Veteran Disability Evaluation Pay Rate

[moto_za]

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Hi All,

I was wondering if anyone has experience doing VA disability evaluations for psychiatry? I was contacted by a recruiter about a need for coverage and given the following rates. Any thoughts or feedback would be greatly appreciated!

From the recruiter: You would be looking at 1-2 and possibly 3 Veterans per hour once you get up and going.

Neuropsych/Psychiatrist Rates:

Initial PTSD: $190.00

Review PTSD: $160.00

All Other Mental Health Exams: $150.00

+ GenMed DBQs

GenMed DBQ pay:

1-2 DBQs: $100.00

3-5 DBQs: $250.00

6-9 DBQs: $400.00

 

[splik]

I don't do these. This is what I was offered in 2019 (and of course inflation has been insane in the interim):



Initial Traumatic Brain Injury (60minutes): $315


Initial PTSD (90minutes): $280


Review PTSD (60minutes): $240


All Other Mental Conditions (60minutes): $220


Independent Medical Opinion (IMO) w/Exam: $35 (this is paid in addition to the exam rate)


Independent Medical Opinion (IMO) without Exam: $75 (No exam, Medical record review & DBQ completion)


*Time quoted is the Minimum Exam Time scheduled with the Veteran for the Evaluation

There are geographic differences in pay. The idea that you can do the equivalent of 3 intakes (often with significant record review) in an hour is a joke. It shows that the company is sketchy. There are several companies that offer theses. Ironically, Lockheed Martin, which makes the weapons and jets used by our service men and woman also make money for doing the C&P evals for veterans for the damages they experience... how messed up is that

The documentation is simpler than doing an intake in some ways since you're just filling out the DBQ. But there needs to be enough information in order for their claim to be adjudicated.

 

[Bartelby]

Doing a compensation and pension examination in an hour would be very low quality in most cases. You are reviewing relevant records, conducting an evaluation of the person, and filling out the paperwork (nowhere near as extensive as a typical forensic report, but still you have to put something coherent together).

I think doing three psychiatric C&P evaluations per hour, fully completed, would likely border on fraud. I just don't see how you can do anything approaching a responsible job with the evaluation in that time.