I am a 100% disabled vietnam vet, 70% for back, shoulder, and leg injuries, 30% for PTSD. On my rating sheet it is listed that I am permanent and total. I belong to a support group of around 18 vietnam veterans and I believe that 16 of us are rated as 100% disabled. Our group leader who is a LCSW told us this past Saturday that possibly the VA is going to be looking into having all 100% disabled vietnam veterans with a unemployable rating might in the future have their 100% rating be dropped to their physical rating, in other words my rating would drop from 100% to 70%. If this is true then upwards of half a million vietnam veterans would be getting a major cut in pay and I say that this doesn't appear likely. I have heard that the VA compensation format will be changing, don't really know all that much about that, but I do know that two of the men in my group are really stressing out on this and it seems to me that their health has suffered from it. Could you please shed any light on this matter for me so that I can take the info into my group for discussions and hopefully relieve some of our fears. Thanks Dave.

There are those in the Administration who favor that action. It was promoted by Knight-Ridder News reporters last year and earlier this year. It however has not happened as of now. This is an issue that needs to be addressed on this forum.

What do you forumily members think?

VA Agrees with Key Points about PTSD Treatment In New Institute of Medicine Report WASHINGTON (October 18, 2007) - The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) today agreed with a new Institute of Medicine (IOM) report finding exposure-based therapies for the treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) to be effective.

The report released today by the IOM Committee on Treatment of PTSD concluded among its key findings that exposure-based therapies such as prolonged exposure therapy and cognitive processing therapy have proven to be effective treatments for PTSD, while more research is needed on pharmacotherapy to determine its effectiveness.

"VA is pleased to see IOM agrees with us that exposure-based therapies are effective treatments for PTSD," said Dr. Antonette Zeiss, VA's Deputy Chief of Mental Health Services. "VA has been making the therapies readily available, even before the IOM report was released."

Prolonged exposure therapy utilizes techniques to promote confrontation with feared objects, situations, memories and images. It involves use of psychoeducation, breathing retraining, prolonged exposure to the memory of the trauma through imaginary reliving, and repeated exposure to safe situations being avoided because of traumatic fear.

Cognitive process therapy involves psychoeducation; written exposure in which patients write about the impact of trauma on themselves and others and interpret traumatic events; challenging patient's interpretations of traumatic events and cognitive restructuring of their beliefs that have been disrupted by traumatic events.

Dr. Zeiss said VA began developing training about a year ago for its mental health professionals in the use of exposure-based therapies, starting with cognitive processing therapy and now including prolonged exposure therapy.

In fact, VA's Dr. Patricia Resick, head of the Women's Division of the National Center for PTSD in Boston, is a leading researcher in cognitive processing therapy. And the leading researcher in prolonged exposure therapy is Dr. Edna Foa, who helps train VA mental health professionals.

Dr. Zeiss said VA also concurs with other key conclusions of the report that more research is needed about pharmacotherapy as an effective treatment. It is important to note, Dr. Zeiss said, the IOM conclusion states only more research is needed, not that medications have been found to be ineffective.

VA provides treatment for PTSD through cognitive and exposure-based therapies, with the use of drugs approved by the Food and Drug Administration.

VA is a recognized international leader in treatment and research for PTSD. In 1989, the Department created the National Center for PTSD, which promotes research, trains health care professionals and serves as an information resource for researchers and clinicians around the world.

If I might chime in my 2 cents,

I have read ALOT of the legislation being thrown around the hill and even got into some VERY heated debates with certain members making recommendations for these bills that are SUPPOSED to help veterans. IMO, I think IU is BS. If you cannot work, you should be rated 100% P&T or schedular no questions or doubts raised. This IU stuff is just confusion added by VA to leverage threats against veterans in the first place in my view. If they are going to pay you at a 100% rate even though you are 70% or whatever, then why not rate that person at 100%? It makes no sense to me. ABOLISH the IU crap and give the vet a proper rating of 100% to begin with!!!! Tell the VA to stop messing with the ratings and how they are determined. They already do not understand their own system and by laws!!!

WHAT SAY YOU FORUMILY?!

I agree with you on that. I have never known anyone personally with I/U that was NOT able to work. I have never quite understood the criteria or reason for it either.
I think the rating system has lots of things that need fixing, but simplification is the most important of all. To have a system that takes several so called experts and an attorney several years to even process a claim with the VA, is an insult to our veterans. I feel sure that most of the "job justification" fat cats are a lot of the problem.

OK, I have read the other posts on this subject, however, I still need some answers so that hopefully I can relieve my friends and myself of the what the horrid consequences could mean, and quite possibly I am talking about upwards of a half a million other vietnam vets. And that is, what would happen to us if what my original post talked about went into effect? If we were dropped from 100% disabled to (in my case) 70% disabled, my compensation would be about half of what it currently is, and also, if I was no longer rated 100%, would I lose my social security disability?

Rockindave,

No your social security disability would not be taken away per any legislation I have seen. The Wounded Warriors Act/Legislation via the recommendations of the Dole-Shalala report would seek to replace your compensation with social security at age 65 but last time I checked the administration and every veteran organization was against this so more than likely it is not going any where.

Head over to the Disability Compensation forum or the Tom Philpott Sound Off forum for more info on all the current legislative articles or head to military.com's legislative center for the actual legislation pending or The Library of Congress for more information on the exact wording of the legislation at hand.

Knowledge is our power to lobby against the politicians who seek to silence us with our own ignorance!

Thanks Matt. I do believe that the changes that "MAY" occur are being directed more towards the next wave of veterans who will be hitting the VA soon enough. I know that there is alot of discussion as to what to do about the compensation rulings, it would appear that there is a whole lot of disparity depending where you live. I just can't see the government pulling the plug on half a million veterans and no one goes beserk, no one goes postal about it. I would be more worried about veterans committing suicide because of this.

quote:

IMO, I think IU is BS. If you cannot work, you should be rated 100% P&T or schedular no questions or doubts raised. This IU stuff is just confusion added by VA to leverage threats against veterans in the first place in my view. If they are going to pay you at a 100% rate even though you are 70% or whatever, then why not rate that person at 100%?

I agree and your logic makes sense. The problem is in the rating schedule. Under current regulation that simply cannot be done. If the veterans condition is 90% the veteran must be rated at 90% which falls quite far down the income level. It is apparent at 90%, 70% actual disability, the person is not going to be able to function in a work like setting. However the rating is based on a schedule which is based on the morbidity of that condition. Thus IU is the current answer. Remember a person rated 70% for PTSD can go hunting with a firearm, while a person rated 100% for that conditon is rated incompenet and not allowed to have a firearm.
Important note: before someone posts they are 100% PTSD and still not rated incompetent, do not tell the world and subject yourself to someone reporting you. It happens.

quote:

If we were dropped from 100% disabled to (in my case) 70% disabled, my compensation would be about half of what it currently is, and also, if I was no longer rated 100%, would I lose my social security disability?

Your Social Security is not affected by VA in any manner.

We all working together can prevent the governments proposed cost savings for the upper 1%, by pressing our veterans organizations to continue the fight AND just as important is to contact your two US Senators and your one US Representative and complain! Over the period of each month, I personally attend 7 different posts and their meetings and give a service offiers report ADVISING those present to call the two US Senators and your one US Representative and complain! Then e-mail them and complain and invest $1.23 in postage and send them a snail mail.

IMO....If the government proclaims these folks are not totally disabled and declines their PTSD from disability.......then the government needs to give them a government job, because no one else is hiring them.

quote:

Originally posted by pken:
IMO....If the government proclaims these folks are not totally disabled and declines their PTSD from disability.......then the government needs to give them a government job, because no one else is hiring them.

Thought I'd chime in here about IU, as that's what I'm rated.

I was originally rated at 60% for DDD, arthritis of spine, spinal stenosis, sciatica,neuropathy, etc. For the last 5 years, there has been NO WAY I could work "gainfully"... I would have constant pain which would vary from moderate to extreme, but the killer part is that I would be bed-ridden for a week or more at a time.

What employer is going to hire me, knowing that I'm going to be able to work fine for 1 month, then need 1 week off, then work for 2 months and need 10 days off, etc, ?

My most recent surgery has alleviated my sciatic pain, but for how long? My surgery in 2004 worked for about 3 months. NOW I have to worry that my disability pay (for myself, wife, and 2 kids,) is going to drop from $2753 to $1100?!

I am going to be TOTALLY up the creek if IU is cut out.

I read that there will be some adjustments/changes made to the ratings system. However, my conditions all stem from my back injury and DDD, and as such will remain 60% disabling for all I know.

I am totally dumb about the IU thing, but from an outside view, it would appear to me that perhaps they are saying that you ARE able to work part time in some fashion, at a "40%" job?

quote:

Originally posted by Schwanke:
I am totally dumb about the IU thing, but from an outside view, it would appear to me that perhaps they are saying that you ARE able to work part time in some fashion, at a "40%" job?

Reality is.....they don't want you as you age and they don't want you as a disabled worker. Most places that have disabled workers, have those that became disabled while employed for them.

You need to find something that you can work at as self employed. Provided you can use your hands and tools. Some of these guys that trade at swap meets, travel around and know what to buy and sell and some do OK. Stained glass window work is a good one too.

Don't let them get you down!

I just do not trust politicians most of them would do any thing that there party of choice supports. the hech with those they represent. Money to pay for this war is needed so if vets have to pay for it it may happen.

(OT)

quote:

Originally posted by Schwanke:
I am totally dumb about the IU thing, but from an outside view, it would appear to me that perhaps they are saying that you ARE able to work part time in some fashion, at a "40%" job?

Take a shot at SEAR'S hardware, P/T. You will have to work at least ONE day on a weekend, but you can select the hours you want.

(OT)

quote:

Originally posted by 16332659:
I just do not trust politicians most of them would do any thing that there party of choice supports. the hech with those they represent. Money to pay for this war is needed so if vets have to pay for it it may happen.

First, what does you post have to do with PTSD?

Anyway, you're reaching. War or no War, all of that money would never be totally dedicated to the VA.

"Hillary" wants to use $1 mil of our taxes to erect and dedicate a monument for the 40th anniversary of Woodstock, in New State. Now, that's a big waste!

I don't know where you were in 1969, but I wasn't in NY during that year. Hell, I wasn't even in the U.S.

GENTLELEADER you are welcome here, but your political issues are not. We went through this before and it will not happen here.

I believe exposure based therapy is a crock!!! I went through this "experiment" several years ago in Augusta, GA. The result? I now have TWO stressor dates to worry about.

After moving to Jacksonville, NC, my treatment became so hit-and-miss I gritted my teeth and went to a civilian psych. I haven't been this stable in years!