you have a compelling reason, opt "in" for RAMP.  

    CCK says you should not do RAMP if any of these would harm your claim:

However, veterans should fully consider that participating in RAMP means:

• not being able to appeal to the Board until at least February 2019.
• not being able to take their claim directly to the Board of Veterans Appeals.
• never going back to the legacy appeals process.

 

 

[pwrslm]

7 hours ago, bpweryz said:

pwrslm 

i also put in for ramp on May 15, originally it stayed that estimated completion date of 08/28 - 12/28 then the other day it moved to 9/28 - 01/28/19. Just wondering if yours moved at all or did it go straight from estimate to complete? Just wondering if it went through the step in ebenefits. 

About 2 weeks back it moved to pending approval, last week it moved up and by Thurs was finished.

[pwrslm]

6 hours ago, KC3 said:

Don't know if you care but I got in RAMP on June 12 2018. I have an estimated completion day of Dec. 4th 2018. No movement on mine whatsoever as of yet. I'll keep people posted if they want to know. 

Mine orig was Aug 15 through 28 Sep. That started changing about 2 weeks back. At the end, it went fast.

 

(All of the timing may be a factor, early May/late Apr they opened up RAMP to all comers instead of invites only...I had invite before that, but the rush after they opened it might account for the time increases to proc claims...which is what will happen if they do what they do best)

 

Edited July 28, 2018 by pwrslm

[bpweryz]

Thanks man.  I have been through about 3 appeals. But the wait never gets easier. 

[AprilNC]

I sent my husbands RAMP opt in on May 5 , waited 2 weeks to call to follow up they said it was received on May 10 but it took 30 days for it to moved to ramp...ok I waited and called again in June still not in RAMP can see where paperwork was received but no response or reason as to why it's not in RAMP yet. I called again July 11 still not moved to ramp and no response from the inquiry that was sent before. Nothing has changed on Ebenefits, and on the Vets.gov the section where his appeal was showing has been unable to show his appeal for since last week.....I guess I'll call again next week...

 

[bpweryz]

Pwrslm 

yeah I was thinking too that I went with the lower level appeal so that I could add a DBQ with evidence. So who knows. Thanks for the info though. 

[KC3]

pwrslm

thank you very much for your update.I will keep posted. After looking at my post it appears that I might be a little inpatient. Will update as I find out information.