Tell us your experiences after Medical Release with SISIP/VAC/etc

[Oil Can]

I would like to hear any personal stories (for better or worse) of anyone having issues with their SISIP LTD claim or VAC after a Medical (Cat 3a/b) release.

I Hope this thread is in the correct category. If it isn't please feel free to move it, thanks.


Sincerely,

Oil Can 

 

[OldClk]

In short...VAC was a waste of time. The appeal process even worse. I still can't bring myself to read the entire decision. The parts I read were upsetting enough.

SISIP however came through for me with flying colors. I received my first payment six weeks after release. They didn't even wait until end month to process that payment. It was sent mid month as soon as the claim was finalized. Even then they said there was a delay because there was information missing that they had to wait for. At the end of two years I was moved directly on to the "permanently disabled" list and just have to have the annual medical review forms filled in by my physician.

So no complaints from me about SISIP.

 

[retiredgrunt45]

Although I was released almost 9 years ago my experience with both the VAC and SISIP has been a positive one. I started drawing a VA pension the last two years of my service and then when I was finally released SISP clicked in and the rest is history. Even though my condition has become worse, the VA has always been there. My case manager is great, she makes sure i'm taken care off.
My counciller from SISIP is fantastic, he see's me whenever I need to and he also makes sure my needs are being met.

Overall a very good experience. Could it be improved? Of course, anything can be improved.

 

[Nemo888]

VAC is a total waste of time. I was hurt on training with 3RCR. I was a reservist on course so no SISIP. I really got screwed. I wish I knew I had no support. I wouldn't have pushed myself so hard. It's taken years to walk properly and be able to do some chores around the house.

VAC makes many promises and does not deliver. They love to get your hopes up temporarily and then you get almost nothing.  In the end I got 26,000$ which is less than my lost wages from my civvie job in my first 18 months of being injured. My life is totally changed. I'm like a 70 year old man now. 26K, really?

 

[donkon]

Yea i agree dealing with VAC is a pain in the ass. They are rude and you have to fight with them non stop. I had a vac counselor that was extremely rude and very shifty when dealt with. I contacted the vac ombudsman because for 2 years now i couldn't work with my current vac counselor due to all the lies, and non stop bs. Apparently they finally will put me under another person in a couple months. Which in vac times a couple months could equal to over a year.

SISIP on the other hand has been way more easy to work with. Before i got medically released though i had some slight problems with them but it got cleared up pretty quickly, you just gotta be smart when dealing with vac or sisip, also make sure you fully understand what they are saying, because they are also shifty

 

[OldSolduer]

Just to let you know, in whatever area you live in.

The Joint Personnel Support Unit has been created to help serving members, veterans and their families with such problems. Under each Regional JPSU HQ, there are between 3-5 Integrated Personnel Service Centres (IPSC) to deal with the details, ie VAC, SISIP, OSISS etc.
JPSU Regional HQs are in Halifax, Montreal, Petawawa, Gagetown,  Winnipeg (my office), Edmonton, Victoria and London.

If any of you have or have had problems with VAC etc, contact a JPSU Regional HQ or an IPSC. We can, and have helped personnel who have experienced such problems.

PM me for contact info.

 

[mike63]

Well buddy, you asked and I'm going to share.
My experience with dealing with the VA has been nothing but disbelief, in a system put in place to help us vets, it's been nothing but a constant fight to get any of my claims actioned.  It's been a rollercoaster ride every since I submitted my first claim back in '98.  Each claim, I've had to appeal all the way back to Charlottetown and one, even after having 2 witness statements and a CF98, I had to get help from my local Legion to have the benefit up'd in price.
Every time someone mentions the VA, I get a chill up my spine, which unfortunately is one thing that I claim, I shake my head in wonderment still trying to figure out how that org is still up and running.  If I have any bit of advise to the younger generation of warriors out there it is this...STAY FIT AND FOR GODS SAKE DON'T GET HURT!

Now about SISIP, I have had no problems with them, actually they were very pleasant to deal with and my case worker, Heather Patterson in Halifax was nothing by helpful for the 2 years we had to deal with each other.  Now there policy of only paying up to 75% or your pay, I really don't agree with because there were some months that I didn't receive any payment because I made to much money according to there standard however, I wish the VA would take some notes from SISIP.

 

[soontoretire]

This is for Jim Seggie's post.

What if my problems aren't coming from neither SISIP/VAC but from some of my JPSU/IPSC staff?  Who do I turn to???

 

[OldSolduer]

This is for Jim Seggie's post.

What if my problems aren't coming from neither SISIP/VAC but from some of my JPSU/IPSC staff?  Who do I turn to???

PM me.

 

[jimnewt]

My story has been awful. Was release under voluntary terms Sep 1998. May 1999 a career medical review board that they did in May 1998 finally caught up and they changed my release to a medical and then all the return of contributions were no longer that and the tax department could not reverse the process so I had to declare bankruptcy because of them!!

Had to fight SISIP for 3 years for the lawyer to take a majority of it... and have been fighting VAC for the main reason I was released my Benign Positional Vertigo ever since.  Found missing medical information thanks to http://www.veteransofcanada.ca founder Don Leonardo which should have been on my file all along.

Never Never Give Up is all I say!!

My full info can be found here:

http://veteranvoice.info/WebPages/9INeedYourHelp.html#VRAB%20Denial%20-%20Why

Hope this encourges someone to keep pressing on!

 

[Cdnleaf]

I have had a positive experience so far / being open to and utilizing IPSC support has been key to this.  It has been tough emotional process for me, which has precipitated a few rants here and elsewhere. Part of my challenge has been accepting it's ok to ask for help.  I'm released 3b this fall and the success of my recovery/getting my life back has never been contingent on financial anything from DVA.  All the best with the continued process.