MED BOARD FOR PSORIASIS

H

HM2YOUKNOW

PEB Forum Regular Member
Registered Member
Back Story:

Diagnosed with plaque Psoriasis 2020. Tried out topicals, no alleviation. Placed on Humira. Have taken it as prescribed for 1 1/2 years.

Referred to MEB due to being found unsuitable for Greenside orders to CA, they yanked my orders and kept my husband and I here until he is due to rotate as well as wait my pending board.

31OCT23- Referred/Placed

I am currently really unsure where this will be headed and it has worsened my MH. I have been receiving the care I need in that department but that has not alleviated the stress of not knowing if I will be staying in or processed out. I have been in for 6 years, was allowed to re-enlist for 6 more years last year...so I just am confused and looking for some answers or if anyone can relate...

1) Since I am on a biologic medication will that be an automatic unfit?
2) When do i find that out exactly? I have completed 1 C&P exam and have 2 more coming up..
3) If my NMA from my command stated that the medication ahs no affect on current job or abilities will that have any affect?

I am not sure if anyone else can relate.. but I have waited to get seen for behavior health up until now...this completely shook all of my bottled up emotions and past MST and so much more...with that being said I finally took the step forward and used TELEMYND. Pending my appt in person with our BH but what if this all settles and the board decides I am fit EVEN with the biweekly medications because my command wanted to not let me get kicked out for a medication so they wrote something really good and encouraging.... what if this behavioral health takes a turn.. will it flag my board......?
 
Hello,

I can give you some insights on Psoriasis and/or psoriatic Arthritis. If you are on a Biologic Injection (I am on Enbrel), then because those Biologics have to be refrigerated, you will (or should) be deemed "non-deployable", which will mean you will be referred to a MEB and later PEB. The Boards will, in all likelyness, find you "unfit" to continue serving, which means they will recommend Military Disability Retirement (Chapter 61, less than 20 Yrs AD). The "normally accepted" percentage rating for Biologics is 60% VA and DOD Rating. Any other medical issues that the MEB/PEB reviews and that make you Unfit For service, will be added on top of the minimum 60% for Humira.

It seems tough, but consider that the Psoriasis will never go away, and it is not reversible, meaning that "at best" you will keep it at bay with the biologic injector treatment. But you will walk away with your Medical Military Retirement, eligible for Tricare for Life, plus your DOD money.

Stay safe and don't despair, just find avenues to continue to serve your community so you find inner peace and self satisfaction (you will have a lifetime of retirement income, plus medical, plus perhaps some VA bennies, so hopefully you can find meaning outside the service).

Harold
 
Armypilot said:
Hello,

I can give you some insights on Psoriasis and/or psoriatic Arthritis. If you are on a Biologic Injection (I am on Enbrel), then because those Biologics have to be refrigerated, you will (or should) be deemed "non-deployable", which will mean you will be referred to a MEB and later PEB. The Boards will, in all likelyness, find you "unfit" to continue serving, which means they will recommend Military Disability Retirement (Chapter 61, less than 20 Yrs AD). The "normally accepted" percentage rating for Biologics is 60% VA and DOD Rating. Any other medical issues that the MEB/PEB reviews and that make you Unfit For service, will be added on top of the minimum 60% for Humira.

It seems tough, but consider that the Psoriasis will never go away, and it is not reversible, meaning that "at best" you will keep it at bay with the biologic injector treatment. But you will walk away with your Medical Military Retirement, eligible for Tricare for Life, plus your DOD money.

Stay safe and don't despair, just find avenues to continue to serve your community so you find inner peace and self satisfaction (you will have a lifetime of retirement income, plus medical, plus perhaps some VA bennies, so hopefully you can find meaning outside the service).

Harold
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Hey Thankyou for your response . I guess it is not the fact that I could be seperated that bothers me … but the fact that they allowed me to reenlist..for 6 years…. Just really overwhelming and I truly am so uncertain because many keep saying I will be found unfit for the biological but then there is that chance that I could stay in… going through my VA appointments and finally taking the lid off my MST and other behavioral health concerns due to the trigger and unkowingness of this all makes me want it to resolve to unfit and I can process out.

I wanted to stay in..I was able to pick up rank and kill it at my jobs and I found comfort in the navy.. but the more I am faced and I am given time to actually get treatment and talk to therapist and counselors I realize it is no longer comfortable, it’s actually become the opposite…

While they review my medical documents, you are saying they can flag me for more stuff if found unfitting?
 
Hope you are dealing well with the long term prospect of going the Med Retired way...I myself was an Army pilot for 40 years and loved what I did (support the troops and stuff), but I too had to deal with issues from inmune deficiency and combat injuries, and eventually had to accept I couldn't do what I loved anymore (or not in a way that was safe to me).

As far as your potential DOD and VA ratings, they are almost never the same (probably will have more on the VA side than on the DOD side). Typically, the DOD looks at only those med issues that are a)referred by military doctors and b)Limiting of your ability to serve (what they call "ability to do Soldier tasks", like carry a 40 Lb object 2 blocks, wear Gas mask, etc, etc). The VA simply looks at any and ALL issues you mention to them, but will only rate the ones that they feel limit your ability to perform "daily tasks". So it's possible to get a DOD 40% but a VA of 80%. Different evaluations. However, when you go for your MEB and PEB, the military is Required to use the same % as the VA has determined, or would use, for that issue. in your case, the use of a Biologic is deemed 60% rating by the VA. Therefore, the military has to give the same 60%, can't decide on their own that it is only worth 30%, as an example. Just remember, the Boards only look at the issues that limit your ability to perform soldier tasks, not 'everything' like the VA.

Hopefully this gives you some inner peace.

Stay safe,

Harold
Crusty Old Aviator
 
HM2YOUKNOW said:
Hey Thankyou for your response . I guess it is not the fact that I could be seperated that bothers me … but the fact that they allowed me to reenlist..for 6 years…. Just really overwhelming and I truly am so uncertain because many keep saying I will be found unfit for the biological but then there is that chance that I could stay in… going through my VA appointments and finally taking the lid off my MST and other behavioral health concerns due to the trigger and unkowingness of this all makes me want it to resolve to unfit and I can process out.

I wanted to stay in..I was able to pick up rank and kill it at my jobs and I found comfort in the navy.. but the more I am faced and I am given time to actually get treatment and talk to therapist and counselors I realize it is no longer comfortable, it’s actually become the opposite…

While they review my medical documents, you are saying they can flag me for more stuff if found unfitting?
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If the reenlistment happened before being coded for a MEB, then that would be a normal procedure. Generally, if coded for an MEB, your original current enlistment would have resulted in a Med Hold Vice reenlistment.
 
chaplaincharlie said:
If the reenlistment happened before being coded for a MEB, then that would be a normal procedure. Generally, if coded for an MEB, your original current enlistment would have resulted in a Med Hold Vice reenlistment.
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Yes I reenlisted last year so that’s set in stone. But that’s where my new concern is - I received an SRB when I reenlisted . Now that I could potentially get out before finishing my contract does that mean I have to pay back what they’ve given me already for my SRB?
 
Not an issue. Medical retirement trumps other commitments.
 
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