VA rating to MRR

[snake020]

I recently returned from a MOB and submitted a VA claim. It was just adjudicated and VA increased my rating from 20 to 80%. I've got over 15 years of service and would like to pursue disability retirement, but understand the MRR process and rating can be different from what VA assesses.

Any gouge on how I go about requesting an MRR?

 

[jus2mch]

Not sure if you’ve seen this page, but has some useful info and POC’s. Looks like MRR needs to be recommended by BUMED. I’m not sure what category you fall into below, but might help point you in the right direction.

Injury Management

PERS-951: Medical Hold (MEDHOLD)
The MEDHOLD program authorizes reservists to be retained on active duty to receive medical treatment for service-connected injury, illness or disease that is incurred or aggravated while on continuous active duty orders of more than 30 days and results in a potentially unfitting condition, as determined by a military physician. If authorized, member will be retained on active duty, with member’s consent, until found fit for duty or until final disposition is determined by the Physical Evaluation Board (PEB). Elective medical/dental treatment is not authorized. Reference SECNAVINST 1770.5.

PERS-953: Medical Retention Review (MRR)
An MRR package is submitted to BUMED for reservists who develop, or have a material change in, a potentially disqualifying medical condition that is not expected to resolve within 180 days and is likely to prevent member from safely/effectively fulfilling the responsibilities of their grade/designator/rating or interfere with mobilization. PERS-953 adjudicates MRR packages based on BUMED recommendations, assigns Physical Risk Classification (PRC) codes and prepare messages for release. Reference MILPERSMAN 6110-020 and RESPERSMAN 6000-010.

PERS 954: Temporary Disability Retirement List (TDRL) & Permanent Disability Retired List (PDRL)
Processes results of the Physical Evaluation Board's (PEB) Notification of Decision, and produces orders to discharge members from Active or Reserve Component to either the Temporary (TDRL) or Permanent (PDRL) Disability Retirement List for eventual processing by local command Personnel Support Detachments (PSD) or Navy Operational Support Command (NOSC). TDRL is a program designed to enable all eligible members with a rated disability the opportunity to receive retirement benefits, which include medical coverage for members and dependents, and a monthly stipend until medical conditions can become stabilized or corrected. TDRL is also responsible for the processing of all orders directing disability rated service members to undergo Periodic Physical Medical Examinations, and their resulting travel reimbursements. PDRL is a program designed to provide permanent disability benefits to members of the military with service-connected disabilities.
Medical Department Representatives (MDRs) can obtain the forms and documents required for LOD-HC and MRR requests from Medical Readiness and Reporting System (MRRS). Commands requiring MEDHOLD request procedures should contact PERS-951 at the e-mail below. LOD-HC related requests must be submitted by the NOSC/Squadron via RCC/Wing to the appropriate LOD-HC inbox listed below. MRR requests must be submitted in WEBWAVE.

 

[snake020]

It seems the starting points are to inform my reserve unit CO and XO and the NRC medical.

Do I need to request the exam documentation from VA, or can Navy Reserve can accomplish that on their own? I don't have the findings that were associated with my directed exams, just the final decision.

 

[jus2mch]

I don’t think you need any exam documents, but you do need to make sure the condition is documented correctly into your Navy Medical record. (VA rating conditions and Navy medical records don’t always match perfectly. Sometimes VA consolidates or adds a condition based on the exam findings (ie you may get 0% for something but that’s better than denied/additionally they may find something else during a scan - ex. arthritis you didn’t know you had in your shoulder, but the Navy originally classified it as a “shoulder strain”)

Additionally, VA usually won’t release the rating exam findings to the member, only the final decision. Unsure if they will release to Navy Medical.

I recommend you make a follow up appointment with the doc at Navy Medical about the condition. Bring your rating docs from VA to your appointment, and ask the doc how to proceed. Get some questions answered at medical, then update CoC, because CoC will likely have questions that you’ll now have answers for. I’d place very little faith in any cross talk between VA and Navy Reserve or active Navy for that matter.

Just remember though, once you go to Navy medical and open that can of worms, it may result in any number of different outcomes listed above depending on how Medical categorizes your situation. What you think, and what the Navy actually does doesn’t always match. Good luck

 

[snake020]

I'm also reading other Google searches on the matter that I should request a Line of Duty determination from my chain of command before reporting to medical and triggering the MRR process.

Unfortunately reading through pubs isn't very helpful as I've only seen a DoD instruction on the matter, so for those that have experience with this process gouge would be appreciated.

 

[jus2mch]

I don’t have first hand experience with that process, but I don’t think your CoC will make a Line of Duty determination about a medical condition without consulting medical (whether staff doc or Reserve Medical etc..); which essentially makes any for for duty process possible. If you decide to make an appointment about the condition, you can always ask what options are wrt to a line of duty determination/MRR etc.. in general.


From your original post I think you were on AD for more than 30 days, and you now have an unresolved medical condition that got worse? If so, the following pertains to your situation

2) When an RC Service member is on active duty (AD) or full-time National Guard duty (FTNGD) for a period of more than 30 days and, at the scheduled end of that period, has an unresolved in-LOD condition that may render the member unfit for duty under the Disability Evaluation System (DES), but this has not yet been determined by the DES, the member:
(a) Will, with his or her consent, be retained on AD or FTNGD until:
1. Outstanding in-LOD conditions are resolved; or
2. He or she is either found fit for duty, separated, or retired as a result of a DES
finding.

 

[snake020]

I don’t have first hand experience with that process, but I don’t think your CoC will make a Line of Duty determination about a medical condition without consulting medical (whether staff doc or Reserve Medical etc..); which essentially makes any for for duty process possible. If you decide to make an appointment about the condition, you can always ask what options are wrt to a line of duty determination/MRR etc.. in general.


From your original post I think you were on AD for more than 30 days, and you now have an unresolved medical condition that got worse? If so, the following pertains to your situation

2) When an RC Service member is on active duty (AD) or full-time National Guard duty (FTNGD) for a period of more than 30 days and, at the scheduled end of that period, has an unresolved in-LOD condition that may render the member unfit for duty under the Disability Evaluation System (DES), but this has not yet been determined by the DES, the member:
(a) Will, with his or her consent, be retained on AD or FTNGD until:
1. Outstanding in-LOD conditions are resolved; or
2. He or she is either found fit for duty, separated, or retired as a result of a DES
finding.

I was on MOB for about 200 days. Was not seen by medical during my out processing, all consults were done over the phone with COVID mitigation cited. They very briefly noted my claims in the examination report and said to go get them checked out with VA. So now that VA has affirmed the conditions exist and are service connected, I'm looking to circle back with the Navy side on what they didn't thoroughly go through as I was detaching from my orders.

 

[jus2mch]

I guess Navy needs to determine if you had an, “ unresolved in-LOD condition that may render the member unfit for duty under the Disability Evaluation System (DES)”. Sounds like the Navy didn’t follow the guidance you cited, or they did and found you fit for duty? Hopefully you can get things cleared up.