Service Connected?

[ceilingfan]

I was medically retired the first part of February 2011 from the army. I was in the DOD/VA pilot program. However I have not started receiving my VA compensation pay yet and according to the VA hospital that I have initiated treatment with says I am not "service connected" in the VA system yet. Consequently I'm not eligibility for certain benefits such as travel reimbursement for treatment received related to my service connected disabilities.

Through the pilot program I was rated 50% by DOD and 60% by the VA for conditions all of which are service connected. It clearly states service connection in the findings for both VA and DOD. Additionally, my dd214 states retired and my retirement orders state my DOD percentage and the fact that my disability is service connected. However, the paper work I received from the VA when the PEB sent my findings back I guess aren't official just "proposed" findings...whatever that means! I was told by eligibility office at the VA hospital that I would be receiving official paperwork of my rating and service connected status. My question is does anyone know about how long that generally takes? I thought that would all be done with the new DOD/ VA pilot program before I got out... guess not. lol

 

[xeno]

You should have got a letter from the VA, listing all conditions and their rating. Then you can take that does to your local VA hospital with your records and "sign up" for VA treatment.

 

[ceilingfan]

Xeno,
Yeah, I've already "signed up" with my local VA hospital. I received a letter from VA while on active duty going through PEB VA/DOD pilot program listing all conditions and the rating. However it was just "proposed" ratings. I have yet to receive the official letter from VA stating conditions and ratings. I was just curious if anyone knew how soon off active duty I should receive that letter or if that's something I should have gotten while going through the pilot program on active duty. The eligibility office at the VA really had no idea and weren't even remotely familiar with the pilot program... of course.

 

[ceilingfan]

Update: I received my official ratings two days ago from the VA. Didn't quite meet the within 30 days after separation directive of the pilot program but it was within 60 days.