Jump to content

Ask Your VA Claims Questions | Read Current Posts 
Read VA Disability Claims Articles
Search | View All Forums | Donate | Blogs | New Users | Rules 

  • tbirds-va-claims-struggle (1).png

  • 01-2024-stay-online-donate-banner.png

     

  • 0

Supplemental Monthly Compensation

Rate this question


Paul

Question

I am 77, have 100% unemployability disability from the VA along with SS for my wife and myself. I am thinking of applying for Supplemental Monthly Compensation (SMC) because I cannot hear well enough to perform many of the chores around the house and I need some help. I cannot talk on the phone, and yes I have a captioned phone and it doesn't help. I can understand my wife if I see her talk, otherwise I can't. About 90% of the people I talk to, even if I am looking at them, I can't understand. I can't shop, or correspond with anyone except by writing. I need someone to help around the house - probably just one day a month to help my wife take care of things she doesn't have time for now. I have not been able to find any information about SMC except how much it pays. I was able to determine my hearing has to be bad enough to get the maximum rating of the VA. I don't think that's a problem. When I asked my audiologist if my hearing is going to get worse she said it couldn't get worse. I just want some clues as to what the rating board is looking for in my statement of claim I have to make to them. Any help is greatly appreciated.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Answers 2
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Top Posters For This Question

Popular Days

Top Posters For This Question

2 answers to this question

Recommended Posts

Guest rickb54
I am 77, have 100% unemployability disability from the VA along with SS for my wife and myself. I am thinking of applying for Supplemental Monthly Compensation (SMC) because I cannot hear well enough to perform many of the chores around the house and I need some help. I cannot talk on the phone, and yes I have a captioned phone and it doesn't help. I can understand my wife if I see her talk, otherwise I can't. About 90% of the people I talk to, even if I am looking at them, I can't understand. I can't shop, or correspond with anyone except by writing. I need someone to help around the house - probably just one day a month to help my wife take care of things she doesn't have time for now. I have not been able to find any information about SMC except how much it pays. I was able to determine my hearing has to be bad enough to get the maximum rating of the VA. I don't think that's a problem. When I asked my audiologist if my hearing is going to get worse she said it couldn't get worse. I just want some clues as to what the rating board is looking for in my statement of claim I have to make to them. Any help is greatly appreciated.

Paul,

I recommend that you go to your doctor and request that he complete an Application for Aid & Attendence and/or housebound Benefits. The form is VSO 3 (Jun 05). The doctor must use this when giving you an examination, and he must complete every line, and check every box. If you write a statement of claim and do not submit this form, it will be completed at a C/P examination. By having you doctor complete it you may in all likely hood not have to go to another exam.

I also recommend that you write a letter explaining you problem, and then take the letter to your doctor and ask him to review and sign it. Attach the letter to the VSO 3 form and send them both to your va regional office.

Go to this cite for an example of the type of letter I am referring to:

http://www.vawatchdog.net/old%20newsflashe...0-06-2006-9.htm

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • HadIt.com Elder

Paul:

Welcome to Hadit. Rick gave you good advice. You can even start the ball rolling by writing to your VARO and telling them that you plan a formal claim for A&A soon.

You can call 1 800 827 1000 and get the address if you don't have it. Well maybe your wife can do it for you.

Good Luck

Veterans deserve real choice for their health care.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Guest
This topic is now closed to further replies.


  • Tell a friend

    Love HadIt.com’s VA Disability Community Vets helping Vets since 1997? Tell a friend!
  • Recent Achievements

    • Troy Spurlock went up a rank
      Community Regular
    • KMac1181 earned a badge
      Week One Done
    • jERRYMCK earned a badge
      Week One Done
    • KMac1181 went up a rank
      Rookie
    • Lebro earned a badge
      First Post
  • Our picks

    • I met with a VSO today at my VA Hospital who was very knowledgeable and very helpful.  We decided I should submit a few new claims which we did.  He told me that he didn't need copies of my military records that showed my sick call notations related to any of the claims.  He said that the VA now has entire military medical record on file and would find the record(s) in their own file.  It seemed odd to me as my service dates back to  1981 and spans 34 years through my retirement in 2015.  It sure seemed to make more sense for me to give him copies of my military medical record pages that document the injuries as I'd already had them with me.  He didn't want my copies.  Anyone have any information on this.  Much thanks in advance.  
      • 3 replies
    • Caluza Triangle defines what is necessary for service connection
      Caluza Triangle – Caluza vs Brown defined what is necessary for service connection. See COVA– CALUZA V. BROWN–TOTAL RECALL

      This has to be MEDICALLY Documented in your records:

      Current Diagnosis.   (No diagnosis, no Service Connection.)

      In-Service Event or Aggravation.
      Nexus (link- cause and effect- connection) or Doctor’s Statement close to: “The Veteran’s (current diagnosis) is at least as likely due to x Event in military service”
      • 0 replies
    • Do the sct codes help or hurt my disability rating 
    • VA has gotten away with (mis) interpreting their  ambigious, , vague regulations, then enforcing them willy nilly never in Veterans favor.  

      They justify all this to congress by calling themselves a "pro claimant Veteran friendly organization" who grants the benefit of the doubt to Veterans.  

      This is not true, 

      Proof:  

          About 80-90 percent of Veterans are initially denied by VA, pushing us into a massive backlog of appeals, or worse, sending impoverished Veterans "to the homeless streets" because  when they cant work, they can not keep their home.  I was one of those Veterans who they denied for a bogus reason:  "Its been too long since military service".  This is bogus because its not one of the criteria for service connection, but simply made up by VA.  And, I was a homeless Vet, albeit a short time,  mostly due to the kindness of strangers and friends. 

          Hadit would not be necessary if, indeed, VA gave Veterans the benefit of the doubt, and processed our claims efficiently and paid us promptly.  The VA is broken. 

          A huge percentage (nearly 100 percent) of Veterans who do get 100 percent, do so only after lengthy appeals.  I have answered questions for thousands of Veterans, and can only name ONE person who got their benefits correct on the first Regional Office decision.  All of the rest of us pretty much had lengthy frustrating appeals, mostly having to appeal multiple multiple times like I did. 

          I wish I know how VA gets away with lying to congress about how "VA is a claimant friendly system, where the Veteran is given the benefit of the doubt".   Then how come so many Veterans are homeless, and how come 22 Veterans take their life each day?  Va likes to blame the Veterans, not their system.   
    • Welcome to hadit!  

          There are certain rules about community care reimbursement, and I have no idea if you met them or not.  Try reading this:

      https://www.va.gov/resources/getting-emergency-care-at-non-va-facilities/

         However, (and I have no idea of knowing whether or not you would likely succeed) Im unsure of why you seem to be so adamant against getting an increase in disability compensation.  

         When I buy stuff, say at Kroger, or pay bills, I have never had anyone say, "Wait!  Is this money from disability compensation, or did you earn it working at a regular job?"  Not once.  Thus, if you did get an increase, likely you would have no trouble paying this with the increase compensation.  

          However, there are many false rumors out there that suggest if you apply for an increase, the VA will reduce your benefits instead.  

      That rumor is false but I do hear people tell Veterans that a lot.  There are strict rules VA has to reduce you and, NOT ONE of those rules have anything to do with applying for an increase.  

      Yes, the VA can reduce your benefits, but generally only when your condition has "actually improved" under ordinary conditions of life.  

          Unless you contacted the VA within 72 hours of your medical treatment, you may not be eligible for reimbursement, or at least that is how I read the link, I posted above. Here are SOME of the rules the VA must comply with in order to reduce your compensation benefits:

      https://www.law.cornell.edu/cfr/text/38/3.344

       
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

Guidelines and Terms of Use