Question:

Hi Jim, I am 70% and recieve IU. My physical conditions have led to depression, anxiety, and auditory hallucinations all of which have been documented through VA ER visits and all of my provider notes. I would like to try and get my mental health issues linked as secondary conditions (because they are) to try to get a regular 100% schedular rating. My problems is that I have a special needs son who needs ChampVA. My attitude is to not quit, ever. I have lied to my providers telling them that I don't have these mental health issues because it makes me look weak and feel embarrassed and that is not who I am. I want to go and try to earn more money because I live basic.

What type of advice would you give on this knowing that sometimes when people try to change their TDIU to schedular it sometimes reduces their rating? Secondly, is the poverty threshold only for one person or is it for the household size that you support. My idea to try and earn income is to try to generate multiple streams of revenue without working and I'm afraid if I do this my IU will be reduced. Thank you.

Jim's Reply:

CHAMPVA is available for dependents of TDIU veterans. If you don't have CHAMPVA it's because your rating is temporary rather than permanent. Mental health ratings are usually temporary ratings and changing to a schedular rating won't help that.
 

Trying to switch from a 100% TDIU rating to a schedular 100% rating makes no sense and may cost you the 100% and drop you to your base rate of 70%...it happens.
 

Income limits are for the veteran no matter the size of the household. If you have a special needs child I'm not sure why CHAMPVA is so important? CHAMPVA is health care insurance, not any other kind of assistance.
 

Good luck.