Quadruple Bypass Surgery

Conamn

Member
Registered Member
Back in Nov 13, I had 2 heart attacks and a quadruple bypass surgery. In Feb 14 I started my cardiac rehabilitation. Right now i still having chest pains, and Apr 14 I have to do my Stress Test. Can anyone tell me what should I do. I have people telling me if i take the MEB i should get 100% Va.

Is that True. Please REPLY
 
Back in Nov 13, I had 2 heart attacks and a quadruple bypass surgery. In Feb 14 I started my cardiac rehabilitation. Right now i still having chest pains, and Apr 14 I have to do my Stress Test. Can anyone tell me what should I do. I have people telling me if i take the MEB i should get 100% Va.

Is that True. Please REPLY

Welcome to the PEB Forum! :)

Indeed, I am saddened to hear about your current medical condition at this point and I pray for favorable outcomes from your cardiac rehabilitation.

Albeit, the DoD IDES MEB/PEB process is a joint venture between the DoD and the DoVA, each organization still maintains their own rules and regulations in reference to any potential military disability compensation!

As such, the information provided to you by "people" is not 100% accurate at this point since the DoD (IDES MEB/PEB) can't issue DoVA rating(s) but the DoD IDES (PEB) must adopt the DoVA rating(s) all for PEB referred unfitting condition(s).

From a procedural viewpoint at this point to aide with building your potentially new DoD IDES knowledgebase, the DoD IDES MEB/PEB process is explained in detail as follows:

After referral into the DoD IDES MEB/PEB process by your military PCM who initiated a permanent physical profile with PULHES of 3 or 4 in any one category, the Military Treatment Facility (MTF) who has approval authority for DoD IDES MEB referrals shall review the originally PCM-initiated permanent physical profile request.

Upon acceptance into the DoD IDES MEB/PEB process, during the MEB Phase is when all of your medical conditions are reviewed to determine which are "medically unacceptable" or "medically acceptable" conditions. The MTF will assign a PEBLO to develop the MEB case file for the MEB phase of the DoD IDES process.

To that extent, the MEB Physician is supposed to review all applicable medical condition(s) associated with a PULHES category of 3 or 4 in the AHLTA EMR database system, and then make an informed objective medical evidence determination to either maintain, down select, or upgrade the specific category code in the PULHES.

Upon approval by the DoD IDES MEB Physician(s) at the MTF of the PCM-initiated permanent physical profile referral, the MEB Physician shall either generate a new permanent physical profile with updated PULHES (most favorable course of action in my opinion) or transpose the PCM-initiated permanent physical profile with PULHES as written (least favorable course of action in my opinion).

In continuation of the DoD IDES MEB process, a Narrative Summary (NARSUM) is dictated after receipt of the DoVA C&P Examination results which outlines in detail all medically unacceptable and medically acceptable conditions.

It's unknown what type of C&P Exam clinician you will get on the day(s) of the evaluation. In my opinion, some DoVA C&P Examination clinicians are good-to-go while others seem not to care about the military service member.

With that said, you may receive good or bad results from either of the aforementioned type of DoVA C&P Exam clinicians; there are no guarantees. Depending on the type of C&P Exam, the clinician will just ask a lot of questions and/or perform a physical evaluation.

If the MEB determines that medically unacceptable conditions exist, then the IDES case file is forward to the PEB for a fit for duty or unfit for duty determination. The MEB phase has an officially published DoD timeline of 100 calendar days for Active Component (AC) military personnel and 140 calendar days for Reserve Component (RC) military personnel.

If the PEB determines any unfit medical conditions, then the IDES case file is forward to the DoVA D-RAS for ratings of all PEB referred unfitting conditions (e.g., DoD disability rating(s)) and all DoVA claimed conditions. It's important to note that DoD must adopt the DoVA D-RAS rating(s) for each PEB-referred unfitting condition(s).

Upon receipt of the IPEB findings inclusive of DoD and DoVA proposed ratings, the DA Form 199 (or similar Service specific document) is generated. The PEBLO has a three day maximum limit to inform you of the IPEB findings and your election options once he/she received your IPEB fitness determination and disability ratings. The PEB phase has an officially published DoD timeline of 120 calendar days for both AC and RC military personnel, but current timelines are well extended due to the backlog of DoVA disability claims.

From an U.S. Army perspective, when the military service member is found unfit by the PEB and the DA Form 199 (or similar Service specific document) is finally signed [e.g. after completion of all appeals and reviews to include an one-time VA Rating Reconsideration (VARR) request, if warranted], the U.S. Army Physical Disability Agency (USAPDA), U.S. Army Human Resources Command (USAHRC) will transmit via the Transition Point Processing System (TRANSPOC) III or message to those installations without TRANSPOC, the required data to complete the military orders process.

As such, TRANSPOC-III performs transition processing functions in which it generates the DD Form 214 (Certificate of Release from Active Duty or Discharge) document, and schedules the generation of retirement/separation orders from the U.S. Military. Once received, the installation’s transition center or other personnel support facility will publish the discharge, refrad, or retirement order in a timely manner.

Moreover from an U.S. Army perspective, the USAPDA will assign a not later than separation date that will not exceed 90-days after the completion of processing final determination by the USAPDA. The Installation Commander, through the transition center, will establish a separation date within the 90-day window. The not to exceed 90-day window allow installations flexibility to assign a separation date within the 90-day window based on individual military service member circumstances, but should not be construed as an opportunity to delay the departure of a military service member from active duty.

Generally, the separation date should factor in the total number of days required to clear the command, authorize permissive temporary duty (PTDY) for eligible active component military service members, and allow for the use of accrued leave (e.g., transition leave).

In conclusion, the DoD officially published timeline for AC military personnel within the DoD IDES MEB/PEB process is 295 calendar days, and RC military personnel is 305 calendar days . But, it's potentially delayed beyond the aforementioned durations due to the continuing massive amounts of backlogged DoVA disability claims.

Thus, I quite often comment that "possessing well-informed knowledge is truly a powerful equalizer."

Best Wishes!
 
If you are referred to a MEB and found unfit for duty, the DoD will adopt the VA ratings for your cardiac condition.

The schedule the VA uses is called the VASRD, here is a link to the publication http://www.benefits.va.gov/WARMS/docs/regs/38cfr/bookc/part4/s4_104.doc



7017
Coronary bypass surgery:

For three months following hospital admission for surgery
100% rating

Thereafter:
Chronic congestive heart failure, or; workload of 3 METs or less results
in dyspnea, fatigue, angina, dizziness, or syncope, or; left ventricular
dysfunction with an ejection fraction of less than 30 percent
100% rating



More than one episode of acute congestive heart failure in the past year,
or; workload of greater than 3 METs but not greater than 5 METs
results in dyspnea, fatigue, angina, dizziness, or syncope, or; left
ventricular dysfunction with an ejection fraction of 30 to 50 percent
60% rating


Workload of greater than 5 METs but not greater than 7 METs results
in dyspnea, fatigue, angina, dizziness, or syncope, or; evidence of
cardiac hypertrophy or dilatation on electrocardiogram,
echocardiogram, or X-ray
30% rating


Workload greater than 7 METs but not greater than 10 METs results in
dyspnea, fatigue, angina, dizziness, or syncope, or; continuous
medication required
10% rating


It is really going to come down to your workload analysis. I do not know of anyone who had been rated for cardiac issues so I am not sure if the METs are pulled from your medical records or if the compensation and pension evaluation performed by the VA dictates it.

I'll do some research and chime back in.
 
Is it even possible to be retained by the military if you suffer a severe cardiac episode?
 
Is it even possible to be retained by the military if you suffer a severe cardiac episode?

Are you still capable of performing your assigned MOS duties to include all required military skills as a military service member? Will the military incur a significant challenge to treat the medical symptomatology as a direct result of a "severe cardiac episode?"

It's understood that certain medical conditions shall require immediate referral and acceptance in the DoD IDES MEB/PEB process albeit the end result(s) may still lead to a potential "fit for duty" determination by the DoD IDES PEB.

Thus, I quite often comment that "possessing well-informed knowledge is truly a powerful equalizer."

Best Wishes!
 
Top