FAQ

How do I reach you with a question?

Please schedule an appointment whenever possible as this ensures we will have plenty of time to discuss your issue. If your issue does not need an appointment, then secure messaging through My HealtheVet is the best way. You can also call VA Health Connect at 800-877-6976. More contact info here.

I need paperwork or forms filled by a doctor. Can you help?

Absolutely! But this is a time-consuming process so I ask:

  1. Come with an appointment whenever possible. I cannot do walk-in paperwork as it is disruptive to my scheduled visits, even if “all it needs is a signature.”
  2. Fill your part, but don’t fill my part.
  3. Read and understand the form before seeing me. Sometimes your form requires special tests, a specific type of doctor, or specific medical records – plan ahead!

I need help with my VA benefits or service rating. Can you help?

Unfortunately, not much. The VA is is divided into the VHA and VBA. As your ordinary VHA doctor, my job is to provide you with the best possible healthcare, just like a non-VA doctor, and not get involved in your benefits/service rating. While disappointing, there are some good reasons for this: 

  1. Providing good medical care requires mutual trust. When you tell me something, I don’t question it, and I don’t ask for documents. Instead, I do exactly what any civilian doctor does – assume you’re telling the truth, and give you medical care. Determining service ratings or making nexus statements would require me to review your documents and question the truth of your statements. This would seriously compromise my ability to give you good medical care. 
  2. Providing good medical care requires a long-term relationship. If all goes well, I’ll be your doctor for the next 30 years. If I were responsible for your benefits and then denied you on a claim, it could ruin our relationship. The independent evaluators at VBA are often doctors too, but they don’t take keep seeing you afterwards.
  3. Benefits determinations require a time, training, and experience in the medical-legal sphere that I don’t have. I only have normal medical training, and my clinic schedule and staffing are set up only for providing normal medical care. In 8 years at the VHA I’ve never written a nexus statement (in fact, I’m not allowed to), I haven’t been trained in the benefits system, and I don’t have access to your service records. I only have your health records.

Deciding benefits is in the hands of the independent evaluators at the VBA. That said, I realize that the benefits process is complicated and difficult, so am happy to give you whatever advice I can. I would recommend starting by learning about the process here, and by getting the help of a VSO. The two VSOs that I know best are the American Legion and Disabled American Veterans, and they have a long history of helping veterans with their benefits.

Here are some other places to get help: