Has anyone else had the unfortunate experience of being told that you were deceased by the V.A.? If so, any advice or helpful pointers?

2016-12-03T18:10:03-05:00

Response by LTC Greg Henning made Dec 3 at 2016 6:57 PM

2016-12-03T18:57:53-05:00

Get a hold of your congressman. They have staff members that know how to assist. Good luck!

Response by SPC Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 3 at 2016 7:38 PM

2016-12-03T19:38:27-05:00

Declared you dead before you're dead. Sounds kind of unlike the VA to get ahead on their paperwork.

Joking aside I'm not even sure where to begin, my best guess would be to go to your local VA with all of your supporting documents. Any and all forms of identification including military records.
Good luck brother.

Response by MSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 3 at 2016 10:25 PM

2016-12-03T22:25:33-05:00

Was told by personnel that I was dead when I tried to renew my daughters ID. Best advice is just stay calm and remember it's all paperwork and will work out in the end. Also if you have SGLI or VGLI and they are being pricks demand a payment on the life insurance.....after all they are the ones who said you're dead.

Response by ENS Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 4 at 2016 3:10 PM

2016-12-04T15:10:18-05:00

Better get on that life insurance claim! ;) I mean, you have proof you're dead now. That's how it works, right? You don't need to pay taxes anymore. All that. Right?

Response by ENS Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 4 at 2016 3:10 PM

2016-12-04T15:10:44-05:00

What?! That's hilarious. Sad, but hilarious. I'd walk into the VA and say, "Hello, I have a medical emergency. According to this letter and your system I am currently deceased. I'd like to be brought back to life if at all possible." ;)

Response by SGT William Juarez made Dec 6 at 2016 6:55 AM

2016-12-06T06:55:39-05:00

Angry ex-wives have a tendency to tell the VA that. LOL. Don't piss off an ex-wife. It's a booger to prove you are actually alive.

Response by SP5 Jim Hatch made Dec 6 at 2016 9:01 AM

2016-12-06T09:01:55-05:00

I don't know about the VA doing it, but while in the Post Office, we had a guy who didn't want to pay his bills. He was putting diseased on all bills. We had to return them to whomever sent them, so filled out a forwarding card with him diseased. He came in wanted to know why he wasn't getting his social security check. "Our recorders show you as dead". Took him over 6 months to get it restarted.

Response by SrA A.A. Hall made Dec 6 at 2016 9:25 AM

2016-12-06T09:25:09-05:00

Yes I was declared dead, & it was very hard to get them to change it. I had to get a certified copy of my birth certificate, my SSN card, my discharge papers & 2 forms if photo ID. I used my driver license, military ID, & I brought a basic training photo. It still took almost 3 months jst to get my pay reinstated. It's not fun trying to prove your still alive. P.S. fingerprints are great as well

Response by SSG Mike Busovicki made Dec 6 at 2016 9:47 AM

2016-12-06T09:47:14-05:00

As a veterans advocate, we actually run into this quite a bit (human error plays a big part in any company or organization). But the VA doesn't always accept a phone call saying "hey, I'm alive". My advice is to submit a short written statement from your primary care doctor confirming that "you are still under their care, and that they may be contacted directly in regards to any questions regarding your health or treatment status. Please be advised that this veteran has been incorrectly reported as deceased; please correct this error."

Also please keep in mind that there is no "One VA". If you tell the Veterans Benefits Administration side (the part that does our disability claims), the VA hospital (Veterans Health Administration) might not know. And vice versa. Be sure to submit the statements directly to VBA through your service organization/VSO or to the local regional office. Then submit to VHA through the VA hospital you normally visit (and/or local VA community clinic/CBOC). General statements in support of a VA claim are written on VA form 21-4138 (which is available on http://www.va.gov under "forms" at the bottom of their homepage, or just a general internet search should bring it up).

Lastly, if one government department believes you are deceased, make sure no other ones believe you are deceased as well (like the Social Security Office). Otherwise, this nightmare might continue. Another reason for doing this is that if the Social Security office / local health department / hospital that your PCP works through can provide an additional written statement, it would add more weight to your submissions to the VA's individual departments and possibly expedite correcting your file/status.

Your local political office probably has the name/phone number of a local veteran representative that does the actual paperwork (which is usually my office). To cut out the middle man, the above is my recommendation. To find the closest rep in your area, please see http://www.va.gov/statedva.htm

Most counties/states have a local rep, though some prefer a national service officer like the State Adjutant General's Office, VFW, American Legion, DAV, AMVETS, Military Order of the Purple Heart, Paralyzed Veterans of America, Blind Veterans Association, etc. It is entirely up to you.

U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs

The US Department of Veterans Affairs provides patient care and federal benefits to veterans and their dependents. The home page for the Department of Veterans Affairs provides links to veterans benefits .and services, as well as information and resources for other Departmental programs and offices.

Response by MSG Christopher Devous made Dec 6 at 2016 10:10 AM

2016-12-06T10:10:00-05:00

Not me personally, but my dad. This was towards the end of his life when I was taking him to all his appointments and handling his finances. I am not sure where it started, if OPM decided he was dead and told the VA & Social Security, but somehow they all got involved. Then social security informed the bank (so naturally checking/savings/visa were frozen). So his pension stopped and all of his accounts were frozen. It was a mess. I paid his bills for about two months. I wound up calling our senator (John McCain) and getting help there, and things got straightened out. It was frustrating but we had a good chuckle about it. "Hey, Dad, how you feeling today?" "I don't feel anything. I'm dead, remember?"

Response by MAJ Norm Michaels made Dec 6 at 2016 3:53 PM

2016-12-06T15:53:22-05:00

My VA disability checks were cut off while they say I was in the Los Angeles jail. It took me nearly a year to get the back pay. They would not even accept my company's pay voucher as proof. I ended up having to get a motorized statement from my personnel department as proof enough that I was not in jail. They never would respond with how they came up with the idea that I was in jail to begin with. I guess you cannot collect disability while incarcerated; that makes sense.

Response by SPC Byron Skinner made Dec 6 at 2016 9:36 PM

2016-12-06T21:36:56-05:00

Sp4 Byron Skinner…YES. Mine occurred when the VA went from paper to computerized records. Since the VA didn't have nearly enough people to do the work they hired temps. They got what they paid for. The SOP was any file with an old C number could be assumed deceased. When I entered the system in 1967 the C number was operative and for decades later. To resolve the problem I took my DD 214, my VA ID Card, my drivers license and a recent prescription fill to the local VA regional office and the problem was settled.

Response by CSM Andrew Perrault made Dec 14 at 2016 11:13 AM

2016-12-14T11:13:17-05:00

Haven't been told I was deceased but have been kicked out of the system for not seeking care within a year and had to do the paperwork all over again which is ridiculess ......what a waste of resourse. So i go to the VA at least once a year whether I need to or not.