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hopingforcure
Very helpful member
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- 09/2007
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My dad was telling me about this, I usually watch the news all day long, I actually missed this story, but will google it now. Thanks Geo.
Marjorie R. Wilcox
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- Nov 21, 2007
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- 10/2007
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Yes, we've already privately emailed ZenArcher that Rick got a letter. We are trying to figure out if we can believe what it says or not.
trying to stay positive
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- Sep 17, 2007
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- 08/2007
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I saw an article about this in my local paper. It said 2500 notified and 1200 of those were sent in error.
MtPockets
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- Jun 1, 2006
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- 05/2006
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- Gulfport
Veterans and ALS letters
By William M. Welch, USA TODAY
More than 1,800 Gulf War veterans were sent letters from the Veterans Administration this month informing them that they had Lou Gehrig's disease — a fatal neurological disease.
But at least some of the letters — and the diagnoses — were a mistake.
Jim Bunker, president of the National Gulf War Resource Center, said VA officials told him the letters dated Aug. 12 were the result of a computer coding error that mistakenly labeled the veterans with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or ALS.
Katie Roberts, a spokeswoman for the VA, said the letters were simply to inform veterans with ALS of disability compensation available to them and were not intended to deliver a medical diagnosis of ALS.
Roberts said the administration has since been contacted by a "small number" of people who did not believe they had ALS. Veterans Administration officials are now reviewing all the cases, Roberts said.
Some veterans mailed wrong diagnoses of fatal disease - USATODAY.com
By William M. Welch, USA TODAY
More than 1,800 Gulf War veterans were sent letters from the Veterans Administration this month informing them that they had Lou Gehrig's disease — a fatal neurological disease.
But at least some of the letters — and the diagnoses — were a mistake.
Jim Bunker, president of the National Gulf War Resource Center, said VA officials told him the letters dated Aug. 12 were the result of a computer coding error that mistakenly labeled the veterans with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or ALS.
Katie Roberts, a spokeswoman for the VA, said the letters were simply to inform veterans with ALS of disability compensation available to them and were not intended to deliver a medical diagnosis of ALS.
Roberts said the administration has since been contacted by a "small number" of people who did not believe they had ALS. Veterans Administration officials are now reviewing all the cases, Roberts said.
Some veterans mailed wrong diagnoses of fatal disease - USATODAY.com
Marjorie R. Wilcox
Senior member
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- Nov 21, 2007
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- 661
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- 10/2007
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- Richmondville
Rick got a letter and he isn't a Gulf War vet, but a Vietnam vet. I understand the letter was to inform vets of disability benefits and to reapply if you had previously been turned down. It wasn't to give a diagnosed. The letter starts out with, " Our records indicate that you have been diagnosed with ALS" so it sounds like a diagnosed in itself.
In our local city paper (an hour away) there was an article from a woman Gulf War vet that was saying she has typical ALS symptoms but hadn't been diagnosed yet and got that letter. She panicked and reacted understandably. Come to find out, her letter was one of the mistakes. She has a motor neuron disease that isn't thought to be ALS.
For Rick, we have been going through a denial of his condition from the VA after living with a diagnosed of ALS from them for two years. He is being retested, for the reason that supposedly the EMG test results can't be found all of a sudden. We know that he was diagnosed by several of their specialists, and even the spinal tap and muscle biopsy were eliminated because of the sure conclusions.
We got a phone call the other day from the VA,, asking if we got a letter, and between Rick's conversation with them have decided that Rick's letter wasn't in error. Anyway, he sent in the proper identification numbers, as was requested in that letter, and is waiting to see if he gets at least 30% disability benefits now.
We look at it like this: No matter what is going on, it doesn't change his condition. Paperwork is only paper. It doesn't change what he has or his progression a bit. He has what he has and we live with it irregardless. We know that wherever we go with this disease, he is likely to get yanked around a bit with diagnosed and testings, evaluations, and coverage.
We are living on his navy pension, and his social security disability pension.... plus we got a reasonable settlement from the liability insurance for the leg injury... We will be alright. He so obviously has a MND in any case.
In our local city paper (an hour away) there was an article from a woman Gulf War vet that was saying she has typical ALS symptoms but hadn't been diagnosed yet and got that letter. She panicked and reacted understandably. Come to find out, her letter was one of the mistakes. She has a motor neuron disease that isn't thought to be ALS.
For Rick, we have been going through a denial of his condition from the VA after living with a diagnosed of ALS from them for two years. He is being retested, for the reason that supposedly the EMG test results can't be found all of a sudden. We know that he was diagnosed by several of their specialists, and even the spinal tap and muscle biopsy were eliminated because of the sure conclusions.
We got a phone call the other day from the VA,, asking if we got a letter, and between Rick's conversation with them have decided that Rick's letter wasn't in error. Anyway, he sent in the proper identification numbers, as was requested in that letter, and is waiting to see if he gets at least 30% disability benefits now.
We look at it like this: No matter what is going on, it doesn't change his condition. Paperwork is only paper. It doesn't change what he has or his progression a bit. He has what he has and we live with it irregardless. We know that wherever we go with this disease, he is likely to get yanked around a bit with diagnosed and testings, evaluations, and coverage.
We are living on his navy pension, and his social security disability pension.... plus we got a reasonable settlement from the liability insurance for the leg injury... We will be alright. He so obviously has a MND in any case.
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