Dumaguete Info Search


VA Claim Response Time

Discussion in 'Military and Veterans' started by PatO, Mar 21, 2019.

  1. PatO

    PatO DI Forum Luminary Highly Rated Poster Showcase Reviewer Veteran Marines

    Messages:
    6,071
    Trophy Points:
    451
    Ratings:
    +4,532 / 1,016
    Can anyone who has filed a US VA claim in Manila tell me the expected response time to get a primary care appointment and also roughly how long before you find out if the claim was approved or rejected? Thanks
     
  2. Happy Camper

    Happy Camper DI Senior Member Restricted Account Infamous Showcase Reviewer

    Messages:
    926
    Trophy Points:
    246
    Ratings:
    +1,395 / 180
    Blood Type:
    O+
    It takes a long time. If you already have a service connected disability you can make an appointment and get a Primary Care provider assigned. If not you have to wait until you are approved. You will be notified to either go to the Manila VA for a medical check or they will sent you to one of their regional hospitals that they have an MOU with to have your medical claims evaluated to see if they qualify.

    I would wait about 3 months and if you have not received anything then go to VA.gov, and send them a message using the IRIS system. They respond to those usually with 3 days, some take a bit longer.

    Been there, done that. Went all the way through the Judge on a teleconference. It was worth it, I won. If you are approved, the payments are retroactive to your filing date.
     
    • Informative Informative x 2
    • Thanks Thanks x 1
  3. grandpainak

    grandpainak DI Forum Patron Showcase Reviewer

    Messages:
    1,046
    Trophy Points:
    291
    Ratings:
    +700 / 163
    Pat,
    It is a crap shout at it's very best and only slightly better in the U.S.
    My last experience here was a calm for my left knee. They had all the records. I gave them the month and year, thinking it would help them locate those supporting medical records.
    Months later got a letter stating that no records were furnished or found, therefor my clam was denied for lack of evidence.
    I appealed, stating that;
    1. I was off of flight status for two months.
    2. Made two trips to the ER.
    3. Five visits to the Flight Surgeon.
    4. Had my left leg in a full length cast, from my balls to my toes, for six weeks and they could not find any record of it!
    Six months go by and I get a letter stating that they were still working on it and ask my to be PATIENT. Me be PATIENT for 1 & 1/2 years. A year and a half later, while in the Manila OPC. I ask the Patient Advocate if anything was ever done on my clam for my left knee? She dose a finger dance on her computer terminal and lo and behold, "it was approved all more 1 & 1/2 year ago".
    This kind of V.A. treatment is not just here in the PI. I can tell you other events that were far worse, that happened in the U.S.
    Keep in mind that if you do not file, nothing will ever happen, and Uncle Sam will have screwed yet another Vet.
    It looks like you have two choices, bend over and grease up or dig out your combat shlt and go to war. I went to war for Uncle Sam in 1966. Reinter the war in 1982 with the V.A. The V.A. is going to delay your clam as long as posable hoping that you die so they no longer have to deal with you.
    Now all you kind folks think I'm skitso and you might be right. No matter what the truth might be. One thing is for sure, "I am a product of the U.S Army brain washing machine".
    JOIN THE FIGHT for Truth, Justice and the American way! Uncle Sam wanted me to be a bleeding target for the Vietnamese. Surprise surprise I turned out to be a better soldier then they had thought. Now they fear me for the thing that THEY taught me.
    Forgive me for this vent/rant, If I do not vent from time to time I will implode.
    Pat you need to FILE!
     
    • Like Like x 1
    • Thanks Thanks x 1
    • Agree Agree x 1
    • Informative Informative x 1
    Last edited: Mar 23, 2019
  4. OP
    OP
    PatO

    PatO DI Forum Luminary Highly Rated Poster Showcase Reviewer Veteran Marines

    Messages:
    6,071
    Trophy Points:
    451
    Ratings:
    +4,532 / 1,016
    Thanks Jim. The Manila VA had an outreach in Dumaguete Tuesday and I filed a claim. They said I will get a call in 20 days for an appt. I also filed online in the US and have a primary care appt in Seattle May 22.
     
  5. Happy Camper

    Happy Camper DI Senior Member Restricted Account Infamous Showcase Reviewer

    Messages:
    926
    Trophy Points:
    246
    Ratings:
    +1,395 / 180
    Blood Type:
    O+
    Jim, your experience is very familiar. I tell all that one of things that the VA will do is to drag it out and frustrate you to the point of giving up. I sometimes think they believe the money is their own personal income. Never give up, keep on fighting is my advice.
     
  6. grandpainak

    grandpainak DI Forum Patron Showcase Reviewer

    Messages:
    1,046
    Trophy Points:
    291
    Ratings:
    +700 / 163
    Mark it on your calendar, call THEM on the 20th. day and have your claim number handy. Every thing you do or will do with them is on a timer and they hope you will forget and they can then disallow your claim. Most important is to keep all records even phone call keep the date, time and who you were talking to. I did not do that and it cost me a lot of grief more than I care to talk about.

    In Seattle, that will be at the Puget Sound V.A. Hospital Complex. Been there several times. I have mixed reviews of the place but mostly good experiences.
     
  7. OP
    OP
    PatO

    PatO DI Forum Luminary Highly Rated Poster Showcase Reviewer Veteran Marines

    Messages:
    6,071
    Trophy Points:
    451
    Ratings:
    +4,532 / 1,016
    Jim, I will be going to the Seattle VA center, close to where I am staying. I have not received a claim number yet. Thanks
     
  8. grandpainak

    grandpainak DI Forum Patron Showcase Reviewer

    Messages:
    1,046
    Trophy Points:
    291
    Ratings:
    +700 / 163
    Your claim number should be your SSI number. They will certainly be asking you for your last four, anytime you make contact with them either by phone, snail mail, email, or in person. Your name and last four is their key to inter your records.
    You say the "Seattle VA center". Do you mean the "Seattle VA Vet Center"?
     
    • Thanks Thanks x 1
    • Agree Agree x 1
  9. HAVOCGOOSE 22

    HAVOCGOOSE 22 DI Junior Member Veteran Air Force

    Messages:
    35
    Trophy Points:
    93
    Occupation:
    Goofball, LOL Retired AFSOC
    Location:
    Angeles City
    Ratings:
    +42 / 6
    Blood Type:
    O+
    I have filed somewhere around 20+ claims, most of them for secondary conditions that have been caused by all the medications I take. I always file online and usually don’t have any problems! If you get denied DO NOT APPEAL! Just go to a Dr and get seen for whatever they denied and submit new evidence, if you appeal it will take forever to get it taken care of. Online you can upload your documents for evidence. Usually in the denial letter it tells you what evidence they looked at, sometimes they overlook things in your medical records, so to say!!! Just put that with your new evidence and resubmit it and it will get looked at. They are supposed to have 120 days to get your claim done? But the more stuff you have the longer it will take!!!

    Let me know if you might need any help!! Good luck goose out
     
    • Informative Informative x 1
  10. Happy Camper

    Happy Camper DI Senior Member Restricted Account Infamous Showcase Reviewer

    Messages:
    926
    Trophy Points:
    246
    Ratings:
    +1,395 / 180
    Blood Type:
    O+
    I will disagree with you on not appealing the decision. Yes, it does take time, but you keep your initial filing date and that is what they use to pay retro benefits once your claim is approved. You submit a new claim and you have lost all of that back pay.

    I went all they way through the Court of Veterans Appeals and got all of the pay from when I did my initial filing. Three years of back pay wasn't bad after getting 100% with special circumstances.
     
    • Informative Informative x 1
Loading...