Question:
I am 100 percent disabled. I want to get a second opinion from the Mayo Clinic. Who at VA do I ask for approval for help with travel/ hotels and doctors?
Jim's Reply:
I don't understand why you want a 2nd opinion? Is this for a claim? An appeal? For treatment options?
The bottom line is that VA isn't going to pay for your 2nd opinion at Mayo Clinic. If you need a 2nd opinion for a claim or an appeal, we call that an IMO and you have to pay for that out of pocket.
If you're seeking diagnostic and treatment options, your primary caregiver is the place to begin. However, VA isn't big on patients 2nd guessing them and asking to be referred to one of the pricer options for diagnosis. Unless you have something really unusual going on I suspect that VA isn't going to fund this for you.