Post No.2 - About How To Start Filing A Claim

Reporting for Roll Call -21:00 Hrs - 5-5-13:

Hi LT:

Since you have first hand experience with filing a disability claim, I'd like to pick your brains, as they say (LTs have brains?!!!), to see how someone has to maneuver through the minefield of that process. Since I never had to deal with that, it will be helpful to gain a better understanding of what's involved. Here goes:

a) Since we're dealing with a bureaucracy, obviously we have to start with a form of some kind. What is it, and where do you get it?

b) What are some of the tricky aspects when you fill out that form?

c) What supporting documentation do you need to go with it?

d) Having done all that, where, or to whom is that form turned in?

That's about it for starters. If you can give me some specific answers for these questions, that will be helpful. Keep in mind, I haven't a clue about how the process is supposed to work, just doing what amounts to some forensic dissection here, to get a better understanding of it all.

CENTURION

Reporting For Roll Call

Hi LT:
In response to your question about Rule #1:

When I said I got up, left, and never came back...I was referring to that particular VA Center at the time. Had nothing to do with the VA in general. And, since I was neither retired military, nor had a verifiable service-connected disability, didn't see much point in wasting any more of my time and effort with it. Furthermore, at that time, unless you were in one of those categories, you really didn't have much of a claim for any of their services.

As you may recall it wasn't until in the late 80s early 90s sometime, when they finally decided to have all veterans sign up for a VA card. Remember? Which I did...and have used on an annual basis...to get a free flu shot. As for the rest, again, unless you are in one of those two mentioned categories, with that card, you can seek medical attention, even hospitalization, but on a very low priority basis, and if you have private insurance and/or Medicare, who pays for what and how...is still a muddle.

According to the VA here in SF, Congress was supposedly working on a formula to get around the prohibition of one department shifting funds to another department, so that veterans with Medicare, could use it to re-imburse the VA,just like any other provider....that was some 10 years ago...and Congress, of course, has yet to do anything about it. According to the last thing I got:
a) I can go to the VA here, pay a flat "fee" of $50 bucks, and see as many doctors, specialists as can be crammed into that visit as necessary.
b) If I'm admitted to hospital...I'd have a flat fee of $750 bucks, regardles of my length of stay. So, from an out of pocket expense perspective, veterans like me, basically have a $50 "co-pay" deal per visit. Not very attractive. But if we do manage to get taken in for hospitalization...$750 bucks as the max "co-pay" cost...beats the hell out of anything private insurance offers...even Obama Care!

To summarize...for me...the VA is simply a fail-safe deal...should I ever find myself in a situation where I have no other means to cover any medical needs. But since I'm paying for Medicare anyway (..they take it out of my Soc. Sec), see no point in using VA except in minor way as I do now.
And just from a personal perspective...VA facilities are clutttered up enough already with guys who are really hurting and qualify for its attention, that, and at my "age", I sure as hell have no desire to arm wrestle with any kind of bureaucratic crappola in whatever time is left in the joy of my declining years! (of course if Congress ever gets off its ass and fixes things like this Medicare deal...that might be a different story).

By the way, the only way anyone gets a "free" flag is if they die in a VA hospital. Otherwise...zilch. But we're covered. My mother did...and I still have the one they gave for her. Guess we'll use it for me...how's that for a two-fer deal!
Centurion

To Help our American Warriors

Hey Captain!

It's been a long ride.  You and I got together over 20 years ago, first on the Internet, and then at our first eye-to-eye meeting in Tucson, Arizona.  We've been advocating for our fellow Veterans long before that.  And, here we are today.  Starting up ROLL CALL.  We both know the serious problems facing our fellow American Veterans.  We know it first hand.  And we know what the Veterans Administration tells us, and our government officials about how much they care for the American Veterans is in the most part, true.  But, under the covers, there lurks another truth.  And this is why the both of us decided to put together ROLL CALL.

This is a different 'spot' on the Internet.  It is not a 'social network' like Facebook or Twitter.  It is not a BLOG.  Dan Da Man, our web designer, has set this site up per our requests in such a way that only you and I communicate here.  No one else.  But, everyone else can enter this site and view our comments.  Our 'mission' here is to explain the facts to those Veterans who are in need of getting their 'earned' help from the Veterans Administration.  But, we are cutting it to the chase here.  We are going to show each and every Veteran how to 'play the game' or, 'work the system' in such a way as to guarantee them their rights.  

There are close to one million backlogged claims at this moment at the VA.  And, this year is the "7 Year Burn".  This phrase is one created by the VA itself and means real trouble.  Roughly spoken, the articulation of this wording, broken down to GI talk, is that the returning Veteran from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan have been 'home' for 7 years, and the Black Snake (PTSD) has finally raised its fang dripping jaws from its dark hideaway within the soul of the wounded Veteran, and he/she realizes that his marriage is ruined.  His relationships with family and friends are wrecked.  He's drowning the pain with booze and drugs, and he's reached the edge of the Pit of Nadir.  And, many are jumping into this depression.  And when they hit bottom, it's suicide.  And the numbers of Veterans doing this is staggering.

So, here we are, Captain.  Once again, trying to do what so few care to do:  Help our fellow American Warriors.  

LT

VA's Most Unwanted

WHY DOES THE VA’S BACKLOG OF DISABILITY

CLAIMS TAKE FOREVER TO BE PROCESSED?

IT REALLY DOESN’T WANT TO PROCESS THEM!!!!

 SO, IF YOU ARE A VETERAN OF ANY OF OUR WARS
YOU’RE SCREWED…BECAUSE YOU’RE ONE OF…

VA’s MOST UNWANTED

AND IT ONLY SUPPORTS ITS TROOPS UNTIL THEY
DARE TO COME MARCHING HOME INSTEAD OF IN..
A FLAG-DRAPED BOX!

THANKS AMERICA, IT’S NICE TO KNOW WE’VE
SERVED A…GRATEFUL NATION!

Veterans Roll Call