Veterans Administration experiences

[3.0L]

I've been hesitant to bring up the VA topic, but I'm curious to know how other veterans have done with VA claims.

About 8 years ago I tried to get the VA to give me a set of hearing aids, but they balked, saying my hearing wasn't that bad. So I bit the bullet and bought my own set to the tune of $8000.00. Let me tell you, the improvement was dramatic. I can even hear crickets now! And my grandkids! But that was years ago. I'm already on my second pair of hearing aids and they're even better. Scratch another 5 grand.

So roll to the present. I recently learned that I have no less than 3 health ailments presumed to be caused by Agent Orange (AO). So, I filed a claim. As a result, the VA scheduled more lab tests with another diagnostic contractor. I tried to contact the diagnostic center to learn what diagnostics I faced and if I needed to fast. No joy, no one picked up the phone. So, I guess I'll fast.

Not satisfied, I called the number the VA provided for their so-called Loyal Source Government Service division and still no joy. The eventual message is constantly, "Your wait will exceed 15 minutes, so leave a call-back number." So, I leave my number and the SOB's never call back! I've jumped through this hoop 5 times now and still no call-back!

This is a disgrace. The f-ing AO boogie man has been on my case for 20 years and I get no help from the VA. According to the VA's own list, three of my health problems are "presumed" to caused by exposure to AO. None of my health problems run in our family, so there's that. I guess the VA is just waiting for us to die off.

[c1pher]

I try not to go at all. I feel like the service is so poor that I shouldn’t be taking up time for veterans much more in need than me and my back, ear, joints etc. I have Tricare and try to use that. I am eligible for free healthcare from the VA but then would need to get healthcare for my family. So in reality it would cost more than Tricare I have now.

[vreihen16]

First off, thank you for your service.

I knew a Vietnam-era vet who used to spend days *unofficially* volunteering at our regional VA hospital, helping his fellow veterans navigate the paperwork bureaucracy and get all of the benefits and treatment they deserve. Perhaps your regional VA hospital can point you towards a similar volunteer/advocate?

On a related note, we used to have an elderly Korean war veteran in our neighborhood, and the regional VA didn't do much for him. He moved to Florida, and now receives dignified and respectable care from the VA in the Miami area.....

[Samurai of 2day]

Originally Posted by vreihen16

First off, thank you for your service.

I knew a Vietnam-era vet who used to spend days *unofficially* volunteering at our regional VA hospital, helping his fellow veterans navigate the paperwork bureaucracy and get all of the benefits and treatment they deserve. Perhaps your regional VA hospital can point you towards a similar volunteer/advocate?

On a related note, we used to have an elderly Korean war veteran in our neighborhood, and the regional VA didn't do much for him. He moved to Florida, and now receives dignified and respectable care from the VA in the Miami area.....

^ This!
So many of the guys I've served with, and even some in Mm current unit have adequate, if not great support from their respective VA facilities, based on their medical claims and what is substantiated by their medical providers.

Like mentioned above and in another previous post, it all depends on the advocate, the medical provider (many Tri Care affiliated providers are knowledgeable and supportive) and the culture at the VA facility you're using.

Try looking up a VA advocate that's local to you, and I'm aure they'll know the proper terminology and eligibility requirements you need to meet to be adequately accommodated for your AO signs and symptoms.

Wishing you success with this endeavor and thanking you your your service!!

[M-technik-3]

I went through the process of Disabilty 7 years ago, they denied 4 claims but put them in my records at 0% the other 5 after the funny math came out to 42.5 % so 40 % of my retirement is tax free.

Being they can't locate my records I have no way nor no ability to prove other items sadly.

I had an advocate but during covid that killed all steam and I have not had time to start the process all over again. So for now the win.

Having copies of your MTF records is the key factor.

[c1pher]

Originally Posted by M-technik-3

I went through the process of Disabilty 7 years ago, they denied 4 claims but put them in my records at 0% the other 5 after the funny math came out to 42.5 % so 40 % of my retirement is tax free.

Being they can't locate my records I have no way nor no ability to prove other items sadly.

I had an advocate but during covid that killed all steam and I have not had time to start the process all over again. So for now the win.

Having copies of your MTF records is the key factor.

I spent the last two months of my active duty copying my entire medical record when I had time. I keep it tucked away in a fireproof box. When I sent in my info through the DAV, those were extra copies. My wife keeps harping on me since I haven’t touched them in 15 years but I’m not getting any younger so I may need to pull records out again for things that might become evident that weren’t before.

[CamasM3e93]

I did half my med school and most of my residency in a VA hospital. I was always impressed by the commitment-to-veterans vibe throughout the staff and most of the specialists were top shelf. The outpatient services tend to be under resourced but good folks there too. The waits can be long and gawd help you if you need to get a med refilled off schedule or after hours. Best bet is to maintain another insurance in parallel if you can.

One relative was combat veteran in Vietnam with agent orange exposure, a few related ailments and ptsd. He breezed through the disability process with the help of DAV but this was 10 years ago when congress was pouring money into veteran services. I understand things have tightened up. A high school buddy retired from the naval reserve after multiple combat deployments. He did ok on an application but I think it took a couple years. The good thing is any award is retroactive to the date of application. The key is to hang with the process and expect to have to appeal.

[M-technik-3]

With current budget constraints the VA is going to be tough and some of us will have to go back for revaluations being if they can drop your numbers they can now tax your income.

[Maynard]

VA experience will vary dramatically hospital to hospital, even provider-to-provider. But nobody is going to move for better service, so if you are having problems there is a process to use; the system has gotten better on the technical side, but unfortunately there are still 'legacy' workers who manage to f-it up like the old days.

Best bet is to get a knowlegeable/involved VSO (Veteran Service Officer) to help with the claim. They are up on regs, and can cut down the useless runaround (like buddy statements for combat PTSD). The VSO's working for the county Vet Svc office, or from the state dept of Veterans affairs, have been most helpful in our area; VFW does pretty good training of thiers (or used to), DAV can be spotty, and in our area I won't suggest Purple Heart (they may have lost their nationwide credentials over their special brand of asshattery, but may just be our local pool). Be cautious about the guys offering advice - easy to talk with, but in my experience they are dead wrong about 30% of the time. Many frustrated 'they are screwing me' stories are actually due to errors on the Veteran's part, so you don't want that advice.

Many issues have what is called presumptive service connection (like AO exposure for anyone who served in VN; or the traumatic exposure criteria for combat Veterans). This is increasing all the time, so things that got denied are now on the presumptive list (like brown/blue water navy exposure to AO). This means that if you meet the criteria, you don't have to prove exposure like in the old days. If you are sure that they got it wrong, go see a VSO; lots of claims got ashcanned without review, and you can make them take another look. Also they can be real pricks about missing data - like if your doc says you have a rare type of cancer but doesn't add 'and more likely than not it was d/t service connected exposure' then they might just say 'no evidence of a svc connected condition'. There are lawyers out there who can also be effective, but if you have patience you can save yourself the legal fees most of the time.

And be careful if you are protesting a bad call - if possible you want to keep the original claim open and in dispute; even for old claims there is a way to contest the original decision, especially if it was blatantly wrong. Some lazy claims processors just put in a new claim, which resets the clock to that new date (when you dispute the old claim, any award is retroactive to date of claim - even a 10% SC is a lot of money over 5-10 years). Having 'new info' (i.e. a letter from a provider, or records that weren't in the original packet) can be grounds for this type of second-look; so can a call from your congressman's office (every congressman/woman has somebody in their office who is a 'veterans issues' person - and when congressional inquiries come down, they get dealt with much more properly; it's worth the phone call, and you'll finally have congress do something useful for you).

For mental health treatment, if you have a local Vet Center, and are dealing with combat-related issues (not neccessarily service-connected) they can be a great resource - more informal setting and often much better counseling support. Also usually hooked into service agencies, job postings, employment/housing assist, etc. They can often help advocate with the local VA around medical stuff too.

I work full time w/ Veterans and often help w/their SC claims process. I'm happy to offer informal advice if you PM me. In my line of work, getting Veterans the benefits they deserve is one of the more immediate uplifts - most of the rest of what I do is slow progress with tough issues and it is nice to get a tangible positive outcome - justice and fairness really are rewarding, when they don't have air quotes around them.

[Route 16]

Hopefully I'm close to a good MEDCEN when it's time to retire. I've got 12 years left to 20. My senior NCO's keep drilling into our heads, keep documenting all your injuries and sick call visits.

[floridaorange]

Great thread - will be sharing it with my Navy Vet neighbor who I know could list many pages of complaints.

[billnchristy]

I decided not to F with it when I got out and it was probably a mistake. I have a documented back injury that occasionally causes me to miss a day, the ever present tinnitus from being in the machinery room endlessly (even with earplugs always) and have developed arthritis, presumably from shipboard work and being a mechanic for 20+ years.

My wife had a great experience with VA in NY. She had a breast reduction done by them, which was scary as hell but the guy was really good and did a great job and it all but eliminated her back issues. It was a grind to get them to finally do it, took a solid year of physical therapy before they authorized it, but once it was rolling it was very smooth and professionally handled.

[shawnhayes]

Thanks for your service to all in this thread.

The VA is a perfect example of socialized medicine. It provides a basic level of care well, but fails in super subspecialty medicine frequently. I worked within it for three years. Most miserable years in my life.

Best answer to this I've seen is to scrap the whole system, and give every veteran a card that pays for their care anywhere in the U.S. that participates with Medicare. Not a great answer, but the best I know.

Shawn