The Basic Rating System below is used to rate many (but not all) of the skin conditions on this page. Find your condition first to see if it is rated under this system.
It is vital that you understand how the VA defines systemic and topical treatments in order to determine your correct rating.
– Systemic Therapy: Any treatment that is injected, or taken by mouth, through the nose, or anally. This includes, but is not limited to, corticosteroids, phototherapy, retinoids, biologics, photochemotherapy, PUVA, and other immunosuppressive drugs. – Topical Therapy: Any treatment applied directly to the skin, regardless of the type of drug.
The Basic Rating System
If the lesions cover more than 40% of total body or more than 40% of exposed divisions, or if it required the constant or near-constant use of systemic therapy for the past 12 months, it is rated 60%.
If the lesions cover 20 to 40% of total body or 20 to 40% of exposed divisions, or if it required the use of systemic therapy for a total of 6 weeks or more over the past 12 months, it is rated 30%.
If the lesions cover 5 to 19% of total body or 5 to 19% of exposed divisions, or if it required the use of systemic therapy for a total of less than 6 weeks over the past 12 months, it is rated 10%.
If the condition only required the use of topical medications over the past 12 months and the lesions cover less than 5% of total body or less than 5% of exposed divisions, it is rated 0%.
So I have a rare disease called Dercum's Disease. I am finally at the BVA and am in the remand stage. They have changed the rating schedule and I now fall under the basic skin rating.
My question is what counts as Systemic Therapy? or Topical Therapy? The reason I am asking is I have been on pain killers since 2004 and topical cream that is also a pain reliever for over 10 years. I am also taking a drug called nortriptyline which helps my pain subside so I can sleep at night.
If I am reading this correctly anything that is used to treat the condition would count correct? Any help is greatly appreciated!
Question
ShrekTheTank
I need some help here.
The Basic Rating System below is used to rate many (but not all) of the skin conditions on this page. Find your condition first to see if it is rated under this system.
It is vital that you understand how the VA defines systemic and topical treatments in order to determine your correct rating.
The Basic Rating System
If the lesions cover more than 40% of total body or more than 40% of exposed divisions, or if it required the constant or near-constant use of systemic therapy for the past 12 months, it is rated 60%.
If the lesions cover 20 to 40% of total body or 20 to 40% of exposed divisions, or if it required the use of systemic therapy for a total of 6 weeks or more over the past 12 months, it is rated 30%.
If the lesions cover 5 to 19% of total body or 5 to 19% of exposed divisions, or if it required the use of systemic therapy for a total of less than 6 weeks over the past 12 months, it is rated 10%.
If the condition only required the use of topical medications over the past 12 months and the lesions cover less than 5% of total body or less than 5% of exposed divisions, it is rated 0%.
So I have a rare disease called Dercum's Disease. I am finally at the BVA and am in the remand stage. They have changed the rating schedule and I now fall under the basic skin rating.
My question is what counts as Systemic Therapy? or Topical Therapy? The reason I am asking is I have been on pain killers since 2004 and topical cream that is also a pain reliever for over 10 years. I am also taking a drug called nortriptyline which helps my pain subside so I can sleep at night.
If I am reading this correctly anything that is used to treat the condition would count correct? Any help is greatly appreciated!
Randy
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