VA Watchdog dot Org - 03-18-2010
This is a summary of a VA Office of Inspector General (VAOIG) report.
Due to a Committee on Veterans’ Affairs request we (the VAOIG) conducted an audit to determine if VA commits sufficient resources to provide veterans with timely compensation and pension medical examinations, herein referred to as C&P medical exams.
What We Found
Management at VA medical facilities does not always commit sufficient resources to ensure veterans receive timely C&P medical exams. VA has not established procedures to identify and monitor resources needed to conduct C&P medical exams and to ensure resources are appropriately planned for, allocated, and strategically placed to meet the demand.
The Veterans Health Administration (VHA) and Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA) managers have not effectively collaborated and shared information on issues affecting the timely delivery of exams.
Additionally, VA lacks a performance standard that enables management to adequately measure whether exam requests are completed in a timely manner. As a result, many veterans do not receive timely exams, which can delay the delivery of disability benefits.
What We Recommended
We recommended VA improve its oversight of the C&P exam program to provide greater assurance that veterans receive timely exams.
Agency Comments
The Under Secretary for Health and the Acting Under Secretary for Benefits agreed with our findings and recommendations. We consider the planned actions acceptable, and will follow up on their implementation . . .
(original signed by:)
BELINDA J. FINN
Assistant Inspector General
for Audits and Evaluations
The Major has plenty to say about this report. He is in the third year of a claims that is well-documented with seven letters from five board certified physicians.
The C&P doctors should not be wasting time by examining him and should just perform a c-file review and use the exam time for another vet. The Major has now completed his seventh C&P exam and one of the exams even duplicated an exam he had taken two months prior.
He completed an audiological exam in November 2009 and has yet to be rated for his hearing disability. The original hearing claim was filed in 2002.
If the Bay Pines Health Care system (BPHCS) doens't move any faster, he will have to retake the audiological exam because C&P exams are generally good for about one year.
The C&P clinicians are not the Veteran's friend. The Major has received the C&P progress notes of every exam and the clinicians have always taken an adverse stance toward his claim.
Generally the C&P notes are available in the FOIO office within a couple of hours after the exam. You should reclama the clinicians' C&P progress notes line by line and correct factual errors and errors of omission.
The latter are information you provided about your condition that the clinician often omits. See http://rightardia.blogspot.com/2010/08/veterans-affairs-c-exam.html
You can also challenge a clinicians credentials, but Rightardia suggest you wait until your claim is turned down in the SSOC statement.
Then do a Rizzo v. Shinseki, CAVC No. 07-0123; Fed. Cir. No. 2009-7026. The challenge of the clinician' credentials which will upset the VAMC, but it will put the local health care system (HCS) in a defensive crouch in front of the Board of Veteran Appeals.
Some VAROs are already refusing to give vets the C&P progress notes for "legal reasons."' You should request the notes thorough the Privacy Office and also file an inquiry with you congressman or senator if the VA tries to deny you access to your C&P progress notes.
The VARO will be greatly influenced by the clinician's recommendations and will often develop a ruling with weeks after the C&P physical is completed.
So time is of the essence. Rightardia also suggests you get an alternate physical from a board certified physicians in important claims to countermand the C&P clinicians Progress Notes.
source: http://www.vawatchdog.org/10/nf10/nfmar10/nf031810-6.htm
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Due to a Committee on Veterans’ Affairs request we (the VAOIG) conducted an audit to determine if VA commits sufficient resources to provide veterans with timely compensation and pension medical examinations, herein referred to as C&P medical exams.
What We Found
Management at VA medical facilities does not always commit sufficient resources to ensure veterans receive timely C&P medical exams. VA has not established procedures to identify and monitor resources needed to conduct C&P medical exams and to ensure resources are appropriately planned for, allocated, and strategically placed to meet the demand.
The Veterans Health Administration (VHA) and Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA) managers have not effectively collaborated and shared information on issues affecting the timely delivery of exams.
Additionally, VA lacks a performance standard that enables management to adequately measure whether exam requests are completed in a timely manner. As a result, many veterans do not receive timely exams, which can delay the delivery of disability benefits.
What We Recommended
We recommended VA improve its oversight of the C&P exam program to provide greater assurance that veterans receive timely exams.
Agency Comments
The Under Secretary for Health and the Acting Under Secretary for Benefits agreed with our findings and recommendations. We consider the planned actions acceptable, and will follow up on their implementation . . .
(original signed by:)
BELINDA J. FINN
Assistant Inspector General
for Audits and Evaluations
The Major has plenty to say about this report. He is in the third year of a claims that is well-documented with seven letters from five board certified physicians.
The C&P doctors should not be wasting time by examining him and should just perform a c-file review and use the exam time for another vet. The Major has now completed his seventh C&P exam and one of the exams even duplicated an exam he had taken two months prior.
He completed an audiological exam in November 2009 and has yet to be rated for his hearing disability. The original hearing claim was filed in 2002.
If the Bay Pines Health Care system (BPHCS) doens't move any faster, he will have to retake the audiological exam because C&P exams are generally good for about one year.
The C&P clinicians are not the Veteran's friend. The Major has received the C&P progress notes of every exam and the clinicians have always taken an adverse stance toward his claim.
Generally the C&P notes are available in the FOIO office within a couple of hours after the exam. You should reclama the clinicians' C&P progress notes line by line and correct factual errors and errors of omission.
The latter are information you provided about your condition that the clinician often omits. See http://rightardia.blogspot.com/2010/08/veterans-affairs-c-exam.html
You can also challenge a clinicians credentials, but Rightardia suggest you wait until your claim is turned down in the SSOC statement.
Then do a Rizzo v. Shinseki, CAVC No. 07-0123; Fed. Cir. No. 2009-7026. The challenge of the clinician' credentials which will upset the VAMC, but it will put the local health care system (HCS) in a defensive crouch in front of the Board of Veteran Appeals.
Some VAROs are already refusing to give vets the C&P progress notes for "legal reasons."' You should request the notes thorough the Privacy Office and also file an inquiry with you congressman or senator if the VA tries to deny you access to your C&P progress notes.
The VARO will be greatly influenced by the clinician's recommendations and will often develop a ruling with weeks after the C&P physical is completed.
So time is of the essence. Rightardia also suggests you get an alternate physical from a board certified physicians in important claims to countermand the C&P clinicians Progress Notes.
source: http://www.vawatchdog.org/10/nf10/nfmar10/nf031810-6.htm
Subscribe to the Rightardia feed: feeds.feedburner.com/blogspot/IGiu
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