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Getting new Oticon Real1 aids from VA

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It’s really all about the numbers. I have two 100% ratings. Took me a couple of years and a tremendous amount of research but it paid off in the long run. Here is a link at what they look at in a hearing rating VA Hearing Loss Calculator and Ratings Guide18 it’s not all inclusive but should give you an idea.

If not familiar with the rating system one is usually better off contacting your Veterans Service Officer. Every county has one. But, keep in mind the VA can also take away a rating if you ask for an increase and the numbers don’t at least justify your current rating. I am not recommending using an attorney at all, just a VSO if needed. I provided the above link just to show how the numbers work.

If they followed that i should be getting 30% 10 for tinnitus 20 for hearing, but i am getting 10 for tinnitus and 40 for hearing loss. And my rating was from before my word recognition percentage dropped by 20% in both ears.

Its my understanding that you do not add the numbers together as far as your disability check. So say if your hearing is 80% and your tinnitus is 10% your check will be for the 80% amount.

Edited

Well i know i am getting 50% disability pay. I monitor my monthly deposits on the app.
It is my understanding that we can’t draw over 100% pay regardless of the amount of disability we are rated at. Meaning if you have two 100% ratings you still only get a max of 100% pay wise.

In reply to @cvkemp

Reading your posts is always helpful. I appreciate the time you take.

My Father was a veteran. Canadian Navy. WW2 and Korea. He was one of the first radar officers, and served in the Mediterranean. Mainly out of Malta, and Egypt too. He was often on the mast servicing and repairing the radar antenna. They fired broadsides often! I am amazed he could hear at all! He wrote a book, “Orion. Mighty Warrior” describing his life aboard that Cruiser.

Saying that out of appreciation for Veterans and your service. I am colourblind. I tried, but failed to sign.

DaveL
Toronto

My dad was in the Navy during the latter part of WW2, he was a gunnersmate. And also a member of the underwater demolition team, on Okinawa at the time we dropped the nukes on Japan.

A Canadian Navy hard hat diver was a mentor of mine.
My Father served in the Pacific in WW2…he didn’t talk much about that. He edited 4 volumes of a book titled, “Salty Dips” interviewing and transcribing stories of vets. One (who I was lucky to meet) was skipper of a 4 masted ship under sail, going around the Horn of South Africa. Sometimes lashed to the mast during storms so he wouldn’t be lost overboard.

War is awful. Vets are my heroes.
DaveL

In reply to @cvkemp

Your understanding is incorrect Chuck. Now, if I had used the VSO’s I interviewed I may have the same understanding. But, I did my own research and claims and found in the Manual M21-1 that those that have two separate 100% ratings are eligible for an additional payment of Special Monthly Compensation of SMC-M. Big difference and I would have never known about it without doing my own research.

That is great if true, but i haven’t had an of the veterans that i know ever get more than 100% pay

Since you seem to be questioning my truthfulness I thought I would post the authorizing document. Per Manual 21-1:

“ SMC Under 38 CFR 3.350(f)(4) A Veteran who is entitled to SMC under 38 U.S.C. 1114(l) through (n) is entitled to the next higher statutory rate of SMC under the provisions of 38 CFR 3.350(f)(4) if the SC disabilities include an additional single permanent disability that is independently evaluated as 100-percent disabling, apart from any consideration of individual unemployability (IU)”

All veterans that have filed claims for disability should familiarize themselves with VA Manual M21-1. It is the Bible of the VA claims process. It’s all on the Internet and can be found with a simple google search or follow this link Web Automated Reference Material System Home2

@cvkemp

I truly appreciate your posts. You add real value for me.

Canadian Vets need to be careful. I suspect they are being screwed out of theirs too.

In reply to @lgbuck62

I appreciate you posting this. I believe it’s essential to understand legislation and Regulation wherever you are…Canada too…to know our rights. I’m not a vet. My Father was career Canadian Navy.WW2 and Korea.

In reply to @lgbuck62

I don’t think the and a lot of people even understand and realize just how many veterans and other people don’t have internet access or even understand just how to use a computer or find there way around a web browser. I have lost count of the ones I have helped to with getting a claim filed or pointed them in the direction of a State veteran’s advocate.
I have used the advocates in Texas and now here in Arkansas, and I have filed online claims. The clinic I use is a community clinic of the VA. The community here is a retirement community with a huge number of veterans and military retirees, as well as retired police officers, firefighters, retired government employees, as well as civilian retirees. This community has community center dedicated to educating people on computers, and internet use and access. But so many refuse to even try. So many older people are set in their ways and don’t want to change.

I am just not as excited about getting the Real1 aids as I was when I was getting the More1 aids. I am just not seeing that much difference, what I am extremely happy about is that I will have my More1 aids as my backups, my OPNS1 aids aren’t working that well for me when I have to use them, it is the sound quality and the lack of real speech understanding.
While I am very satisfied with the full skeleton acrylic ear molds I am hoping the OTo therm ear molds can improve on my speech understanding due to hopefully a better fit, due to the material softening to conform to the ear canal.

I checked my records, my Real1 aids have been received by my clinic, also getting a remote control for my aids. I will not be getting them until the 12th of October due to leaving on vacation this Wednesday and being gone for 10 days. The same thing happened back in 2014 when I was getting my very first set of Oticon hearing aids, I had to delay my appointment because of a cruise. My very first set of Oticon aids were the MiniRite Duals, they were really small behind the ear aids, and I dislike them until I was able to talk my audiologist into getting me custom ear molds. I hated the domes, and the dome caused rashes in my ears, and I was not able to hear as well as I was hearing with my aids I was wearing, after getting the custom ear molds then I realized how good the Duals were. They didn’t have any controls on the aids themselves but they came with the original streamer that Bluetooth connected to my iPhone, and they could connect by RC plug to my laptop or tablet. They also had the t-coils that worked great at the local movie theater we went to. My next set of Oticon aids were the Alta Pro ITE aids that used the streamer pro that was a also able to connect to classic Bluetooth as well as MFI. After that it was in order OPN1, OPNS1, the More1 I am now using, and the Real1 that I will be receiving.

Edited

I get my Real1 aids tomorrow morning, I guess I have been so busy with our vacation and the new RV trailer that I have not really thought about getting new aids until my calendar app reminded me of the appointment this morning, and I got a reminder text from the then a phone call from the VA reminding me.
I promise to review the new aids and give my comparison. I personally don’t expect to see much difference, and that is okay with me. For me I am looking forward to having a primary and backup aids that sound very close to the same.

Congratulations!
Wish you happiness!
(I see my new hearing aid practitioner tomorrow morning! time for a real setup! He did a great job with the quick fit. Hope his hearing test and setup works well.)

I received my Real1 aids this morning, my settings from my More1 aids transferred into the Real1 aids with adjustment changes for the differences. Of course it is so subjective at this point but i seem to notice better clarity in voices.

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