Compensation & Pension Workgroup
C&P Workgroup
The C&P workgroup is co-chaired by Dr. Makesha Sink and Dr. Brian LeStrange.
- They may be contacted at Makesha.Sink@va.gov or Brian.Lestrange@va.gov.
- You may email Ms. Kathy Gernhart at Kathleen.Gernhart@va.gov to be added to the workgroup.
In lieu of the quarterly teleconferences that were held had in the past, pertinent VA Disability /Compensation & Pension information that will benefit you in completing your EYE DBQ’s/Opinions will be sent out periodically.
General Resources
- https://www.va.gov/disability/#get (Excellent Reference Site for everything related to VA Disability!)
- https://benefits.va.gov/compensation/claimexam.asp (Reference site with C&P exam information)
- Summary/update to the ACE process (06/17/20)
- Please see the latest update to DMA Fact Sheet, 20-003, Stop Codes, ICD-10CM, and CPT Codes for Disability Examination Encounters. This update replaces the June 2, 2020 update. This update adds new CPT codes to be used for Audio ACE reviews: DMA 20-003-Updated Stop Codes, ICD-10CM and CPT Codes for Disability Examination Encounters 6-18-20
C&P Conference Call Minutes:
C&P Update 04-07-20:
C&P Call Minutes 07-19-17
C&P Call Minutes 01-18-17
C&P Call Minutes 10-20-16
C&P Call Minutes 4-20-16
C&P Call Minutes 7-15-15
C&P Call Minutes 1-21-15
C&P Minutes 10-15-14
C&P Minutes 1-15-14
C&P Minutes 9-25-13
C&P Minutes 4-26-13
C&P Minutes 11-28-12
C&P Minutes 8-24-12
C&P Minutes 7-18-12
Guide to Disability Exams (Posted 01-31-2019)
Disability Exams 101
Training modules for disability examiners Posted 4-23-2015
The Office of Disability and Medical Assessment (DMA) in conjunction with the Employee Education System (EES) is pleased to announce the roll out of four new training modules for disability examiners: Medical Opinions, Aggravation Opinions, Gulf War and Cervical (Neck) and Thoracolumbar (Back) Spine Examinations.
Two of these Web-Based Training (WBT) modules, Medical Opinions and Aggravation Opinions, are required for all disability examiners conducting Compensation and Pension (C&P) disability examinations both within VHA and as contractors. These course are expected to be available in the Talent Management System (TMS) by the end of April 2015.
All C&P disability examiners, including contractors, will be required to complete the Medical Opinions and Aggravation Opinions courses by March 31, 2016, in order to meet new C&P Certification requirements established by the Veterans Health Administration (VHA).
DMA will provide additional guidance/notification when the courses are actually posted in TMS. Any DMA course can be added to your learning plan locally and can be found by following the guidance below.
As a reminder to all on how to locate DMA C&P Training in TMS (www.tms.va.gov):
The DMA training courses are organized into two curriculums in the TMS catalog. To locate the courses search ” DMA C&P”, where you will find the following curriculums:
• DMA C&P Certification Training
• DMA C&P Examination Training
The first curriculum, DMA C&P Certification Training, is where you will find the mandatory certification and other required courses.The second curriculum, DMA C&P Examination Training, contains other examination specific training courses developed by DMA.
If you have any questions regarding DMA training courses or clinician certification, please send your inquiry to the DMA Corporate Mailbox (CorporateMailbox.DMA@va.gov). If you encounter any problems with accessing the TMS courses, TMS Help and TMS Resources can be found at: http://www.valu.va.gov/Home/TMSResources.
Documents for C&P Providers Posted 7-8-2014
The coding DMA Fact Sheet will hopefully clear up any coding confusion for C&P/IDES exams: DMA Fact Sheet 15-004 Coding (08-19-2015)
ICD coding is used in two places for C&P. One place is during encountering of the C&P visit in CPRS. DMA provided guidance last week for the C&P field to use ICD-10 coding for encountering C&P examination visits effective 10/1/2015. This guidance is unchanged.
The other place ICD coding is used for C&P is in the diagnosis section of the DBQs. Last week DMA advised the C&P field clinicians to continue to use ICD-9 codes on the diagnosis sections of the DBQs since this information is not captured within the VA system, but rather it is used to gather data for Congress. Since that time, it has come to DMA’s attention that VA facilities are requiring all clinics to use ICD-10 codes, causing confusion in the C&P field. Resources and references for ICD-9 coding will not be available to C&P clinicians after 10/1/2015, so as a result DMA is providing guidance for C&P clinics to begin using ICD-10 codes effective 10/1/2015 and not to continue to use ICD-9 codes in the diagnosis section of the DBQs. So to repeat, effective 10/1/2015, C&P clinicians are to document ICD-10 coding during encountering in CPRS and on the diagnoses sections of the DBQs.
DBQ UPDATE – Release of DBQs (03-12-2015)
Documents and a PowerPoint regarding VVA access becoming accessible through VBMS are also available below:
VBMS Station Counts
Veterans Benefits Management System slides
Veterans Benefits Management System script
The final roll out date for all facilities is 7/14/2014 to access VVA files through VBMS.
Ocular effects from Burn Pits in Iraq, Afghanistan, and the Horn of AfricaPosted 6-16-2015
This below document should summarize everything you need to know about burn pits and the eyes:
Ocular effects from Burn Pits in Iraq, Afghanistan, and the Horn of Africa* (updated 2/27/2015)
*As a disclaimer notice – this is not an official VA or C&P document
Compensation Service Bulletin Posted 10-1-2013
Compensation Service Bulletin 2013