Another new one for me, a contracted C&P

[Carl the Engineer]

All,

Another new one for me.  Just got the call from "LHI Care" (?).  All my previous exams have been done at the VA hospital.   

The good.  They are scheduling the C&P thirty minutes from my home.  The place doing the exam is the same place where I had my rehab for my plantar fasciitis a few years back.  

The bad.  I have never done a contracted exam before (so at least I will know what you Veterans are always talking about). 

The ugly.  I am schedule for lower back, spine, shoulder/arm, esophagus and hiatal hernia.  This place had no doctors, just physical therapists, so not too comfortable on the Barrett's Esophagus/Hiatal Hernia part of the exam...

I took a quick search of LHI in Hadit, and see they look like a 50/50 satisfaction rating, LOL. 

Any suggestions are appreciated,

Hamslice

I will be studying the associated DBQ's before hand, and taking copies of my medical records with.

 

 

 

[Carl the Engineer]

This evening, my claim went back to gathering evidence.

On eBennies, I can see one of my conditions that I claimed an increase was bumped up from 10% to 20%.  Yea!

Two of my conditions claimed are now in my disability list, but under decision, it says deferred.  Maybe yea, but not sure.

No change to another I asked for an increase, so will have to wait for the letter.  Argh...

Another, is not even listed, Oh, oh.

So, they are still working on some of it, but it also says they are sending me a decision letter.  Probably telling me about the bump and the deferred claims.

More to come as usual,

Hamslice

Still at 90 with the bump, will need 30 more from the deferred to make the jump.  Fun with VA math.

 

[Carl the Engineer]

Got a FedEx letter today from QTC informing me of a upcoming "exam" that will not be "in-person".  This is for my condition(s) that were referred.

So, I went from LHI Care to QTC Medical Services Inc.  And, from a RN to a Doctor of Emergency Medicine.

Next,

Hamslice

Can't imagine how we (tax payer) are saving any money doing exams this way, versus in-house VA exams, etc.  But, what do I know.

[brokensoldier244th]

The cost of the contracted rate is less than hiring another 10,000 VA staff to do Comp and Pen exams, otherwise, sure, we could do it in house, and it would 2 yrs before you got an exam just like it is with ratings, now. Development and Ratings can't be outsourced. 

[GBArmy]

The VA claims process is ever changing and it is safe to say that that will continue. As Brokensoldier 244th says, it is more cost effective to farm it out than to keep it in house. The VA may, and probably will tweak it so maybe a few more disabilities are done at VA facilities, but I can't see them going back to the volume they were doing before. Once the government finds a more cost efficient way of doing something, they don't go backwards. That said, hopefully they try to make process improvement with the new procedures.   

[pacmanx1]

10 hours ago, Hamslice said:

Can't imagine how we (tax payer) are saving any money doing exams this way, versus in-house VA exams, etc.  But, what do I know.

Ham, you are correct. VA spends additional money to get an outside medical opinion even when they used the VAMC C & P examiners the VA would spend additional money to get a separate medical opinion when the veteran's treating doctors (already getting paid by VA) should have already given a medical opinion. Keep in mind to treat a condition/disability a doctor must first diagnose (give a medical opinion) of what the symptoms are then treat that condition/disability. No wait, the VA thinks that veterans may build a good rapport with their doctors and the doctors may write a bias medical letter/opinion in favor of the veteran, so the VA request a separate medical opinion. Most of the time a veteran’s treating doctor is more qualified in giving a medical opinion simply because he/she is working in his/her field of training vs. a nurse practitioner or a family practitioner giving their medical opinion. 

[Buck52]

Ham  I have had better luck with the contrated exams vs VA doing them...just tell them about your pain on your worst day.

At these exams  if  the examiner is not saying much to the veteran  this means he is reading off the computer the medical records VA Sent him/her   So if a Veteran don't speak up an the exam  it may not turn out like the veteran was thinking....  so speak up  & BTW  They get these medical records a week before the date of the exam...some examiner don't read them until the date of the exam

If the examiner has his/her face stuck in the computer  AND DON'T SAY MUCH TO YOU...just say excuese me mam/.sir  I am not sure you seen this but did you read the part of what Dr**** mention about my******* because I am in pain about a 9 most of the time   ect,,,ect,,,

sometimes we have to point things out to these examiners especailly the new examiners.

I mention one examiner one time at one of my C&P  I SAID TO  HIM  '' DR i JUST WANT A FAIR EXAM AND AN HONEST OPINION.''

 

i DIDN'T SAY THIS.....>  BUT I THINK ITS A DARN SHAME WE HAVE TO GO TO THESE MEDICAL EXAMS WHEN THEY KNOW ALREADY WHAT IS WRONG WITH US   BY THERE DR's THEY HIRE TO TAKE CARE OF US.  DO THEY NOT BELIEVE THEIR OWN DR's ?

SOME SAY VA DON'T HAVE ENOUGH DR.s...That is pure BS,  IN MY OPINION   These VA D r.s  have it made working for the VA.  IN PAY AND ACCOMADATIONS.

Edited May 9, 2021 by Buck52