VAC and Tinnitus

[Occam]

You all mean there is a relationship between vertigo and hearing loss. I thought I was just getting old. I have been fighting the VAC battle over hearing loss in one ear and the crazy ringing since 1989. I received 3/5 for ear in 89.

There is, sometimes...but it's not a good relationship.  If you have vertigo, hearing loss and tinnitus, dollars to doughnuts they're going to try to pin it on Meniere's Disease, which is one of those things they diagnose by excluding everything else.  Meniere's isn't a pensionable condition, since it's not something caused by noise exposure and has more to do with how your ear is put together.

 

[Nudibranch]

The hearing aid was prescribed solely for my tinnitus, and it was paid for and issued by the CF.  What does the Spectrum of Care policy actually say now?

Therapies covered under SoC undergo evidence-based reviews, especially new therapies using already-accepted equipment (as happened under hearing aids, which SoC covers, used for tinnitus rather than hearing loss; it can actually take the system a while to catch this and go "hey wait, should we be paying for this particular therapy?"). When there isn't sufficient evidence for their efficacy, therapies won't be approved (as with tinnitus maskers, massage, protein-rich plasma injections, etc).
So at this time, tinnitus maskers aren't covered. Private practitioners will often prescribe them, as they will prescribe other non-covered therapies - SoC will still not cover these, but the member is more than free to pay their own way. I paid for my vision correction surgery, others (including still-serving VAC, going forward from 2013) pay for their massage.

 

[Occam]

Therapies covered under SoC undergo evidence-based reviews, especially new therapies using already-accepted equipment (as happened under hearing aids, which SoC covers, used for tinnitus rather than hearing loss; it can actually take the system a while to catch this and go "hey wait, should we be paying for this particular therapy?"). When there isn't sufficient evidence for their efficacy, therapies won't be approved (as with tinnitus maskers, massage, protein-rich plasma injections, etc).
So at this time, tinnitus maskers aren't covered. Private practitioners will often prescribe them, as they will prescribe other non-covered therapies - SoC will still not cover these, but the member is more than free to pay their own way. I paid for my vision correction surgery, others (including still-serving VAC, going forward from 2013) pay for their massage.

Tinnitus maskers aren't generally prescribed anymore - using noise to cancel out another noise has turned out to be not as great an idea as once thought.  The common practice now (and for some time) has been to prescribe a hearing aid, which masks the tinnitus by amplifying the (desired) external sound range above the perceived level of the tinnitus.  That's the principle my own hearing aid is set up for, and it works quite well.  The CF is well aware of this well-established treatment method and as I mentioned before, they paid for my hearing aid in 2009 to treat my tinnitus with no questions asked.  VAC picked up the tab for my latest hearing aid, since I released in 2011.  I'm not sure if or why the current SoC has changed, as there haven't been any breakthroughs in the treatment of tinnitus, and hearing aids are still the standard treatment as opposed to maskers.

 

[Jdhfx]

Hello Everyone,

I am checking to see if anyone has been successful with a DVA claim for Tinnitus WITHOUT hearing loss. Ie less than 25 db? If so any info on what needs to be covered would be benificial. I'm asking as I had applied and was denied on first application and then again with the review and appeal board. The reason was no hearing loss of more then 25 db at 3000,4000 or 6000 frequency. Thanks in advance.

 

[Stoker]

Hello Everyone,

I am checking to see if anyone has been successful with a DVA claim for Tinnitus WITHOUT hearing loss. Ie less than 25 db? If so any info on what needs to be covered would be beneficial. I'm asking as I had applied and was denied on first application and then again with the review and appeal board. The reason was no hearing loss of more then 25 db at 3000,4000 or 6000 frequency. Thanks in advance.

I was awarded 5% with some hearing loss, not sure the range though, although it wasn't enough to qualify me for a claim for the hearing.  I had it reevaluated and eventually won 10%.

 

[George Wallace]

Some reading for you:

http://army.ca/forums/threads/110225.0

http://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/about-us/policy/document/1068

http://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/services/after-injury/disability-benefits/benefits-determined/entitlement-eligibility-guidelines/tinnitus

....and thread merged.

 

[Occam]

I had a tinnitus claim approved long before they approved any hearing loss claim.  Did the audiologist perform a tinnitus assessment on you?  It's a couple of hour's worth of testing aimed at identifying the perceived frequency and amplitude of your tinnitus.  It would be key to having a tinnitus claim approved.

 

[Jdhfx]

Yes I had the tinnitus test done. They denied it because I didn't have hearing loss more then 25 db in the 2000-6000 frequency. I did have hearing loss in the 7000-8000 feq but they did not accept that. I also had the from signed that says I have tinnitus all day everyday and required a masker.
I thought that Tennitus could be claimed on its own without hearing loss? Has anyone experienced this and was successful? If so what documents were submitted?

 

[Occam]

That's ridiculous - your BPA lawyer should be all over that.  Tinnitus and hearing loss are completely separate conditions under both the old Table of Disabilities and the 2006 Table of Disabilities.  Tinnitus does not have to result in hearing loss to be awarded a disability rating - like I said, they awarded me a disability rating for tinnitus long before my hearing loss stabilized resulting in an additional rating for hearing loss.

You do have a BPA lawyer, right?

 

[RobA]

what's a bpa lawyer, and where do we get one?

 

[mariomike]

what's a bpa lawyer, and where do we get one?

http://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/about-us/organization/bureau-pensions-advocates

 

[Occam]

what's a bpa lawyer, and where do we get one?

Oh no....who handled your appeal to VRAB?

There should have been instructions on your first denial letter telling you how to get in touch with BPA.  Or follow mariomike's link.

Call them Tuesday...

 

[RobA]

Oh no....who handled your appeal to VRAB?

There should have been instructions on your first denial letter telling you how to get in touch with BPA.  Or follow mariomike's link.

Call them Tuesday...

Sorry, I should have been more clear. I didn't get a denial letter, my claim was approved. I do have another issue with VAC however, that I could have use of an advocate who know the system.

Thanks.

 

[Occam]

Sorry, I should have been more clear. I didn't get a denial letter, my claim was approved. I do have another issue with VAC however, that I could have use of an advocate who know the system.

Thanks.

No,  that one's my fault...I'm on my phone and thought I was replying to Jdhfx. 

I'm assuming you've had no success with your issue by dealing with VAC.  There's no harm in calling BPA to see if they can help.  I've got nothing but good things to say about the folks at BPA.

 

[Jdhfx]

Bureau of Pension Advocates. It is free legal advise for DVA aplications 1-877-228-2250

 

[Occam]

More than just legal advice.  When you've been denied on your first application, BPA lawyers will represent you on appeal.  They have access to all the VAC case histories, and are your best shot at winning an appeal.

 

[iltis1994]

I HAD MINE APPROVED AT A BIG 3% PLUS 1% QOL.I STATED IN MY PAPERS THAT MY TINNITUS IS ALL THE TIME AND NEVER REALLY LETS UP.I GUESS THE WAY I ANSWERED THE TECHNICIAN'S QUESTIONS MADE IT SEEM AS THOUGH IT WASN'T SERIOUS.I WASN'T GIVEN ANY OF THE PAPERS FROM THE AUDIOLOGIST THOUGH TO SEE WHAT SHE STATED.I WENT BACK LAST WEEK AND SPOKE TO THE AUDIOLOGIST AND EXPLAINED TO HER WHAT WAS GOING ON AND SHE TESTED ME AGAIN AND PRESCRIBED HEARING AIDS TO ACT AS MASKERS.I WAS AWARDED TREATMENT BENIFITS IN MY ORIGINAL DECISION.HAS ANYONE RAN INTO THIS BEFORE AND WHAT WAS THE OUTCOME?I CLEARLY STATED I SUFFERED 24/7 IN MY RIGHT EAR AND I THOUGHT THEY GAVE THE VETERAN THE "BENEFIT OF THE DOUBT"?THEY DIDN'T EVEN BOTHER TO QUESTION THE DIFFERENCE IN OUR TWO STATED OPINIONS,THE QUESTIONS THEY ASK ARE VERY MISLEADING AND DON'T ALWAYS PAINT AN ACCURATE PICTURE OF WHAT WE ACTUALLY SUFFER...I.E.ANSWER ONE QUESTION "WRONG" AND IT MAKES IT SEEM LIKE YOU ARE HARDLY BOTHERED WITH THE TINNITUS.I BELIEVE THEY OWE ME 10% PLUS QUALITY OF LIFE...REALLY HATE TO BEG FOR SOMETHING THAT HAPPENED 21 YEARS AGO AND WAS 100% THE FAULT OF A MILITARY TRAINING EXERCISE WHICH THEY AGREED WITH 100% ALSO...HATE TO BE MADE TO FEEL LIKE A BUM.

 

[George Wallace]

iltis1994


Perhaps you have tinnitus, but do you really need to SHOUT! in CAPITAL letters?

 

[iltis1994]

shhhh....sorry...never even noticed....maybe I am CYBERDEAF....LOL...LMFAO.

 

[Occam]

If you have continuous tinnitus, and have been prescribed a hearing aid to act as a masker, then you are absolutely supposed to be rated at 10% for tinnitus.  Call BPA and initiate a Departmental Review.