VA Still Plans to View All PTSD Claims

[catman]

VA Still Plans to View All PTSD Claims
Stars and Stripes | By Leo Shane III | October 22, 2005
WASHINGTON ? Veterans groups and House Democrats blasted VA plans to review all post-traumatic stress disorder claims because of irregularities in their compensation system, calling it insulting to heroes who have served their country.
?To the VA, this is simply a process seeking out voids in paperwork,? said Rep. Tom Udall, D-N.M, at a Thursday hearing on Capitol Hill. ?But to veterans, it?s a jolting realization that their day-to-day struggles are being questioned again.?

In August, the Department of Veterans Affairs announced plans to review 72,000 cases where veterans had received a 100 percent disability rating for post-traumatic stress disorder, after an investigation of 2,100 such cases found that more than 25 percent lacked justification for those claims.

Jon Wooditch, acting inspector general for the department, said Thursday that the goal of the comprehensive review was not to cut benefits but to find reasons behind inconsistencies in the way claims are rewarded.

For example, in Illinois, only about 2.8 percent of PTSD cases receive the 100 percent rating, and the average yearly payment for treatment is $6,961. But in New Mexico, more than 12 percent of PTSD receive that highest disability claim, and the payment average there is $12,004.

?We want to make sure everyone is receiving what they?re entitled to under the law,? he said.

But critics called it a way for the department to save money by shirking its duty to care for disabled veterans. Quentin Kinderman, deputy director of legislative service for the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States, called the IG report flawed and the proposed review a waste of money.

?There is very little potential to reduce the number of cases here,? he said. ?And we?ve very concerned about the impact of the review and publicity on veterans, especially those returning from Iraq and Afghanistan, who need the kind of counseling that the VA can provide.?

Democrats echoed those concerns, and called for a halt to plans to review the cases.

Udall said in one case, a veteran in his district committed suicide after hearing about plans for the review. Officials from New Mexico found the man, a Vietnam veteran, with information regarding the review beside his Purple Heart when he took his life.

?The manner in which [VA officials] have proceeded has done more harm than good,? he said.

Cynthia Bascetta, director of income security issues at the Government Accountability Office, said the VA does need to review how it handles cases for efficiency purposes, but she told the committee the department?s proposed approach is flawed.

She said officials need to sample both completed claims cases and rejected applications to find inefficiencies and mistakes in the process, which Democrats also asked for.

Ranking member Rep. Shelley Berkley, D-Nev., also questioned the review, noting that federal law prohibits veterans benefits from being revoked unless officials can prove fraud occurred.

Wooditch said cases reviewed that lacked evidence to prove the 100 percent PTSD disability claim were likely not the result of fraud, but instead simple mistakes in paperwork or administrative review.

Sound Off...What do you think? Join the discussion.

[Gimpy]

I think it 'SUCKS'!!!!..BIG TIME!

Like I have said on this forum and others for some time now!

Thanks for the update Trav.

[SuperScout]

From the information you posted, it seems that everyone should be in favor of what the IG stated; to have the vast variance in 100% ratings is unacceptable. I personally don't see Machiavellian motives behind every proposed action.

[Packo]

Scout....I agree and disagree. Having worked for the VA for those many years and seeing how they do things, I would be in favor of looking at how many people get turned down and have to endure so many appeals processes before the VA follows the laws that dictate what they can and cannot do. Like if the evidence is 50/50, i.e. 4 MH Professions say you got PTSD, 4 say you don't, it MUST be decided in favor of the veteran. I will just give ONE of many examples how they don't do this. I had a patient that had 4 (four) diagnosises of PTSD from 4 VA physicians. They sent him to a contract civilian Dr, who didn't know PTSD from Bi-Polar, who said he did not. They denied his claim on the civilian doc's assessment.

Now, if we're going to do this indepth study, then let the professionals from the DAV, VFW, MOPH, AM LEGION, ETC. form the investigation, not the VA investigating itself.

Here is where I agree with you. I know a VA Offical, big time offical, that once told me about the regional offices. Some regional offices, (adjudication staff), hate certain ailments like PTSD, so they rate low or not at all. (and this goes with other ailments also) Some understand it better and rate higher. He said that the trick is finding the ones that are more flexable and fair, get a PO Box in that area, and have your claim done there. Now this came from someone who at one time was near the top. This should NEVER be the case and it needs to be uniform, which it will never be with the VA policeing itself. I know how these bastards operate and do not trust what they are doing. This is not something to "help" veterans....this is to try and screw people out of something they have and have earned. I have contacted my congressmen and senators about this and suggested a bi-partisan, heavily Service Organization membered, type of thing to investigate the VA's rating system and how they don't follow the law.

Pack

[SuperScout]

Actually, dear brother, we're in total agreement!! There should not be the widely varying standards, as all it does is diddle the veteran. Your suggestions for improvement are right on target, filling that implied circumstance: if one makes a complaint, one is concomitantly required to submit at least one recommended solution.

[BLUEHAWK]

Originally posted by Paco
... a bi-partisan, heavily Service Organization membered, type of thing to investigate the VA's rating system and how they don't follow the law.

Pack

On that point, though their findings would doubtless prove the point being made, I am afraid I despair that it would have the least effect on the problem. What would be most likely to happen, if things go as they usually do, is a "Thank you very much." followed shortly thereafter by deep burial of the report, claims of "clerical errors" and several more hearings.

The VA MAY be attempting to do what is being claimed. I have not noticed, for example, any health care provider in America, public or private, doing all they can to INcrease coverages.

Or, it is possible that some weeding out is warranted. The problem is, as I see it, the same administrative sloth that existed beforehand will exist during and afterward.

[Packo]

Scout....thanks!

Hawk....it's the nature of the beast. My reasoning of the bi-partisan, Service Organization oriented investigation is that most of the service organizations are respected by all members of congress, Republican or Democrat. I believe that they would agree that even though the SO's are veteran advocates, they would also be fair and call a spade a spade. I trust NO GOVERNMENT AGENCY to be the same. It's a dream and I'm being idealistic. It will never happen, sadly.

Pack

[MORTARDUDE]

Packo :

Thanks for the great responses ! The federal government in this country has simply become an unwieldy - taxpayer's money - devouring - monster, driven by career Congressman and Senators who serve only for their own good and could give a wit less about the citizens...

Larry

[BLUEHAWK]

This may be a somewhat irrational projection, but... what I am apprehensive about is circumstances escalating to the point of America seeing another "Bonus" camp situation, as in 1932 in Washington, 60,000 veterans in a "Hooverville," violence... all because people kept shifting the blame and failing to take responsibility.

[Gimpy]

is what the GAO has to say about the current 'review' of PTSD cases being proposed by the VA.......................

Cynthia Bascetta, director of income and security issues at the Government Accountability Office, said the VA does need to review how it handles cases for efficiency purposes, but she told the committee the department?s proposed approach is flawed.

She said VA officials need to sample both completed claims cases and rejected applications to find inefficiencies and mistakes in the process, which Military Service Organizations and many members of Congress also asked for.


Ranking member Rep. Shelley Berkley, D-Nev., also questioned the review, noting that federal law prohibits veterans benefits from being revoked unless officials can prove fraud occurred.


Wooditch said cases reviewed that lacked evidence to prove the 100 percent PTSD disability claim were likely not the result of fraud, but instead simple mistakes in paperwork or administrative review and insufficient staffing levels.

*****

Which is EXACTLY what Military service Organizations like the DAV, VFW, Paralyzed Veterans of America, American Legion and many, many others have ALREADY stated!