VA Form 21-2680 is the appropriate form for the physician’s report. Along with the request for other needed documents to be signed and  filed with the VA, doctor’s forms should be submitted to the client for the veteran’s doctor to report on the veteran’s health and mobility. From the information already gathered, our office can populate many of the fields (1-9, 11 A, 20-27 and 34), leaving the busy physician focused on the important diagnosis. VA is very interested in the number of ADLs (Assistance with Daily Living) listed below:

• Veteran requires the aid of another person in order to perform personal functions required in everyday living, such as bathing, feeding, dressing, attending to the wants of nature, adjusting prosthetic devices, or protecting yourself from the hazards of your daily environment
•  Veteran is bedridden, in that your disability or disabilities requires that you remain in bed apart from any prescribed course of convalescence or treatment
• Veteran is a patient in a nursing home due to mental or physical incapacity
• Veteran’s eyesight is limited to a corrected 5/200 visual acuity or less in both eyes; or concentric contraction of the visual field to 5 degrees or less

This additional money is extended to those who choose to be cared for at home, also. Sometimes, very specific wording needs to be used in lines 20-27 to capture the attention of the VA, such as “Fall Risk,” ” Needs to be in a protective environment,”  “with assistance,” etc. Please remember, only a doctor can sign-off on this form. Physician’s Assistants (PAs) may not sign for the doctor or do the examination.

If you do not receive the doctor’s form back in a timely manner, the client or his/her family may call to prompt the doctor’s office. Should you receive a form back that you know is incomplete or incorrectly written, call the doctor’s office yourself to explain what is needed. Once a doctor understands the importance of the pension paid to his patient, he complies because he truly cares about the quality of life for his patient.