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SKlocinski

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Joined
Mar 14, 2016
Messages
88
Reason
Lost a loved one
Diagnosis
02/2016
Country
US
State
SC
City
Summerville
Hubby was diagnosed with ALS in February. On March 8th we filed for disability benefits. We filed a fully developed claim including a DBQ from the neurologist who diagnosed him and all of the tests involved...both those indicating ALS and those ruling out other things. So today (yes, they actually do them on Sunday) he had a C&P exam. I have no idea what the purpose was. He already had a DBQ filled out and signed by a neurologist who is very versed in ALS and other neuromuscular diseases. So we go to this appointment and are seen by a nurse practitioner who reads the same questions (though not as many) from the computer screen as the doctor answered on the DBQ. She then did a few little muscular tests (not nearly as many as the neurologist). She even used a stethoscope to test his reflexes...what, the VA can't afford those little rubber hammers? Anyway, like I said, I have no idea what the purpose of that was. If anybody has a clue, please enlighten me!
 
It's weird. We went for a C&P and I kept calling the guy "doctor" until I realized he didn't know squat about anything at all. Totally useless bureaucrapacy.
 
Steve had to go as well. It seems certain people get called...pva said most dont. He answered a lot of questions, including history back 25 years. The doc then did reflexes, and lisrenend to his heart and lu gs. Said okay, you pass. It was a 30 minute appointment.
 
As my disability was going through the approval process (and was quickly approved thanks to ALSA and PVA help) I was scheduled for a C & P exam. PVA staff made it go away, thankfully, before it happened.
 
The lady that did hubby's exam did not even know that ALS was a presumptive condition. She wanted to know how it was service related. I replied that we didn't need to prove that and she was totally surprised. She said "that's good to know" and "I've never done an ALS exam before". Seems like a waste of taxpayer money to me!
 
Total waste of $ . Get PVA to run/do ALL your interference, it's the only thing that works quickly and successfully. Good luck! Chally
 
Because steve had never used va health services it was the belief this was why he had to go thru it. I do not know if that is true
 
There's no law requiring a vet to have VA health services in order to claim ALS benefits.*

In fact, the C&P exam doesn't even go into the health record; it's a VBA thing, not a VHA thing.

The rater is the one who has to make the decision. The rater works at the VBA office (St Petersburg in the case of Central Florida). They have soooo many problems with accusations of incompetence and corruption these days, that maybe the raters don't feel safe unless they've got tons of documentation. Hence, the C&P gets done even though you've got a DBQ.

*Note: One exception. In order to claim an ER visit, most vets (non P&T types) need to be "current" in the VHA system. That is, they must have received some sort of health care from the VA within the past 24 months. This does not affect P&T vets like PALS.
 
My husband had never been to a VA doctor. In e-Benefits they said they were waiting for documentation from VA Medical Facility ? with a due date of May 9th. I sent them a note saying that he had never been to a VA clinic and that there was NO FURTHER EVIDENCE. The next day they called for a C&P exam. Today the claim went from gathering evidence to prepping for decision. Also, they said the VA medical facility documentation was no longer needed. Don't know if that is a coincidence or if the stupid message in e-Benefits was referring to the VA exam that they had not yet called me about. Still stupid any way you look at it. I did see some mention on the claims boards that some raters automatically do a C&P regardless. One of the reasons given was CYA.
 
That is the same thing with us SK. The documentation day came ip and nothing, pva or calls or medical records, could make it go away. It took about a month after the exam to get the back money and start monthly checks.
 
Well, it looks like things are moving quickly now. Yesterday the claim went to preparing for decision. Today it went to preparing for notification. When I looked at the dependents I have been moved from dependents not attached to an award to dependents attached to an award. I take that to mean we are getting compensation. I don't know that there will be any back pay as we were told that since we filed in March compensation would start April 1st. I believe that is paid on May 1st. The estimated time to completion is April 13 to April 14 so if that holds true I'll know in the next couple of days. If so, that is actually pretty quick for the VA.
 
They go back to when documented symptoms started when you first seeked medical help.
 
The claim closed today. We are getting the compensation plus special compensation for his speech and the drop foot in his right foot. I think maybe the C&P was mainly for a "visual" to decide on the special compensation. I looked at the C&P exam today and it looks like a lot of it was copied from the DBQ we sent in.
 
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