Is there any way to get a 90 day EFMP request for command sponsorship waived?

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 09 Jul 2019 15:33:46 -0400

My wife is EFMP and must see a rheumatologist on a quarterly basis. Her and I were previously stationed at Schofield Barracks, HI from 2014-2017 where she saw the still current doctor at Tripler Army Medical Center. I was accepted into the Green to Gold ADO program in Hawaii and I have a very short amount of time between acceptance, getting orders, and reporting. I still have not received my orders because of this issue and transportation is nearly booked to my report date already.

We gave her PCM here in TN the form requested by the EFMP office and he called her rheumatologist in Nashville to ask how often she was being seen. They recently tried removing her medication, she had a flare up, and was placed back on the medication. For this reason, they told her doctor she had recently been seen on a monthly basis. She has always been seen quarterly or less for this issue as long as she is prescribed properly. For this reason, the sole military rheumatologist in Hawaii, said he would not be able to see her that often. After learning of this "mistake", we paid the $100 fee for the rheumatologist to fill out DD Form 2792 stating she needed to be seen on a quarterly basis not monthly. After we tried to resubmit to HI EFMP we were told we would have to wait 90 days before it would be reconsidered. The doctor in HI told the EFMP office here in TN that he would be able to see her on a quarterly basis. This morning we received a phone call from the TN EFMP office stating that HI EFMP could not do anything until after the 90 days. Everyone seems to be in agreeance that my wife will get the care she needs in HI we just need someone to make the decision to process the paperwork.

Normally, I could get my PCS date pushed back or get orders elsewhere however I cannot because I will be starting school August 25th in Hawaii. Everything is set in place and this can all be resolved if it wasn't for this 90 day wait period. If this does not get approved my wife will have to stay in TN alone and then go through her own move alone. She is isn't American, English is not her first language, and currently has a green card which she could lose if she goes home to be with family during this time. She is not familiar with the military PCS process and this whole situation seems to just make a huge unnecessary hassle to us as well as the military. She has a disease and it just seems instead of making it easier on her, it is being made more difficult. I have already reached out to MEDCOM and IMCOM Pacific awaiting a reply. If anyone has any recommendations or POCs that would be greatly appreciated.

Response by SGT Javier Silva made Jul 9 at 2019 4:54 PM

SGT Javier Silva — Tue, 09 Jul 2019 16:54:48 -0400

SFC Private RallyPoint Member DoD Instructions does not allow for those waivers. Only Medicaid waivers are considered by state.

Response by Capt Daniel Goodman made Jul 9 at 2019 5:13 PM

Capt Daniel Goodman — Tue, 09 Jul 2019 17:13:43 -0400

https://www.va.gov/directory/guide/keystaff.cfm?id=2001

I'd definitely send Privacy Act (PA) forms into all three local Congress mil/vet staffs, and ask them all to intercede, so far as possible...I'd also see zero reason why she couldn't be seen by a VA hospital as well, when I'd been a VA resident before my total perm disability, for doctoral allied health, we had it done all the time, trust me, there should be zero reason why your clinical staff where you are couldn't request that for her, to allow for added flexibility, plus, I'd most definitely go to both the chaplains by you both, clerics often are most useful for bypassing bureaucratic garbage in instances like this, I'd observed, plus, I'd most definitely go to social work at the clinical facilities you use, both active duty, as well as VA, and request they intercede...we shut my clinical license a long while back due to my whole disability thing, though I was around a good many clinical blocks, I'd also most definitely call VHA at VA Central Ofc directly, the site I sent here has their main phone line, I'd call their senior admins, and directly ask them for help, explain you're active duty, seeking VA aid with a family member, honest...we used to have active duty, Guard, Reserve, all of them, be seen, it was done all the time, I assure you, they needed paperwork, however, it was most definitely possible, I'd observed....

keystaff.cfm

Response by Capt Daniel Goodman made Jul 9 at 2019 5:27 PM

Capt Daniel Goodman — Tue, 09 Jul 2019 17:27:29 -0400

https://search.aol.com/aol/search?q=having%20va%20see%20dependents&s_it=loki-tb-sb

Look through these also...there are obv gonna be limits on how dependents might be able to be seen by VA, I hadn't thought about that aspect till just now, plus, I don't know anything about the EFMP you'd mentioned, however, despite that, I'd at least give it a whirl, if nothing else, nothing ventured, nothing lost, you know?

having%20va%20see%20dependents - AOL Search Results

Response by Capt Daniel Goodman made Jul 9 at 2019 5:45 PM

Capt Daniel Goodman — Tue, 09 Jul 2019 17:45:23 -0400

https://www.militaryonesource.mil/family-relationships/special-needs/exceptional-family-member/the-exceptional-family-member-program-for-families-with-special-needs

I looked at this out of curiosity about it...lemme see what more I can find about it that might be useful....

About The Exceptional Family Member Program

The Exceptional Family Member Program-EFMP-offers many services for military families with special needs. Here are just a few of the ways it can help guide you to the resources your family needs to thrive.

Response by Capt Daniel Goodman made Jul 9 at 2019 5:46 PM

Capt Daniel Goodman — Tue, 09 Jul 2019 17:46:35 -0400

https://search.aol.com/aol/search?q=efmp%20veterans%20affairs&s_it=loki-tb-sb

Look through these, esp the second one....

efmp%20veterans%20affairs - AOL Search Results

As a result, Company is not responsible for user content, the quality, safety, or legality of the jobs or resumes, the truth or accuracy of the listings or other data uploaded to the Services by you, the ability of employers to offer job opportunities to candidates or the ability of candidates to fill job openings and Company makes no ...

Response by Capt Daniel Goodman made Jul 9 at 2019 5:47 PM

Capt Daniel Goodman — Tue, 09 Jul 2019 17:47:53 -0400

http://www.mccscp.com/efmp/

Here it is...it struck me as at least fairly decent info...I'm assuming you have an EFMP caseworker assigned to her, I gather?

efmp

Response by Capt Daniel Goodman made Jul 9 at 2019 5:53 PM

Capt Daniel Goodman — Tue, 09 Jul 2019 17:53:57 -0400

https://search.aol.com/aol/search?q=efmp%20leadership&s_it=loki-tb-sb

You might find these useful...I'd be very much surprised if VA wouldn't have a liaison in VBA and/or VHA to let active duty make use of VA for EFMP dependents...that's just a guess, of course, however, I'd certainly ask all three Congress mil/vet local staffers about that, if such a mechanism exists, I'd most definitely try to seek it out...you just kinda got my intellectual gears revolving with this one, that was why I was looking up all that added stuff, as I'd said, I hadn't heard of EFMP...another thought, for whatever it might be worth, you might also be able to make use of USPHS clinical facilities, as well, wherever they might be, you'd likely need help to do so, however, I'd definitely call HHS or ask the Congress mil/vet staffers to ask about getting ahold of whoever at HHS might deal with EFMP dependents, for letting them make use of USPHS clinical facilities...the same should certainly be true for USCG, as well as NOAA, being as they're both under USPHS, there are also the various reservation clinics, I have no idea how such a thing might be possible, however, one might at least pose the question, for whatever possible good it might do, you know?

efmp%20leadership - AOL Search Results

You need the right resources to support service members and their families, and we've got them. The Department of Defense is committed to providing you with the tools you need to continue to deliver high-quality services.

Response by Capt Daniel Goodman made Jul 9 at 2019 5:54 PM

Capt Daniel Goodman — Tue, 09 Jul 2019 17:54:45 -0400

https://search.aol.com/aol/search?q=efmp%20usphs&s_it=loki-tb-sb

Look through these also....

efmp%20usphs - AOL Search Results

Response by Capt Daniel Goodman made Jul 9 at 2019 5:56 PM

Capt Daniel Goodman — Tue, 09 Jul 2019 17:56:42 -0400

https://usa.childcareaware.org/fee-assistancerespite/military-families/air-force/

I stumbled across this...as with that usmc related site, I realize they're not Army, plus, this is about kids, however, you might find some useful pearls on here, I'd thought, you know?

Air Force - Child Care Aware of America

If you do not have access to an Air Force on-base child care provider, you may be eligible to participate in one of our child care fee assistance programs.

Response by Capt Daniel Goodman made Jul 9 at 2019 5:59 PM

Capt Daniel Goodman — Tue, 09 Jul 2019 17:59:09 -0400

https://search.aol.com/aol/search?q=american%20rheumatology%20association&s_it=loki-tb-sb

You might also find glancing through these useful....

american%20rheumatology%20association - AOL Search Results

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 9 at 2019 8:24 PM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 09 Jul 2019 20:24:38 -0400

Contact the main EFMP office at HRC, they are the only ones who can make an exception because the 90 day wait time period is their rule. I had to contact them directly upon my PCS from Korea and they helped me out. The state wouldn’t be able to help with what you’re trying to do because it’s not a state issue, it is a Department of the Army policy. Good luck to you....

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 9 at 2019 9:06 PM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 09 Jul 2019 21:06:26 -0400

You absolutely cannot waive it, however you can convince the EFMP section to review your request because it was a major change. The best way is usually to contact the Ombudsman, Patient Advocate, Senior Enlisted NCO of the hospital, or the Hospital Commander. It's important to understand you're not asking anything EFMP to be waived. You're requesting to have it reviewed on the grounds that there was a major change to the original information.
When you do contact them, keep it short and precise. 3/4 of your post is irrelevant to the situation, so distill it down to the facts. They receive hundreds of emails a day, so you need to succinctly explain your request and needs within 2 minutes.
Good luck