How Do You Apply For Social Security Disability Benefits?
Information on social security disability benefits
Misuse of Certain Nonopioid Analgesics on the Rise
Gabapentin, Baclofen May Be Seen
as Opioid Alternatives
The NPRC
Military Records DD 214
Urgent Care Centers
One of the most important benefits you have today is
the authorization to use an urgent care center
near to you. But first, you have to
to take with you. Don't wait until you need this
benefit to prepare for it. Read this now,
print your papers and be prepared!
Google Tracks You
and we don't.
DuckDuckGo apps block
Google's hidden trackers.
The world needs an alternative
Robert Wilkie <robert.wilkie@va.gov> 855-948-2311
One More Reason You Need An Independent Medical Opinion
VETERANS BENEFITS ADMINISTRATION
Accuracy of Claims Decisions Involving Conditions of the Spine
'How To Lie With Statistics'
Lodging & Camping in southern Illinois with access to the Shawnee National
We offer lodging, camping,
stabling, corral, pasture,
access to a hunting lease and
discounts for America's
military veterans!
Nexus and IMO Letters
Social Security Scammers Are Trying a New Trick
These criminals have added fake emailed documents to their repertoires -- often using the official SSA letterhead.
VA Releases Survivors Quick Start Guide
Reference guide to help during final
arrangements planning
What You Should Know about Disability and Debt
There Are Protections...When it comes to debt collection, disability income enjoys special status.
Welcome to the KnowVA Knowledge Base
Locate information more quickly and efficiently
How to ensure seamless care while traveling
How Divorce, Alimony, and Child Support
Affect Veterans' VA Benefits
VA benefits can be garnished only for spousal
or child support, and only under certain conditions.
How to file a VA disability claim
Find out how to file a claim for disability compensation
or increased disability compensation.
Your 2020 Guide to Social Security Benefits
Whether you’re claiming Social Security in 2020, have been collecting benefits for years, or are still decades away, here’s what you need to know about this critically important retirement program.
An IMO by an expert often makes the difference!
How To File a VA Disability Appeal
You have the right to appeal any benefits decision made by the Veterans Benefits Administration. The VA appeals process is set in law and is different from other judicial appeals processes. Find out how to file an appeal.
Has VA medical care caused you an injury or other harm?
You can sue the VA for medical malpractice but it's a complex process and you'll want lawyers who have
done this successfully in the past. There are strict time limits and draconian regulations to follow.
Get some advice today...call now!
Download VA benefit letters
To receive some benefits, Veterans need a letter
proving their status.
For Better Brain Health, Preserve Your Hearing
Hearing loss is the largest modifiable risk factor for developing dementia, exceeding that of smoking, high blood pressure, lack of exercise and social isolation.
Hello Jim...
Can you help me with....
Family Medical Leave Act problems after husband's deployment
Vet being harassed at work
VA doctor malpractice
Child support arrears create hardship
68 year old veteran with cancer
When did the Vietnam era start
Radiation treatment for prostate cancer and now C& P exam
Diabetes claim secondary to OSA
Revisiting child support order
Gulf War veteran behavior found to be willful misconduct
All these and many more answers to your questions can be found at
Medical Marijuana Card
Tell the doctor you saw it on VAWatchdog
and ask about veterans discounts!
We get $2,470 a month from Social Security
and want a warm, friendly city near the ocean.
VA launches online patient portal for veterans
The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs
announced the launch of an online patient portal
this month that will provide service veterans
with digital access to their patient statements.
Why Getting a Diagnosis Matters
A diagnosis does so much more than get noted in your medical history. It also can help you apply for programs like Social Security Disability and medical marijuana cards. And maybe even more importantly, it can help you explain yourself to friends, colleagues and family.
I did that for years & it's
the best thing ever. Get
into the belly of the beast.
Do You Need
Medical Care
RIGHT NOW?
You are already authorized
to use an urgent
care clinic!
The VAWatchdog
doesn't ask for donations, we don't have fees, we don't ask you to register...you can't find a way to give us your money. We're supported by advertising. When you shop via the VAWatchdog,
we'll get a small piece of that.
You get top quality at a good price and you support our mission.
Thank you!!!
Create or update your will fast / 100% free
Make your will with FreeWill today
Healthcare directives,
proxies, living wills and durable financial power of attorney.
All are free to use.
Is your disability pay fair game in a divorce?
(Yeah, it is...)
Schedule for Rating Disabilities
Owe VA Money???
To Loneliness And Isolation For Seniors
Did you know that hearing loss and tinnitus are the
most commonly rated veterans disabilities? Did you
know that hearing loss and tinnitus can cause
other secondary conditions, particularly mental
health problems like depression and loneliness?
Chronic Pain Is an Impossible Problem
A “safe” alternative to opioid painkillers
turns out to be not so safe.
Jim Strickland is a Vietnam era Army veteran and nationally recognized expert on VA disability benefits
and a member of the Stateside Legal Website Advisory Board. Jim's Mailbag, is a regular column where veterans,
servicemembers, and family members can ask Jim their questions about VA and Social Security disability benefits.
You can browse all of these Q&As here, and search the Jim's Mailbag archives for helpful answers.
Military Sisterhood Initiative to go live February 18
A social platform to build peer
support community for women Veterans
VAWatchdog Dot Org
Just who do you think
you are?
Stats about veterans.
Percent of U.S. adult population who are veterans in 2017, by state
Employment Data for Veterans With Disabilities
Employment Situation of Veterans Summary
Immigrant Veterans in the United States
Demographics of the U.S. Military
Veterans and Military Documents
Military Programs and Benefits
Facts on Veterans and Entrepreneurship
American War and Military Operations
Casualties: Lists and Statistics
Tinnitus and hearing loss among
Veteran Social Security Beneficiaries
Veteran-Owned Businesses and Their Owners
48 Interesting U.S. Military Facts
The American Veteran Experience and the Post-9/11 Generation
National Center for Veterans Analysis and Statistics - Quick Facts
Global Firepower - 2019 World Military Strength Rankings
Medical Malpractice - Veterans 1151 Claims
VA Malpractice Attorneys Helping Veterans Harmed By The VA
Veterans Healthcare Rights - Federal Tort Claims -
VA Medical Malpractice Claims, Misdiagnosis, Hospital Negligence, Medical Errors
For a review of your VA malpractice case contact our lawyers today. Our firm serves throughout the nation, and is one of the few firms to have specialized experience in VA malpractice cases.
Call Now! (949) 640-8222
PAPER Evidence Records
and Claims All Go Here
V A Claims Intake Center
PO BOX 4444
JANESVILLE, WI
53547- 4444
Toll Free Fax:
844-531-7818
Key findings about America’s military veterans
The experiences of post-9/11 veterans differ from
those who served in previous eras. Post-9/11
veterans more likely to have been deployed,
seen combat, experienced emotional trauma
Should I file a claim?
Potential VA claims?
What am I missing in the VA claims process?
Best way to check on a supplemental claim online?
Confused on what to do with claim.
Dependent status with education benefits.
Suing the VA for negligence and malpractice.
You've Arrived at the VAWatchdog Dot Org!
Welcome Home
We've been keeping veterans informed of news and events important to them since 2005.
You'll find all you need to file your claim and referrals to professionals who can help you when things don't go well.
What you won't find here is unending chat or opinions from strangers who like to think of themselves as experts.
Our goal is to ensure that you are awarded the benefits you earned with your service to our country.
We're here to help you take charge of your benefits, and that is all.
Extra schedular ratings under
How can I get an extra schedular rating?
To receive an extra schedular rating the veteran
must first show that the veteran’s
conditions result in a disability picture
that is not covered by the schedule of ratings.
C&P Service Clinician’s Guide
Scheduled For A C & P??? Filing A Claim?
This is a must read for you!!!
I've been posting this again and again over the years
and it's still one of the best ways I know to win
your case. Published in 2002 the principles and much of
the verbiage still applies and is in daily use at the VA.
VA Urgent Care Pharmacy Locations
Find VA-approved urgent care/retail location
pharmacies near a specific
address or ZIP code, or search by VA Facility.
Medicare & VA Continued
Medicare hospital or doctor visits will cost you a copay. In broad terms, Medicare sets a rate that they will pay a doctor or hospital no matter what they bill in charges. Whatever that rate is you'll owe 20% of it. For example, I recently had a colonoscopy. My share of my doctor's bill under Medicare Part B was $44.00. I wouldn't have had to pay that at VA but my drive would have been 2 1/2 hours each way whereas keeping it at home was a 10 minute trip. There will be other bills associated with that (anesthesia, lab, etc.) but I estimate my entire out of pocket share will be less than $300.00.
No, I don't use supplemental insurance. That stuff is expensive. I expect that this year (2015) I may spend $1500.00 out of pocket to cover Medicare copays. That's 1/2 of what a supplemental policy would have cost and it wouldn't have paid all my expenses.
What happens if you need emergency care at a civilian hospital? Who do you tell them to bill? What can you do if you're unconscious
or unable to speak?
Medicare & VA Continued
You can and should plan in advance. Tell your spouse or family member you want to go to VA first. Be sure your VA emergency room is capable of handling your emergency before you need it. Some VA emergency rooms aren't full service. If you go to a civilian emergency room, stress (or have your family stress) that you must transfer to VA as soon as possible. If the civilian hospital gets your Medicare number,they will bill Medicare every time. VA health doesn't act as supplemental so you'll be stuck with the copay.
Veterans: Pay Attention To Medicare At Age
65 Or Face Problems Later
Some veterans choose not to enroll in Medicare Part B because they’re going to use VA healthcare for life.
But, then life happens and things change.
Veterans Social Security Disability Benefits
Are you a veteran who has Medicare and VA care benefits?
Do you understand how to use both to your advantage?
Using your Medicare benefits along with your VA health benefits is more a matter of individual choice than anything. I can only tell you what I do. What I do may not be ideal for you so you'll have to put some thought into this.
I like my VA doctor and clinic. It isn't always convenient for me though. Because of that I sometimes see civilian doctors using my Medicare Part A and Part B. Medicare Part A pays for hospital care, Medicare Part B pays for doctor and most outpatient services. Part A is required when you collect your Social Security retirement, Part B is elective and you'll pay an additional premium. Part D covers pharmacy prescription medicines and most experts tell us that if we get VA pharmacy, we do not need Part D.
Continued below...
Medicare & VA Continued
If you enter a civilian hospital and you aren't quickly transferred to VA you or your representative must persistently call the VA facility of choice to tell them you want to transfer there. DO NOT depend on the civilian hospital staff to do this for you. You must document when you called the VA facility and who you spoke with or what voice mail you reached. If you don't follow these steps you'll soon be billed for your portion of the Medicare payment and you'll be in a tussle with VA to try and get payment.
Not every veteran is eligible for emergency civilian care. Not every situation will be deemed as eligible because it's life threatening or a true emergency. If you go to a civilian ER for a bad flu or a broken toe, VA isn't likely to pick up the tab for you.
The bottom line is to think of your plan before a health emergency arises. Know the hospitals you want to use and be sure they can provide the services you want.
Should You Get Medicare Supplement Plan F?
How about Medicare Parts A and B?
Maybe Part F+? Part D?
An Early Look at Social Security's 2020 COLA
Here's how much of a raise seniors (and veterans)
might receive next year.
What Happens When You Don’t Pay a Hospital Bill
As Americans sink under medical expenses, debt collectors go to great — and sometimes strange —lengths to collect.
Social Security disability: game plan to get benefits
How you can increase the odds of getting the benefits you deserve.