Schedule of Ratings for Digestive System

Jason Perry

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Attached is the Schedule of Ratings for Digestive system.
 

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I am looking for a little advice. If someone has Chron's disease that is currently controlled with occasional flare ups, can they be rated. As a result of the disease, the service member needs a very controlled diet and limited exercise. He is concerned that if he deploys on a ship or into the field, he will not have the diet he needs. Thanks in advance.
 
Greyhound1,
Like any other condition, the rating will only come if it causes the person to be unfit (unable to reasonably perform the duties of their grade, rank, or rating.)
If someone has Chron's disease that is currently controlled with occasional flare ups, can they be rated.
This would seem to indicate that they are currently able to perform their duties.
As a result of the disease, the service member needs a very controlled diet and limited exercise.
But this may outweigh the above. If the controlled diet and limited exercise and need for a controlled environment limit the duty performance, then they may in fact be unfit.

If so, they will be rated under code 7325, which directs you to use the rating for Iritable Colon Syndrome, 7319
7319 Irritable colon syndrome (spastic colitis, mucous colitis, etc.):

Severe; diarrhea, or alternating diarrhea and constipation, with more or less constant abdominal distress................................................................. 30
Moderate; frequent episodes of bowel disturbance with abdominal distress ……………………………………….10
Mild, disturbances of bowel function with occasional episodes of
abdominal distress.............................................................. 0

However, if they are not able to control their bowels, I would consider arguing that this is fecal incontinence (if this gains a higher rating).
 
I am a soldier in the Army National Guard. I'm currently going thru the medical process, not sure which board yet since my most recent board (the MMRB) told me I was in the wrong place and they couldn't decide to send me to the MEB or the PEB. My condition is Crohn's and from what I was told from the doctors my condition should be rated as Ulcerative Colitis. Since this is technically what Crohn's falls under. So it would be 7323 rather than 7325. Might not be the case but that is what I was told and it rates more fairly than the 7325 code.
 
I don't know what basis they have for saying they can't recommend an MEB, that is one of the outcomes of an MMRB.

As for codes, if it works in your favor, then so much the better! However, technically, I think it should be under 7319 (which is where 7325 sends you to) rather than 7323. The Table of Analagous Codes in use by the Army has a footnote next to "REGIONAL ENTERITIS (CROHN'S)" which states, "Footnote 4: This is not in keeping with the VASRD which rates chronic enterocolitis as irritable colon syndrome." But, I am not surprised if they rate this incorrectly. LIke I said, whatever works to your benefit.

Hope you get the result you want.
 
Does anyone know under what portion of the VA rating system Celiac Sprue falls under? Marine after 2 combat deployments gets diagnosed and is now facing a board. Has other conditions, but this is the only that takes away from ability to be in the service(s).
 
Jason or someone with rating expertise Please help me!
My case is pending decision approval and I am trying to find out what my %s might be. They are listed below along with the notes from the VA C&P Exams.

1) Chrons-unstable and severe
2) PTSD-Severe with GAF score of 53, and Combat Related Axis I
3) Major Depression-Severe and Axis I
4) OCD-Severe
5) Anxiety-Severe
6) Sleep Insomnia-Severe
7) Testicular Surgery-Moderate Discomfort
8) GERD- Severe
9) Knee Pain- Two Knee Surgeries
10) Painful Scars-23 total
11) Headaches-Moderate
12) Tongue-Loss of taste due to boched Toncilectomy-Severe damage to tongue and nerves
13) Hearing Loss-Moderate
14) Tinnitus-Moderate

I would greatly appreciate the help. Active Bud!
 
Not sure if your questions have been answered through research so I thought I would respond. Jason gets an influx of requests from what I have noticed, so this is what I have learned, if you look at http://www.benefits.va.gov/warms/bookc.asp it has a breakdown of the conditions. Find your condition and the possible rating. Each condition is different depending on records and severity. There is a lot of information pertaining to each of your condition if you search this site. If you have any questions or things that need clarified people are willing to answer if they have the knowledge or insight.

Sorry to see all you have had to endure, this site can give you a great tool to be prepared :)
 
Thanks Harold. I am being medically retired in a few weeks from the Navy for the Crohns. I am 100% thru the VA for over 20 conditions. The process took me almost a year and it is very frustrating. The VA and your branch of military always fight just to see who has to pay us. It is such a screwed up process. Does anyone know how I will get paid. Some people tell me that I will get my Navy retirement and my VA check, is this true? I have combat related issues, so I have already been told that I qualify for CRSC or CRSD, something like that. Will I continue to get my Navy retirement check, once I discharge, until I get the VA check, or how does that work. I already have a federal job as a Parole Officer that I will start in the next few weeks. It pays good, I just want to keep up with what the Government owes me. I tell you what if we owed them a dollar that would come after us with all their force, but when we are owed a check, that we deserve, the govt takes their sweet time. God Bless everyone on here, and hope you all the best. 20 days left til retirement.
 
Kiefer82,

If you have over 20 Years of service and have a disablity that is service connected, you get what's called Concurrent Retirement and Disability Pay (CRDP).
  • Be a Military Retiree with 20 or more years of service, including:
    • Chapter 61 Medical Retirees with 20 yearsor more.
    • National Guard and Reserve with 20 or moregood years. (Once they turn 60 and begin drawing a retirement check)
    • Temporary Early Retirement Authority (TERA) Retirees may also be eligible.
  • Have a Service Related VA disability rating of 50% or higher.
If you have Less than 20 years then you will get either the VA payment or the Navy (not both) which ever is the highest.

But if you have Combat related disability then You maybe elgible for Combat Related Special Compensation (CRSC)

Retired veterans with combat-related injuries must meet all of the following criteria to apply for CRSC:
1. Active, Reserve with 20 years of creditable service or * Chapter 61 medically retired with less than 20 years.
2. Receiving military retired pay
3. Have 10% or greater VA rated injury
4. Military retired pay is reduced by VA disability payments (VA Waiver)
http://www.military.com/ContentFiles/NEW _Retirement_HR_1588.htm

Another note you can't get both the CRDP and the CRSC at the same time.
And for those who get medically seperated. If you get severance pay you have to wait before you will be able to start drawing your VA disability check. For example: If your VA rating grants you 1,000/month and you get a severance check for $10,000. You would have to wait 10 months ($10,000/$1,000) before you can start to recieve your VA check.

hope this helps.
 
I am being medically retired. My crohns rating thru the navy is 30%, and any medical condition while on active duty that gets a 30% or higher and over 8 years is medically retired not discharged. So I am retired from the navy and 100% from the VA. I do have multiple conditions that are combat related. I knew I qualified for the extra pay, just confused on which one. No one that I have talked to has any experience of my case. Everyone is either traditional 20year retirees or medically discharged. Since I am actually medically retired and been in less than 20years, everyone is confused or they give me wrong information. Thanks for the help bud. The VA told me starting in 2014 I will be getting both due to some new law going in to effect.
 
I have heard about the final phase in the law that goes into effect in 2014, but I haven't seen where it says that if you are medically retired. (I'm currently having a PEB right now for crohn's which i suspect will be rated at 30%(12.5yrs in the Navy)). But you will get either the VA payment (tax free) or from the navy, this is where people get confused. because the Navy 30-50% will be paid at 50%, then >50% you will get the exact % up to 75%. but for those over the 20 years and actual retirement and get disibility rating it will be the same % at as the Rating. so essentually, for you (kiefer82), you can get the VA money tax free and since you said you were rated 100%, currently 2,816 for vet alone and goes up from there. To figure out how much the navy will pay out, a quick estimate is to take your current base pay* 50%. so for now you will probably be better off with the VA. now when 2014 comes around check out this calculator, this is the Disability retirement calculator it will help you see how much you will get. (note: it doesn't take in account the 30-50% will be 50%. it will also calculate the CRSC pay. I will look more deeply into the law and see if about if less than 20 years can get the CRDP. BTW all these items would have been answered if you went to DTAPS.

Calculator http://www.dfas.mil/militarymembers/woundedwarrior/disabledretireest.html

DTAPS information http://turbotap.org/register.tpp download the wounded, ill and injured handbook. should provide really good information.
 
http://www.gazette.com/news/pay-54848-disability-percent.html

this is some information about the phase in that I found, but need to verify because some of it doesn't appear to be true based on what information has been provided to me.

http://militarypay.defense.gov/Retirement/concurrent_dod_va.html
this says nothing about chapter 61 medical retirement of <20years being elgible for CRDP ever.

http://myarmybenefits.us.army.mil/H...ment_and_Disability_Pay_(CRDP)_.html?serv=227

Same thing on the DFAS page. So I'm still trying to find this law, but so far unsussessful as this would affect me too.
 
Here is a link to the current rating criteria for digestive system http://www.benefits.va.gov/warms/docs/regs/38CFR/BOOKC/PART4/S4_114.doc

Unfortunately the link that you found is a "proposed" change to the ratings and has not taken affect yet. Under the current rating criteria, Chron's would be rated as irritable colon syndrome.


7319 Irritable colon syndrome (spastic colitis, mucous colitis, etc.):

Severe; diarrhea, or alternating diarrhea and constipation, with more or less constant abdominal distress.................................................................... 30

Moderate; frequent episodes of bowel disturbance with abdominal distress................................................................................................................ 10

Mild, disturbances of bowel function with occasional episodes of abdominal distress................................................................................................ 0
 
Here is a link to the current rating criteria for digestive system http://www.benefits.va.gov/warms/docs/regs/38CFR/BOOKC/PART4/S4_114.doc

Unfortunately the link that you found is a "proposed" change to the ratings and has not taken affect yet. Under the current rating criteria, Chron's would be rated as irritable colon syndrome.


7319 Irritable colon syndrome (spastic colitis, mucous colitis, etc.):

Severe; diarrhea, or alternating diarrhea and constipation, with more or less constant abdominal distress.................................................................... 30

Moderate; frequent episodes of bowel disturbance with abdominal distress................................................................................................................ 10

Mild, disturbances of bowel function with occasional episodes of abdominal distress................................................................................................ 0
Yeah, I am basically trying to think thru every possible scenario at this point. Apparently, I have been found unfit, but I have not heard anything about ratings yet. Seems strange that information would be available before a final decision is made. Do you know once I have been found unfit if the limitation code is something that is not possible now. Or, once the ratings come back does the board still have considerations i.e. TRDL, LAS etc? Thanks again for your time.
 
Yeah, I am basically trying to think thru every possible scenario at this point. Apparently, I have been found unfit, but I have not heard anything about ratings yet. Seems strange that information would be available before a final decision is made. Do you know once I have been found unfit if the limitation code is something that is not possible now. Or, once the ratings come back does the board still have considerations i.e. TRDL, LAS etc? Thanks again for your time.
Here is a link to the current rating criteria for digestive system http://www.benefits.va.gov/warms/docs/regs/38CFR/BOOKC/PART4/S4_114.doc

Unfortunately the link that you found is a "proposed" change to the ratings and has not taken affect yet. Under the current rating criteria, Chron's would be rated as irritable colon syndrome.


7319 Irritable colon syndrome (spastic colitis, mucous colitis, etc.):

Severe; diarrhea, or alternating diarrhea and constipation, with more or less constant abdominal distress.................................................................... 30

Moderate; frequent episodes of bowel disturbance with abdominal distress................................................................................................................ 10

Mild, disturbances of bowel function with occasional episodes of abdominal distress................................................................................................ 0
Also, when I signed the form that came back from the MEB it was for Chron's. After I did some research on codes and read the doctor's reports, I found that he talked about my needing medication to heal a fistula. Fistula has ratings of 100, 60 and 30. I think I would like to appeal the condition that is making me unfit. If I am going to be boarded, I want it to be for the right condition. Is this worth appealing or is the board going to look at it like I signed the initial paperwork and wont consider the other condition.
 
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