Va call center tip

[SPO]

Hey everyone,  I called the VA earlier today to sort out a question.  I got ahold of probably the most helpful VA employee ever.  He gave me a solid tip for when you need more information about your status than their usual scripted answers.  If after their scripted status answer they don't provide any extra useful information,  ask them to check the program "Case Flow".  According to the rep this is where all the detailed status and notes are kept.  He also said if you ask them to look, they are supposed to, including what is written in the notes.  This is how I have found out exactly what people have been up to in my appeal.  Hope this helps,  just having a real idea what the VA is actual doing relieves some of the stress that comes along with dealing with the VA.  

-After searching about this system, it seems this is only for appeals, and came about as part of AMA.

Edited June 17, 2021 by SPO

[GBArmy]

SPO Nice info to pass on. I'll certainly give it a shot!

[broncovet]

Great idea!  I hope VA people working the phones all got the memo!

[Fat]

Good information.

[blahsaysme2u]

if anyone uses this, please come back and let us know results...i plan to next time i HAVE to call Peggy..until then i dont call till i need to bc it stresses me out so much

[McRay]

I tried it and it didn't seem to make any difference.

[GBArmy]

McRay It can simply be the luck of the draw; sometimes you can get a very reasonable VA rep like SPO did, and much more often a rep that doesn't know where to get your info or doesn't really care about helping you. I tell you what, though; when I get the first type, I make sure they understand that they were very helpful and I appreciated their help. I should expect that by doing that, they may be encouraged to do it again to another veteran calling on info. Anyway, that's the way I roll. One addition to add; to me, it seems more often than not you get better assistance from a VA rep that just happens to be a Veteran also! There are many who are veterans that have an idea what veterans have gone thru.