By Larry Dandridge
After a veteran has submitted a service-connected disability compensation claim, the VA may ask the veteran to have a claim exam (known as a Compensation and Pension, or C&P exam).
Veterans can find the answers to commonly asked questions about C&P Exams at https://www.va.gov/disability/va-claim-exam/. This article and next week’s article will answer more questions on C&P Exams.
9. How many times can a veteran reschedule a C&P Exam with a VA contractor?
For exams with a contractor, veterans can only reschedule once per exam. The new appointment must be within five days of the original appointment. If the veteran is not available during those five days, he or she must tell the contractor. Then the veteran must call the VA at 800-827-1000, and the VA will start the process again when the veteran is available. The Ralph H. Johnson VA C&P Office phone numbers are 843-577-5011, Ext. 203233 and 888-878-6884.
10. Where will the veteran need to go for their claim exam?
In some cases, the VA may schedule a telehealth exam. This is a phone or video appointment the veteran can join from home. Learn more about Telehealth at https://telehealth.va.gov.
For in-person exams, the veteran will need to travel to their local VA medical center or to a contractor location. Contractors will schedule exams as close to the veteran’s home as possible. They will try to find a location within 50 miles of the veteran’s home. If the veteran needs a specialist provider, they will try to find a location within 100 miles of the veteran’s home.
Veterans will need a specialist provider for these types of exams:
- Dental exams
- Eye exams
- Hearing exams
- Mental health exams
If a veteran lives in an area with limited providers, their exam may be farther away. The VA will ask for your permission before scheduling an exam that’s more than 50 miles from your home (or 100 miles for a specialist provider).
11. Will VA pay for a veteran’s travel to and from a claim exam?
The VA will pay a veteran back for travel to and from their claim exam at a VA medical center. Learn more about Travel Pay at https://www.va.gov/health-care/get-reimbursed-for-travel-pay/.
For exams with a contractor, the contractor will pay the veteran back for travel to and from the exam. If the veteran does not get a travel payment from the contractor within 14 days after their appointment, the veteran should call the contractor.
- For Loyal Source Government Services (LSGS), call 833-832-7077 (TTY: 711).
- For OptumServe Health Services, call 866-933-8387.
- For QTC Management, call 800-682-9701.
- For Veterans Evaluation Services, call 877-637-8387. If the veteran is outside the continental U.S., call +1-713-255-5656.
Active-duty service members are not eligible for travel reimbursement.
12. What if a veteran misses their claim exam?
Missing a C&P Exam WILL DELAY a veteran’s claim. The VA may also decide your claim based on the existing evidence.
If a veteran misses their exam for what the VA considers a good reason, the VA will schedule a new appointment for the veteran. These are some examples of good reason:
- If someone in your immediate family dies.
- If you’re homeless or hospitalized.
- If you have a terminal illness.
If a veteran cannot go to their C&P Exam because he or she tested positive for COVID-19, the veteran needs to tell the contractor or VA facility that scheduled the exam.
13. How can a veteran explain why he or she missed their exam?
A veteran can explain the reason they missed their exam in any of these ways:
- Call the VA at 800-827-1000 (TTY: 711).
- Upload a letter online using our claim status tool at https://www.va.gov/claim-or-appeal-status/.
- Mail a letter to: The Department of Veterans Affairs, Evidence Intake Center, P.O. Box 4444, Janesville, Wis. 53547-4444.
14. What should a veteran bring to their claim exam?
Veterans do not need to bring anything other than their identification to their C&P exam. If a veteran has any new non-VA medical records (like records from a recent surgery or illness), the veteran should be sure to submit them before their appointment. Veterans can submit new non-VA medical records in any of these ways:
- Upload a letter online using our claim status tool found at https://www.va.gov/claim-or-appeal-status/.
- Submit medical records through your accredited Veterans Service Officer (VSO) or accredited representative (Attorney or Agent). Learn more about VA-accredited representatives at https://www.va.gov/disability/get-help-filing-claim/. Find a SC County VSO at https://scdva.sc.gov/county-veterans-affairs-offices. Find Georgia VSOs at https://veterans.georgia.gov/locations/veterans-field-service-office-near-you. Search for VA-accredited representatives nationwide at https://www.va.gov/ogc/apps/accreditation/index.asp and search for VA-accredited representatives at VA Regional Offices at https://www.benefits.va.gov/vso/varo.asp.
- Mail medical records to your nearest VA regional office. Veterans can find a VA regional office near them at https://www.va.gov/find-locations/?facilityType=benefits.
If a veteran brings new records to their C&P Exam, their provider may review them. However, the veteran’s provider cannot submit the veteran’s records for them.
15. What else does a veteran need to do to prepare for their claim exam?
Veterans should plan to arrive at their C&P Exam appointment 15 minutes early. If the veteran is late, the VA may cancel the exam.
Wear comfortable clothes so you can move freely during the exam. The veteran should call ahead of time and see if masks are still required at the facility, where they are getting the C&P Exam. For more information about how to prepare, play the VA claim exam videos found at https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLrrh23QvVVYhAJ6t3vr81YvDypkezZ2yI.
Important Points to Remember
It should now be apparent to anyone reading last week’s article and this week’s article on Compensation and Pension (C&P) Exams that:
- There is a huge amount of compensation or pension money (up to $4,000 per month and more) and many valuable benefits (like free VA healthcare) riding on the outcome of a C&P Exam.
- Veterans should use a Veterans Service Officer (VSO) or another VA-accredited representative (lawyer or agent) to help them file a claim for military service-connected disability compensation. VSO services are FREE.
- Submit all of the supporting evidence the veteran can muster (military medical records, VA medical records, civilian medical records, letters from physicians, letters from other medical specialists, MRIs, CAT-SCANs, X-rays, Lab reports, a list of medications, pictures of injuries/wounds, lay witness statements, supporting Medical Studies, accident reports, DD214 and other supporting military personnel records, etc.) with the veteran’s service-connected claim and before the C&P Exam.
- Veterans should not be late for a C&P Exam.
- A veteran should not miss a C&P Exam if at all possible.
Next week’s article will conclude this series on C&P Exams.
Larry Dandridge is a Vietnam War wounded warrior, disabled veteran, ex-Enlisted Infantryman, ex-Warrant Officer Pilot, and retired Lt. Colonel. He is a past Veterans Service Officer, a Patient Adviser at the RHJ VA Hospital, the Fisher House Charleston Good Will Ambassador, and the VP for Veteran Affairs for the local Army Association Chapter. Larry is the author of the award-winning book Blades of Thunder and a contributing free-lance writer with the Island News. Contact him at LDandridge@earthlink.net or 843-276-7164.
