VA diagnosis by crystal ball
The Veterans Administration is the most amazing medical system anywhere, bar none. I had always been under the impression that rendering a diagnosis required a doctor but somehow the VA can do it without one.
After years of mysterious health issues, I finally got mad enough two weeks ago to file paperwork to enroll in VA coverage. A day or two after mailing my paperwork I was delighted to receive a phone call from a VA representative who helpfully set me up with an appointment. Having long worked in customer service, I was impressed with my representative’s knowledge of his job and his rapport with his customer. In fact, I was already working on a blog post and even considered sharing my praise with Rep. David Price. All was looking up until I got this fancy-looking, full-color customized booklet in the mail yesterday. On page five was the bad news:
“Nonservice-connected.”
I was aghast. The multiple-page application Form 10-10 EZ I had labored over never asked any medical questions, did not include any request for release of my civilian medical records, and yet somehow VA determined that my ills are nonservice-connected.
That’s some crystal ball they’ve got there. Right off the bat I’m on the defensive. Helpfully included with my pamphlet are two forms which describe the appeal process. My appeal window is one year and the clock is already ticking.
Though Form 10-10 EZ asks nothing about medical history, it is heavy on net worth questions. I am fortunate to be well-compensated for my work and I have no problem shouldering my fair share of any treatment costs. I can’t help but wonder if the VA saw the numbers and decided I didn’t matter, though. How can VA diagnose anyone based on their wealth?
And what about this full-color booklet? It was printed with my unique information in it, name, case disposition, and other details. It must have cost a relative fortune to print this, but for what? If you see your name printed in an expensive booklet and it says right there that you’re a chump, are you going to feel encouraged to contest it? How many others would take this booklet as gospel?
It was only after I left the Navy that I came to appreciate the skills I had picked up near the end of my service, the skills successful people use to navigate huge bureaucracies. There is the official way of getting things done and then there’s the backchannel way. It’s about who you know, making allies of those who hold the key to your solution. Obviously I have to brush up on these skills.
It looks like I’m in for a long slog. To keep up with it, I’m creating a new category on the blog: VA. I will share my journey since it might help someone else.
Just had to share this with my wife (and VA attorney) to see what she would say. Of course she immediately started searching for forms and such and says this:
You need to complete and submit a form 21-526 to be service connected. Once this has been run through the system the VA will now know whether or not you have a service-connected injury/illness/whatever which then allows you to request the health care.
Yeah, you’d think that with all the data being held on you, me, and everyone else that’s ever graced the door of a military facility that they’d be able to pick you out of a line up and know everything about you with a couple of key clicks… well, they really can’t. I believe that’s called database relationships but I was never good at being a DBA (and apparently neither is the VA).
Good luck!
Thanks for the tip, Eric! I am sure I’m working my way torwards a Form 21-526 but we’ll see. It’s obvious I’ve got so much to learn.