However, Ischemic Heart Disease is on the Agent Orange presumptive list (also called Coronary Heart Disease), and is rated under Diagnostic Code (DC)7005. The condition often comes with sleep issues, headache, fatigue, irritable bowel syndrome, and mental distress. Medical diagnosis of Hypertension (High Blood Pressure) in a medical record (Service Treatment Records, VA medical records, or private medical records), #2. If you dont have your own blood pressure machine, you can get a reading taken at any local pharmacy. How to Protect Veterans From Financial Exploitation of Their VA Benefits April 26, 2023 Dear Chairman Tester and Ranking Member Moran, A veteran disabled in the service of our country Today,Brian Reesethe VA Claims Insider reveals and explains the 72 Best Federal Veteran Benefits from A to Z. Thats a valid concern that made it to the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims (CAVC). Asthma, which often requires medication, is rated under diagnostic code 6602. per day to control his blood pressure. Our firm was founded in 1986 in Orlando, Florida. The diastolic is the bottom number. This means theres a 50/50 chance. This means you do NOT currently have the VA disability rating and compensation YOU deserve, and you could be missing out on thousands of dollars of tax-free compensation and benefits each month. Lets say the VA gives the Vet a rating of 10%, claiming that the Veteransmedication limits her symptoms. Your Hypertension was caused or made worse by your active-duty military service (Nexus for service connection) OR by another service-connected disability for secondary service connection, #3. Philadelphia, PA: 1 International Plaza, Suite 550, Philadelphia, PA, 19113 Tricare treatment records also show elevated blood pressure, with diastolic pressures predominantly in the 80s and 90s and systolic pressures below 160. TDIU benefits are for veterans who can no longer work because of their service-connected disabilities. If you experience high blood pressure that you think connects to your military service, either on its own or secondarily, you deserve VA disability compensation. If you need an advocate to review your previous ratings to determine if it was under evaluated, call us at 251-343-1111 or 1-800-332-1529. Hypertension, or high blood pressure, is common among veterans due to combat exposure and service-related injuries. The VA rates hypertensive vascular disease under diagnostic code 7101. On the other hand, there are some folks at the VA that act like THEY are having to pay your benefits out of their paycheck. Medical diagnosis of High Blood Pressure, in a medical record (Service Treatment Records, VA medical records, or private medical records), #2. I am sick, and the VA was stalling. Eventually, the hose, its connectors, and the pump supplying the pressure will all experience damage. There are many reasons why veterans would want to obtain a current VA disability letter with Common Symptoms of Hypertension (High Blood Pressure) in Veterans, Symptoms of Severe Hypertension in Veterans, Other Possible Symptoms of Hypertension in Veterans, VA Rating for Hypertension: Basic Eligibility Criteria, High Blood Pressure VA Rating Criteria (2022). VA Disability Ratings for High Blood Pressure - Woods and Woods, LLC Undiagnosed, the symptoms of IBS might be a component of Gulf War Illness. The VA will likely request a Compensation and Pension exam. Lets take a look at a Sample VA Disability Claim: Your email address will not be published. However, the law is not always written this way and sometimes, for good reason. People with anxiety are at higher risk for hypertension. It measures the pressure when the heart fills with blood. VA Disability for Hypertension. This communication with the firm or any member of the firm does not establish an attorney-client relationship. %PDF-1.7 % Also, in my VA record at that time, was, because of an LOD for high blood pressure on 06/29/04, was a reading during my "age 40" physical, of 156/103 and the civilian doctor on 08/25/04, of 170/106. High blood pressure often is without symptoms. Over time, this could theoretically contribute to the onset of clinically-significant hypertension. Signup to never miss a beat with special offers, blog updates, exclusive trainings, and more delivered right to your inbox! Many different medications for PTSD can cause disruptive side effects. So, lets take a minute to explore the law regarding the symptoms and impairment required to warrant a VA rating for hypertension. VA treatment records show that the Veteran is prescribed medication for hypertension and his blood pressure is currently under control. The most trusted name in education-based resources for Veterans. The VA rating for high blood pressure is anywhere from 10% to 60%, depending on how high the veterans blood pressure readings are. What the PACT Act Means for Veterans Suffering From Agent Orange Hypertension, Clinical Corner: A Disability Examiners Perspective on Agent Orange Hypertension. What is the VA disability rating for hypothyroidism? As a result, his readings will be "normal" due to all the meds. Sleep apnea increases your risk of hypertension, with about half of people with apnea having high blood pressure. VA heart condition ratings are used to determine VA disability compensation for veterans with a service-connected heart condition. We are sorry that this post was not as useful for you! Agent Orange is an herbicide that was widely used as. If youve been denied when attempting to add hypertension as a service-connected condition for VA benefits in the past, now is a great time to consider re-filing with the changes introduced by the 2022 PACT Act legislation. #1. VA rating for High Blood Pressure. These medications are necessary because they help keep hypertension from causing a more severe medical issue. It lists Obstructive Sleep Apnea as a CAUSE of secondary hypertension, with resistant hypertension being one of the clinical indications. I have high blood pressure that has been measured at 220/110 in a Dr's office. Hypertension is common in people with gout, a severe form of arthritis caused by too much uric acid in the body. Veterans may see a loss or decrease in VA benefits if the condition (without taking into consideration the beneficial effects of medication) improves. How Do I Get VA Disability for High Blood Pressure? Navigating the rules about how medications affect VA benefits and figuring out if your rating decision applied the rules correctly can be challenging. If left untreated, hypertension can damage blood vessels and overwork the heart. #1. Sometimes veterans think that not taking their morning medications might result in a higher blood pressure during the exam and, thus, a better VA rating. Just like your old chain-of-command in the military had a responsibility to help you get the resources you needed to accomplish your mission as a soldier, the VA also has a responsibility to assist you in proving the highest lawful rate that you are entitled to. VA Disability Law; New VA Appeals Process; A 2023 Guide to VA Disability Rates & Pay Schedules; . People with hypertension may worry about their physical health, causing anxiety. If you receive a 0% disability rating for a service-connected condition, we call this a non-compensable disability. VA rating for High Blood Pressure : r/VeteransBenefits - Reddit Estimate your 2023 VA Rating & Compensation for FREE! When there is an approximate balance of positive and negative evidence (50/50) regarding any issue material to the determination of a matter, the Secretary shall give the benefit of the doubt to the claimant. Please complete this form to send us your message. The VA rates angle-closure glaucoma under diagnostic code 6012 and open-angle glaucoma under diagnostic code 6013. Brian is a Distinguished Graduate of Management from theUnited States Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, CO and he holds an MBA from Oklahoma State Universitys Spears School of Business, Stillwater, OK, where he was a National Honor Scholar (Top 1% of Graduate School class). This means you do NOT currently have the VA disability rating and compensation YOU deserve, and you could be missing out on thousands of dollars of tax-free compensation and benefits each month. 1,833 58. Generally, your blood pressure is determined in two ways: (#1) The amount of blood your heart pumps and (#2) The amount of resistance to blood flow in your arteries. It currently handles claims of exposure in these locations on a case-by-case basis: Various conditions are secondary to hypertension. Sleep Apnea rarely goes away, and its hard toreverse diabetes once your kidneys start to fail. That being said, if service connection is granted and your BP remains under control with meds your rating will be 0%. 0000011577 00000 n Click Go Elite Now below to get started today and a member of our team will be in touch within minutes. VA Disability For Hypertension // Appeals, Claims, Denials - Vet Tucson, AZ: One South Church Avenue, 12th Floor, Tucson, AZ, 85701 If you need a lawyer, fill out a contact form at the law firm of Attig Steel: https://www.attigsteel.com/contact-us/. JoinVA Claims Insider, get instant access to the Elite Experience Portal Plus (EEP+) and $13,119 worth of proprietary VA claim resources and start FREE today: >> Click HERE Now to Join VA Claims Insider Elite and Start for FREE Today! 0000085761 00000 n The VA uses diagnostic codes to classify the type and severity of a disability. or greater, and isolated systolic hypertension means that the systolic blood pressure is predominantly 160mm. Medical evidence must link the primary and secondary service-connected impairments, or the secondary impairment must link to another service-connected health concern. He is aformer active duty Air Force officerwith extensive experience leading hundreds of individuals and multi-functional teams in challenging international environments, including a combat tour to Afghanistan in 2011 supporting Operation ENDURING FREEDOM. 0000084988 00000 n endstream endobj 1521 0 obj <>/Filter/FlateDecode/Index[91 1390]/Length 55/Size 1481/Type/XRef/W[1 1 1]>>stream HYPERTENSION DISABILITY BENEFITS QUESTIONNAIRE. High blood pressure controlled by medication - VA Disability Seattle, WA: 506 2nd Ave,Suite 1400,Seattle, WA 98104. Veterans with fibromyalgia experience pain all over their bodies. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed. By law, when determining the percentage for your rating the VA can only consider the criteria contained in the Diagnostic Code for the given disability to do otherwise is error. You may also have another serious health condition that requires medical attention. It appeared to him that he met the criteria for a 30% rating, but the VA denied his request for an increase from 10%. See 38 CFR 3.310(a). The same concept applies in the human body, where arteries sustain inflammation as a precursor to blockages and heart attacks, the heart grows too large and becomes ineffective, and the kidneys suffer slow, quiet damage, among many other negative effects. When considering a rating, the VA typically looks at the condition and its symptoms at the time of application for disability benefits. Since that time, we have provided compassionate But, until then, the VA cannot deny higher ratings based on relief from medications if the code doesnt mention medication. Nathan Costiuc, RN, APRN, FNP-BC Updated: November 4, 2022. Contact Us For example, if you have 4 symptoms of the 10% rating level, 5 symptoms of the 30% level, and 2 symptoms of the 50% level, the preponderance of your symptoms is at the 30% rating criteria. With prescribed medication, our hypothetical Veterans condition moderates from a severe form of the disease to a milder form. 2. As a Nurse Practitioner and VA C&P Examiner, Ive served many veterans exposed to Agent Orange who are seeking disability compensation for hypertension. Generally, blood pressure is determined in two ways: The more blood your heart pumps and the narrower your arteries, the higher your blood pressure. hb```b``cd`c`bd@ AV(^ro4T' euCSWX c6#NA@O$O we had a real interest in fulfilling the training or supply requirements of our units and our higher-ups had a requirement to providethose resources. document.getElementById( "ak_js_2" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); document.getElementById( "ak_js_3" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); document.getElementById( "ak_js_4" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); document.getElementById( "ak_js_5" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Were you stationed at Camp Lejeune before 1987? Brian isalso the CEOofMilitary Disability Made Easy, which is the worlds largest free searchable database for all things related to DoD disability and VA disability claims and has served more than 4,600,000 military members and veterans since its founding in 2013.