Pending Decision Approval to Preparation For Decision

[Rhodesia]

just looked at e benefits this morning now my claim status went from "Pending Decision Approval" 9/16/18 to 1/17/19 to "Preparation For Decision" 12/12/18 to 12/1/19 my original claim started in 7/15/2016 is the VA that far behind in processing claims? 

[Richard1954]

On 7/27/2018 at 11:54 AM, Rhodesia said:

Sad part of all this is I have to forfeit my military retirement pay when I reach age 60 because I receive a VA disability of 40% the law says you have to receive 50% or more in order to retain your military retirement pay this also apply's to my TRiCare Prime because the VA is taking care of me so the only thing I get to keep is my grey ID card. kind of sucks in a way. funny thing when I went to my first C&P exam they had my medical records from when I was in the French Foreign Legion for 5 years. I was in the Marine Corps first then got out joined the Legion and then came home re joined the Marine Corps again. I guess they wanted to make sure I was not trying to use any injury's from the Legion and say they were caused by the Marine Corps, LOL I would not be surprised this is the reason why my claim is taking so long. Since yours started in 2008 have you have any movement? Mine is still stuck in Preparation For Decision that 1-800 number is a waste of time and also the Chat line on ebenfits as well, some of the people on there have been rude in the past. 

First.... When you retire you are entitled to Tricare for Life no matter what your status is with the VA. I medically retired from the Army with over 15 years of service, I have been retired now for almost 35 years, and I still use Tricare ( for life) as well as the VA medical centers and sometimes I indulge myself and use a private doctor which is paid for by tricare and Medicare. But honestly,  I prefer the medical care that I get on Fort Hood, some of the Doctors are younger than my own children, but they treat me with the upmost respect, and provide excellent medical care... As to my 10+ years case that was at the BVA, I just this morning checked Ebenefits, and learned that it has been remained back to the regional office for further development... What does this really mean? I think it means in the minimum that my argument to the BVA has survived and the regional office will have to decide how benefits will be awarded. Of course this is wishful thinking , it could also mean that the BVA found merit in my case but something is missing and in the end it could still be denied. This was a claim for retro housebound benefits and a request for a higher rating for my eye damage. I  expected an answer, and am not happy with the remainded claim , I think I would have preferred a denial at this point because I am so tired of the fight. Because I don't have a letter yet I don't know if one or both issues were remained or if one issue was granted or denied, ( these are the only possibilities). It apparently was decided on 19 Jul , and was exactly 89 days from the time I appeared at the video conference to the day of the remain.  But it sat at the BVA since 19 Jan 2018,  thats just over 6 months. 

 

Added: I also get my total  military retirement in the form of Combat related special compensation, as my back, leg, dropfoot, and TBI  injuries are all combat related. So I do ok with my compensation, but for 24 of my 35 years of retirement I did not get one cent of my military retirement due to the unjustified offset because I was receiving va compensation.  I wish they would approve concurrent receipt for all retired veterans not just the over 20 but it will never happen as no one even talks about it anymore.

Edited July 29, 2018 by Richard1954

[Rhodesia]

15 hours ago, L said:

I retired Navy and get my concurrent pay - "retirement" and my VA 100% 

I am not combat,  that is a different offset pay explained ...

Here is the link - it changed in 2004 - https://www.dfas.mil/retiredmilitary/disability/crdp.html

Thanks for the information that kind of answers the question I'm waiting for that 50% as of now I looked at My Pay (DFAS) and I see where the VA reported I receive 40% on 2005. I just had a total knee replacement on 11/30/2016 and I was awarded 30% but for some reason I'm still getting the 40% maybe this is due because they added this claim on to my current claim of 7/15/16 I assume I would have received an increase but as of right now no I was told once my claim closes then I will receive the 30% with retroactive pay from 1/1/2018 what I was granted the award for the knee. So if you do the VA math class I would receive 60%. As of right now e Benefits has "Preparation For Decision" which has been sitting there for just about a month now. Don't bother talking to the online chat or the 1-800 number what a total wastes of time. 

[Rhodesia]

On 7/24/2018 at 4:39 PM, vetquest said:

You did not tell us if this claim is at the RO or BVA.  Either way if your claim started in 2016 it is moving along pretty well.  And yes they are behind BVA can get you backed up several years if not a decade.

I just looked at e benefits today and my Preparation For Decision went from 4/1/2019 to 12/01/2020 it has been sitting in Preparation For Decision for over 4 months plus I'm not able to upload anymore documents for my claim for some unknown reason been like that for a month I wonder if the 5 years I spent in the French Foreign Legion has anything to do with it they did bring it up during my C&P exam a few years back I'm  just a guessing that's all, might not have anything to do with it anyway. 

[Rhodesia]

Wow I logged into my e benefits today and my claim just pushed out till 11/21/2021 what the hell? so I called and the 1-800 number the guy was rude on the phone could not tell me why his customer service needs improvement, by the tone of his voice I assume he has been getting allot of calls from vets about their claim backlogged so I said how or who can I talk to to find out why and he said you can't and don't brother going to your congressman or VA rep because they can't do anything to help move this any faster, so I'm thinking that it has to do if trump shuts down the government because he did tell me that if that happens veterans don't get paid I find that statement hard to believe. all I'm waiting for is my 100% temp award for my total knee replacement which now has surpassed 4 months so the VA took that claim and added it to my old claim of 7/16/2016, it was suppose to be a separate claim but from what I have been told they no longer do that any claims you entered all gets added into one claim so in another words I will have to wait just about two years to even get my temp award just for my knee replacement kind of sucks. It is still stuck in Preparation For Decision and the date was moved to 1/1/2021 to 11/21/2021, anyone else have this problem or is it just me?

[Richard1954]

On 7/27/2018 at 11:54 AM, Rhodesia said:

y this also apply's to my TRiCare Prime because the VA is taking care of me so the only thing I get to keep is my grey ID card. 

Tricare medical benefits is not subject to any offset .. when used with Medicare all of your medical cost are paid and there are never any out of pocket expenses.

[Rhodesia]

2 minutes ago, Richard1954 said:

Tricare medical benefits is not subject to any offset .. when used with Medicare all of your medical cost are paid and there are never any out of pocket expenses.

Yea I still had to still file for my military retirement but will not see a dime of it because I'm still at 40% I'm suppose to get $1,801 per month, but I guess all i will get a is a nice looking Blue Retirement ID card that looks good in your wallet, LOL