address

[Darryl Richardson]

getting letters from the Evidence Intake Center with old address; my new address is showing in va.gov, so why is it still the old address from letters coming from the intake center?

[brokensoldier244th]

You'll have to send a 4318, or call to verify what is showing, there is more than 1 place to update addresses within VA systems and it sounds like one may have gotten missed. It would be faster to call.

[broncovet]

Yep, this is a problem.  VA is divided between:

1.  Veterans Medical. (VAMC) 

2.  Veterans benefits  (VBA).  

     Often, of course, the right hand does not know what the left hand is doing.  So, its possible the VAMC has your correct address but VBA (benefits) still thinks your at the old address. (or vice versa)  Im not sure if this has ever been fixed, it may have, but most likely what gets broken at VA stays broken or gets worse.  

     My advice is to make sure BOTH have your correct address:

A.  Go to your VAMC and inform them of address change.  

B.  Send a 21-4138 and inform VBA of your address change.   Changing it on ebenefits may or may not change both, but you can try.  

     As always, when you do anything with VA, check to make sure its completed correctly, and, in both VBA and VAMC.  

[brokensoldier244th]

The two systems are separate on purpose. We have limited ability to look at VHA- to get Capri records and whatnot for VAMC treatment. We cannot alter or update anything on that side. They can't alter anything on the VBA side. They are umbrella'd under "VA" but they are, legally, and for privacy purposes, 2 separate organizations that require permissions and/or authorizations in order to examine each other's systems, and even then only to a limited ability. 

[jamescripps2]

I don't think the VHA ever contemplated that the day would come when the BVA judges would be able to readjudicate the VHA decisions that were made concerning the PCAFC caregiver program. That has created a backlog of its own at the BVA with about 99% of the cases being remanded.

The only cases not being remanded are the ones where the veteran died before the case came up at the Board. Before long some of those cases will eventually make it to the Court.

[broncovet]

Thank you, broken soldier for explaining this problem.  

However, Im not sure I completely "get it".  

So, if VBA gets access to my VAMC records "only" when I sign the authorization form, I guess this form authorizes "every medical record" in the past, present, and future, because VBA seems to know more about me than my mother.   This is because I know the VBA has access to all my records.  

This said, can a Veteran "un-authorize" VBA access to my VHA benefits?  And, what happens if we do?  By signing that form, am I authorizing VBA to all my lifetime records?  

[broncovet]

I will add:

    (What Broken said about VBA and VHA being seperate) is probably the key reason Vets get called for an exam, and never get the notice or never get a call, and wind up being denied.  

    (The Veteran thinks he changed his address and phone on ebenefits, when VAMC does not know it, and sends notice to the old address).  

      It probably also explains why some Vets never get a copy of the VARO decision, because they move, change their address at VAMC and so VBA sends a decision to the old address.  

      Many Vets, of course, dont know they have to change address at BOTH the VHA and VBA.  

      Frustrating, especially since when we "call Peggy", we have no idea if the address/phone gets changed at VBA, VHA or both.  Ditto for a 21-4138, or "however" we change an address or phone.  

       I still get phone calls from a landline phone I got rid of about 10 years ago, and have no idea how to fix that.