http://www.leatherneck.com/forums/ Ask questions about Veteran benefits, disability and more. en Thu, 23 May 2013 15:37:13 GMT vBulletin 60 http://www.leatherneck.com/forums/images/leatherneck/misc/rss.png http://www.leatherneck.com/forums/ http://www.leatherneck.com/forums/showthread.php?114220-VA-form-21-4192&goto=newpost Fri, 10 May 2013 15:39:27 GMT I am working on my PTSD claim to the VA along with my IU claim. I have a question about VA form 21-4192 (the form your employer fills out). My... I am working on my PTSD claim to the VA along with my IU claim. I have a question about VA form 21-4192 (the form your employer fills out).
My question is who sends this form to the employer? Do I fill send it to my former employer and have him send it directly to the VA or will the VA generate this form based off of my PTSD claim and send it to him automatically?
Anyone who has accomplished this task recently would be of great help.
Thank you,
Al
P.S. Why can't I press enter to separate my paragraphs? I had to type this in notepad and paste my post in and the spaces are still not there.

]]> Veterans Affairs (VA) ArtyOps http://www.leatherneck.com/forums/showthread.php?114220-VA-form-21-4192 http://www.leatherneck.com/forums/showthread.php?114137-Women-Veterans-Call-Center&goto=newpost Mon, 29 Apr 2013 21:38:11 GMT On April 23, 2013, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) launched its new Women Veterans hotline—1-855-VA-WOMEN (1-855-829-6636)—an incoming call... On April 23, 2013, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) launched its new Women Veterans hotline—1-855-VA-WOMEN (1-855-829-6636)—an incoming call center that receives and responds to questions from women Veterans, their families, and caregivers across the nation about available VA services and resources.


“The Women Veterans Call Center is aimed at increasing women Veterans’ knowledge of all VA services and benefits that they deserve,” said Krista Stephenson, Army Veteran and Women Veterans Call Center Director.


Since 2000, the number of women using VA health care has more than doubled, from nearly 160,000 to more than 360,000 in 2012. Women now make up 15 percent of active duty and 18 percent of Guard/Reserves service members. Based on the upward trend of women in all branches of service, the number of women Veterans and female VA users is expected to double again in the next decade.


Despite this rapid growth, women constitute only six percent of VA’s total patient population. VA has also found that women Veterans underutilize VA care, largely due to a lack of knowledge about VA benefits and available services. In response, an outbound Call Center was established in 2010 to contact women Veterans and encourage them to try VA care. It has been expanded, and the Call Center’s telephone agents now receive incoming calls and inquiries about VA care and other services for women.


“All our telephone agents have received general education regarding services that the VA provides women Veterans,” said Stephenson.


They are informed about eligibility, benefits, health care and other services, and can route calls within VA when needed. Agents are also trained to respond to crisis situations such as suicidal behavior, homelessness, sexual trauma, and domestic violence.


1-855-VA-WOMEN (1-855-829-6636) provides a single avenue for women Veterans to get the help they need.


“They just have the one number to call and our telephone agents will be able to direct them appropriately and to provide them the information that they need,” said Stephenson. “We also have established agreements for warm handoffs to VA programs such as the Veterans Crisis Line and the Caregiver Support Line. We are also working collaboratively with other VA Departments for those Veterans who have questions regarding VA benefits and health eligibility.”


In these cases, Stephenson added, the Call Center follows-up with women Veterans within 30 days to ensure they received the services they needed.


VA aims to meet the unique needs of women Veterans by delivering the highest quality of health care to each woman, while offering privacy, dignity, and sensitivity to gender-specific needs that she deserves.


VA covers a full continuum of care, including comprehensive primary care, mental health services, as well as emergency and specialty care. In addition, VA provides gynecology services, maternity care, caregiver support, crisis support and help for homeless Veterans. With one phone call, women Veterans can discover all the VA has to offer.


As telephone agent Tamatha Lee stated, “I think the benefit of having a call center that focuses on women Veterans is that we are letting the women who served our country know we recognize that they are out there, and we are here to serve them now.”

]]> Veterans Affairs (VA) Rocky C http://www.leatherneck.com/forums/showthread.php?114137-Women-Veterans-Call-Center http://www.leatherneck.com/forums/showthread.php?114096-veteran-organization-exec-pay&goto=newpost Thu, 25 Apr 2013 01:14:51 GMT Need to read this one.:thumbdown https://www.disabledveterans.org/2013/04/24/vets-outraged-over-veteran-organization-exec-pay/... Need to read this one.:thumbdown


https://www.disabledveterans.org/2013/04/24/vets-outraged-over-veteran-organization-exec-pay/

]]> Veterans Affairs (VA) Ken Hendry http://www.leatherneck.com/forums/showthread.php?114096-veteran-organization-exec-pay http://www.leatherneck.com/forums/showthread.php?114092-VA-claim-timeline&goto=newpost Wed, 24 Apr 2013 21:24:16 GMT After seeing the "60 Minutes" program on the VA claims situation, I contacted my Senator Mike Thompson of Napa, CA for some help in expediting. Might work. Got nothing to lose from nothing gained yet.

]]> Veterans Affairs (VA) madogkenno http://www.leatherneck.com/forums/showthread.php?114092-VA-claim-timeline http://www.leatherneck.com/forums/showthread.php?114070-VA-HUD-and-Jon-Bon-Jovi-Announce-quot-Project-REACH-quot-Grand-Prize-Winner&goto=newpost Sat, 20 Apr 2013 20:40:14 GMT April 15, 2013 WASHINGTON – The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has announced the winner of a mobile application competition designed to... April 15, 2013


WASHINGTON – The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has announced the winner of a mobile application competition designed to make local assistance resources accessible to people helping homeless Veterans and others in need.


The winner of the $25,000 prize was Reston, Va.-based Qbase, which developed “Homeless REACH.” VA’s Center for Innovation (VACI) sponsored the competition, called Project REACH (Real-time Electronic Access for Caregivers and Homeless), in collaboration with the Jon Bon Jovi Soul Foundation and the Departments of Housing and Urban Development and Health and Human Services.


“This contest tapped into a community of software developers who rose to the challenge to use mobile and information technology in support of our mission – to better serve Veterans,” said Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric K. Shinseki.


“The result is a robust and scalable tool for caregivers, social workers, and anyone who wants to help homeless Veterans access the support and physical care they need.”


The Obama Administration has made ending Veteran homelessness by the end of 2015 a top priority, undertaking an unprecedented campaign partnering with HUD and hundreds of community organizations to dramatically increase awareness of VA services available for homeless Veterans and Veterans at risk of becoming homeless. This cooperation has helped reduce the estimated number of homeless Veterans living on our streets by nearly 17 percent, since 2009.


“We’ve come to rely on smart phones and tablets to access information and now we can apply this same technology to help people find a place to sleep or direct them to medical and other vital services,” said Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Shaun Donovan.


“This mobile app represents another high-impact collaboration between HUD, VA, and key partners in our shared effort to end Veteran homelessness in 2015.”


Project REACH sought creative and cost-efficient ways to use open data from VA, other government agencies and the private sector to locate valuable resources for the homeless in any locality across the country.


VA and its partners announced the five finalists at Health Datapalooza in Washington, D.C. on June 5, 2012.


They were: Binary Group, Arlington, Va., who developed “Homeless Connections; John McCarthy, Forest Hills, N.Y., with “Reachous”; J.J.AppCo., with “Hero”; Makani Kai Tech, of Kihei, Hawaii, with “Help Beacon”; and Qbase’s app. The finalists were given time to improve their apps based on feedback from beta testers volunteering at Soul Kitchen in Red Bank, N.J.


“The origins of Project REACH stemmed from the visible need for a simple, user-friendly, comprehensive application that would allow us to direct our Soul Kitchen diners to other resources in the community.


Thanks to the VA, HUD, HHS and the contest participants, we now have the application ‘Homeless REACH’ which will aid resource providers and communities around the country in helping those in need,” said Jon Bon Jovi, musician and Chairman of the JBJ Soul Foundation.



“VA appreciates the great work of our partners in the project and the commitment made by talented people to address one of the nation’s most important challenges,” said Jonah Czerwinski, director of VACI. “This will make a big difference in the lives of people who need help.”


“Homeless REACH” received the highest score from judges who evaluated the five finalist submissions based on factors such as sustainability, scalability and completeness of information made available to people helping Veterans and others experiencing homelessness. The winning app provides easy access to essential information about health care, housing, employment and counseling, among other vital services, through the use of advanced mobile technology.


“Homeless REACH” can be downloaded for free through the Android Market and the App Store.


All five of the mobile app finalists created under Project REACH are available for download at www.innovation.va.gov/program-reach.html

]]> Veterans Affairs (VA) Rocky C http://www.leatherneck.com/forums/showthread.php?114070-VA-HUD-and-Jon-Bon-Jovi-Announce-quot-Project-REACH-quot-Grand-Prize-Winner http://www.leatherneck.com/forums/showthread.php?114069-VA-to-Expedite-Claims-Decisions-for-Veterans-Who-Have-Waited-a-Year-or-More&goto=newpost Sat, 20 Apr 2013 20:28:19 GMT April 19, 2013 WASHINGTON – The Department of Veterans Affairs announced today it is implementing an initiative to expedite compensation... April 19, 2013

WASHINGTON – The Department of Veterans Affairs announced today it is implementing an initiative to expedite compensation claims decisions for Veterans who have waited one year or longer.


Effective today, VA claims raters will make provisional decisions on the oldest claims in inventory, which will allow Veterans to begin collecting compensation benefits more quickly, if eligible. Veterans will be able to submit additional evidence for consideration a full year after the provisional rating, before VA issues a final decision.


“Too many Veterans wait too long for a decision, and this has never been acceptable,” said VA Secretary Eric Shinseki. “That is why we are implementing an aggressive plan to eliminate the backlog in 2015. This initiative is the right thing to do now for Veterans who have waited the longest.”


Provisional decisions will be based on all evidence provided to date by the Veteran or obtained on their behalf by VA. If a VA medical examination is needed to decide the claim, it will be ordered and expedited.


“Issuing provisional decisions not only provides Veterans with applicable benefits much more quickly, but also gives them an additional one-year safety net to submit further evidence should it become available. Our door will remain open and if a Veteran has additional evidence, their case will be fast tracked,” said Allison Hickey, Undersecretary for Benefits.


If any increase is determined to be warranted based on the additional evidence received, benefits will be retroactive to the date the claim was initially filed.

The initiative protects the Veteran’s right to appeal the decision. If no further evidence is received within that year, VBA will inform the Veteran that their rating is final and provide information on the standard appeals process.


Throughout this initiative, VA will continue to prioritize claims for homeless Veterans and those claiming financial hardship, the terminally ill, former Prisoners of War, Medal of Honor recipients, and Veterans filing Fully Developed Claims.


Claims for Wounded Warriors separating from the military for medical reasons will continue to be handled separately and on a priority basis with the Department of Defense through the Integrated Disability Evaluation System (IDES). Wounded Warriors separating through IDES currently receive VA compensation benefits in an average of 61 days following their separation from service.


As a result of this initiative, metrics used to track benefits claims will experience significant fluctuations. The focus on processing the oldest claims will cause the overall measure of the average length of time to complete a claim - currently 286 days - to skew, rising significantly in the near term because of the number of old claims that will be completed.


Over time, as the backlog of oldest claims is cleared and more of the incoming claims are processed electronically through VA’s new paperless processing system, VA’s average time to complete claims will significantly improve.


In addition, the average days pending metric - or the average age of a claim in the inventory - will decrease, since the oldest claims will no longer be part of the inventory.


While compensation claims are pending, eligible Veterans are able to receive healthcare and other benefits from VA. Veterans who have served in recent conflicts are eligible for 5 years of free healthcare from VA. Currently, over 55% of returning Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans are using VA health care, a rate of utilization greater than previous generations of Veterans.

]]> Veterans Affairs (VA) Rocky C http://www.leatherneck.com/forums/showthread.php?114069-VA-to-Expedite-Claims-Decisions-for-Veterans-Who-Have-Waited-a-Year-or-More