My google fu must be weak but I cannot find out anything about this topic online. I have heard a few times in the past month (even from some of the medical staff) that starting this June anyone being separated for medical issues from the army will no longer get a disability percentage rating.

As I hear this I take it to mean a few things.

1. No more possibility of medical retirement pay from the army
2. You choose a medboard because you feel its what's right for you and your family and are left to wonder what if anything you will get from the VA to help with your disability since you won't get anything from the army for a %.
3. Probability of no severance pay for a MEB because that's reserved for people with <30% disability ie you have to have a percentage to get something.

Has anyone heard anything about this or can direct me to some links to info about it?

That doesn't sound right.

With the plugged in nature of Vets these days word of that would have spread like wildfire.

Is it in regards to QMP boards?

No, supposedly MEB. Supposedly folks who got percentages before then would be grandfathered but there would be no more new percentages assigned by the army.

I have a hard time believing that someone who gets effed up by .mil wouldn't get some compensation for said effing up.

The Army has not assigned percentages since they went with the IDES system 7 or 8 years ago.  All the MEB does is decide under 40-501 if you have a "disqualifying" condition.  The VA assigns the percentages, and IDES just uses them when the file gets to the Physical Evaluation Board that decides if you stay or go.

^
What he said. VA assigns %

So what does it mean when the army determines if you are greater than or less than 30% disabled for example?

The Army just documents injuries and conditions, and determines if you can be medically retired, or in the caseof an ETS physical determines if you have any enduring conditions that originated due to your service. Then a whole new process begins where the VA determines what percentage disability you get. That is the percentage that determines your level of compansation.

Vicariously went through the process with my wife when she got out.


Have been meticulously collecting every scrap of paper signed by any sort of medical personnel since.

The Army documents and the VA assigns the Disability % after discharge. My stepson was medically separated and it took the DAV to get him straightened out on his Disability. He has a 100% disability.

my best guess is if an army doctor is giving you a disability rating. they are just guessing what the VA would probably give you. Just ignore them unless they have worked for the VA in the claims department. now as for no more benefits i would say BS that shit wouldn't fly even if it was true. I'm no VA expert but I'm pretty positive that the Marine Corps has nothing to do with my disability rating or my compensation. The only thing they had to do with it is provide the VA doctor that checked me out during Seps and taps. so if you are all fucked up from you're  service 1.) make sure you are going to a Dr. ON BASE to make sure every thing is on you're medical record. if you all of a sudden have a knee problem or what ever when you are getting separated they will probably just look past it regardless if it is a serious issue or not. 2.) claim everything that hurts or is annoying regardless of how big or small the pain is. it could turn bad after you get out and if its not documented  while you where in it is considered non service connected even if it is in fact service connected. you will have to fight tooth and nail to prove it was again claim everything. even if the VA gives you a 0% for it if you ever need a knee replacement or whatever it will be covered as a service connected injury. the VA will take care of it might take 10 years to get an appointment but they will cover it.

3.) regardless if when you get out and the VA gives you a distance waver or time waver to see a civilian Dr. make sure you are going to you"re annual app at the VA. to insure your benefits stay where they are supposed to be. was just talking to a guy the other day his disability  rating is getting drooped down. due to the fact that every time the VA would call for his annual he would say no thanks im fine now because he preferred his civilian Dr.. the guy went to his local VA once sense  he got out and never went  back your civilian Dr. is not going to report back to the VA for you to update your condition but he will cash that government check they send him.

hope this helps

sorry for the long post but its a rain day and i have a lot of time on my hands

skip to the bottom for BLUF. The following generally only applies to someone with less than 20 years TIS and is accurate to the best of my knowledge.

DoD only rates you for a disabling condition(s) (ie missing leg 30%***).  This rating does not change and is generally lower than your VA rating.

VA rates you on EVERYTHING, disabling or not. (missing leg, missing testicle, history of asthma, knee pain (other leg) shoulder pain, 140%***) and can change as conditions get worse or improve.

percentages from each affect who/how provides you benefits later (VA or DOD) and can possibly affect retirement.  (30-50% DOD can get you active duty hospital privileges/benefits and possibly retirement but you need over 50% to get max VA benefits,

DoD used to require two separate boards, an MEB and a PEB.  MEB determined if you had a disqualifying condition(s), PEB decided which you were going to be given credit for (combat, hazardous duty, prep for war etc),  DoD rating of <30% is a medical SEPARATION and was a one time, ( base pay x 2 x years in service ) pay out.  Over 30% is medical RETIREMENT and gets complicated, (usually 2.5 times years in service is the percentage you get of last three years average base pay for life)  but is still only for the DISQUALIFYING condition (there are many other ways to combine/calculate etc, this one is easiest and often pays the most).  

VA uses their own physical and a disability rating http://www.benefits.va.gov/warms/bookc.asp  VA ratings to determine a percentage with worst condition ranked first.  If you have a 140% rating it may look like this.  (shamelessly stolen from BDBGoalie21)

You are 100% at the start.
40% of 100% = 40%; 40% rating, 60% left
30% of 60% = 18%, 58% rating, 42% left
30% of 42% = 12.6%, 70.6% rating, 29.4% left
30% of 29.4% = 8.82%, 79.42% rating, 20.58% left
10% of 20.58% = 2.06%, 81.48% rating, 18.52% left

So if you are 30 % DoD and 80% VA and those amounts come out to $500 DoD and $300 VA (again, made up numbers for simple math), your DoD check gets reduced by the amount of your VA check.  So instead of combining and making $700, you still get $500 but this is good because DoD retirement is taxable but VA disability is not.   you still get $500, but now only 200 is taxable.

So if DoD medical retirement is only based on disqualifying condition and VA is everything, how is the DoD amount higher than VA amount?  Retirement at 45% of base pay is often higher than your VA disability.  DoD includes TIS and VA does not.


If you are still reading, what does this have to do with the thread title:  the new process is supposed to combine the whole thing into one board instead of having to go through the MEB, PEB and then VA physical.  Initial results are good with people coming back with slightly higher percentages in 45-60 days instead of 90-120 days

 

Hope this helps

ENG



*** percent made up

ETA, fix hotlink

Are you getting ready to get out?



 

Re-read my post and realized I didn't answer your questions

1.  Absolutely not true.  I discussed with the head MEB Dr at two different posts.
2.  See number one, Army only pays you for most disabling condition
3.  <30% medical separation with severance pay, >30% medical retirement with retirement pay.  

Caveat on number three.  You can be medically separated for 10%, get about that from the VA, and you get no additional benefits.  Just happened to a guy at Fort Benning.  The guy Demanded an MEB at 18 years 6 months.  Ratings came back at 19 years 0 months not fit, 10%.  Guy appealed, results came back in two months, Not fit, 10%.  He is getting the boot at 19 years 2 months with only separation.  

well it is the end of June did the army cut disability?

They are not cutting disability, that would be illegal.

I was thinking of getting out but not any more. As far as cutting disability I meant for new claims not current ones. I am hearing now what is happening is guys aren't getting their VA percentages until after they are out so that soldiers aren't trying to game the system and get out just for money. I still don't know if any of this is true but I keep hearing it from guys who are starting the med board process.

well It has been that way since at least 2012 I didn't get my rating till I was out for about 10months to a year but that was just for EAS I didn't do a med board I'm not familiar with that process.  

Under the current system, when you went through a MEB, you would stay in the Army until the MEB was complete.  This may take 45 days for a simple case to 6-9 months.  During that time you are taking up a slot and, sometimes, worthless to the unit.  You would also remain on the unit books until you received your first VA disability check (possibly 3-6 months.  

The new proposal (it may be phased in gradually starting at some locations) is calling for a discharge as soon as you are determined to be "unfit" and the rest of the process will occur after your discharge date.

So you kick out a broke guy, who might no be able to get a job over injuries sustained in the military and then say good luck??



Don't worry the VA might pay you in 3-12 months, and until then hopefully the VA will throw some meds at you to keep you

going.



Boy that sounds great doesn't it???
 

I don't know how that process will work.  To me, it doesn't sound right.  Some have suggested that your Army disability will kick in immediately and the VA will kick in when complete and you will get back pay.  I don't know.

I do know that the SMA is a big proponent of soldiers getting the boot as soon as they are deemed unfit.