Thoughts on a “Preemptive” Statement Letter to DoDMERB

[GrilledCheese94]

All,

Son asked me if he could or should write a preemptive letter to DoDMERB explaining his current seasonal allergy situation and prescribed allergy medications.

He’s prescribed OTC medications because my union health plan has negotiated a benefit for us which provides OTC medications for free if we use the 90-day mail order option. An economic no brainer as opposed to paying full price retail! These meds are also automatically reordered because that’s the way it’s set up. Often, we have a stockpile that’s unused and thrown away due to expiration dates. If I didn’t have a good union health plan, the prescriptions wouldn’t even show up in his medical records.

Same goes for inhalers that were prescribed and never used. We’re responsible parents who wouldn’t think of not filling a prescription. Again, countless iterations have been thrown away unused and expired due to no need for use.

How do we ”prove” that?

Like the majority of us, son is an athlete who’s never had any negative impact from his allergies. He’s a lifeguard (ton of swimming just to pass the class!), cross country runner, cuts the grass, lives with a cat that has free roam of the house, is in training with the volunteer fire company where he wears SCBA while conducting realistic firefighting training. All with zero impact to his health or physical performance.

Am I worrying too much? We’ve submitted all AMI requested. I think what my son wants to do is tell someone “his story” and is afraid what is seen on paper doesn’t synch with the reality of his allergy situation.

Make sense?

DMs are open if anyone has any suggestions - both for or against.

He doesn’t want to unnecessarily muddy the waters.

 

[A1Janitor]

My opinion only - a preemptive statement doesn’t help.

Give them all the accurate information they request so they can make the right decision.

 

[justdoit19]

So I thought this had been asked. OR I dreamed it. Idk if it’s the same or not, doesn’t matter. But alas, I’m not a fortune teller

GENERIC AMI QUESTION

All - We have our requested AMI assembled and ready for submission. Me being who I am, I'm tempted to also submit what I'll call amplifying or (hopefully) supportive documentation as well even though it hasn't been asked for yet. I fell like I may be putting the proverbial cart before the...

www.serviceacademyforums.com

 

[jbm2m]

All,

Son asked me if he could or should write a preemptive letter to DoDMERB explaining his current seasonal allergy situation and prescribed allergy medications.

He’s prescribed OTC medications because my union health plan has negotiated a benefit for us which provides OTC medications for free if we use the 90-day mail order option. An economic no brainer as opposed to paying full price retail! These meds are also automatically reordered because that’s the way it’s set up. Often, we have a stockpile that’s unused and thrown away due to expiration dates. If I didn’t have a good union health plan, the prescriptions wouldn’t even show up in his medical records.

Same goes for inhalers that were prescribed and never used. We’re responsible parents who wouldn’t think of not filling a prescription. Again, countless iterations have been thrown away unused and expired due to no need for use.

How do we ”prove” that?

Like the majority of us, son is an athlete who’s never had any negative impact from his allergies. He’s a lifeguard (ton of swimming just to pass the class!), cross country runner, cuts the grass, lives with a cat that has free roam of the house, is in training with the volunteer fire company where he wears SCBA while conducting realistic firefighting training. All with zero impact to his health or physical performance.

Am I worrying too much? We’ve submitted all AMI requested. I think what my son wants to do is tell someone “his story” and is afraid what is seen on paper doesn’t synch with the reality of his allergy situation.

Make sense?

DMs are open if anyone has any suggestions - both for or against.

He doesn’t want to unnecessarily muddy the waters.

For what it’s worth, we are completing a parent statement for DD’s medical waiver. It was not requested, but feel it is necessary for context. Some of that context will be corroborated in requested counselor letter. We will get our letter notarized. DD is providing a letter as well. It may not help, but it certainly helps ease our collective minds!

 

[Academician]

I would prepare for the AMI (additional medical information) request that will likely be made. One suggestion I have is to see your doctor and allergist to receive a letter stating the facts around your son's allergies. Plus, document all of the other details. Good news is that the AMI request may never arrive and your son may simply receive a "Qualified" result. I recommend that you wait.

 

[USSEnterpr1se]

All,

Son asked me if he could or should write a preemptive letter to DoDMERB explaining his current seasonal allergy situation and prescribed allergy medications.

He’s prescribed OTC medications because my union health plan has negotiated a benefit for us which provides OTC medications for free if we use the 90-day mail order option. An economic no brainer as opposed to paying full price retail! These meds are also automatically reordered because that’s the way it’s set up. Often, we have a stockpile that’s unused and thrown away due to expiration dates. If I didn’t have a good union health plan, the prescriptions wouldn’t even show up in his medical records.

Same goes for inhalers that were prescribed and never used. We’re responsible parents who wouldn’t think of not filling a prescription. Again, countless iterations have been thrown away unused and expired due to no need for use.

How do we ”prove” that?

Like the majority of us, son is an athlete who’s never had any negative impact from his allergies. He’s a lifeguard (ton of swimming just to pass the class!), cross country runner, cuts the grass, lives with a cat that has free roam of the house, is in training with the volunteer fire company where he wears SCBA while conducting realistic firefighting training. All with zero impact to his health or physical performance.

Am I worrying too much? We’ve submitted all AMI requested. I think what my son wants to do is tell someone “his story” and is afraid what is seen on paper doesn’t synch with the reality of his allergy situation.

Make sense?

DMs are open if anyone has any suggestions - both for or against.

He doesn’t want to unnecessarily muddy the waters.

I don't necessarily think that would be a big issue. I put on my DODMERB that I had seasonal allergies and that I took zyrtec medicine and all sorts of stuff. They never red flagged or disqualified me for any of that.

 

[justdoit19]

All,

Son asked me if he could or should write a preemptive letter to DoDMERB explaining his current seasonal allergy situation and prescribed allergy medications.

He’s prescribed OTC medications because my union health plan has negotiated a benefit for us which provides OTC medications for free if we use the 90-day mail order option. An economic no brainer as opposed to paying full price retail! These meds are also automatically reordered because that’s the way it’s set up. Often, we have a stockpile that’s unused and thrown away due to expiration dates. If I didn’t have a good union health plan, the prescriptions wouldn’t even show up in his medical records.

Same goes for inhalers that were prescribed and never used. We’re responsible parents who wouldn’t think of not filling a prescription. Again, countless iterations have been thrown away unused and expired due to no need for use.

How do we ”prove” that?

Like the majority of us, son is an athlete who’s never had any negative impact from his allergies. He’s a lifeguard (ton of swimming just to pass the class!), cross country runner, cuts the grass, lives with a cat that has free roam of the house, is in training with the volunteer fire company where he wears SCBA while conducting realistic firefighting training. All with zero impact to his health or physical performance.

Am I worrying too much? We’ve submitted all AMI requested. I think what my son wants to do is tell someone “his story” and is afraid what is seen on paper doesn’t synch with the reality of his allergy situation.

Make sense?

DMs are open if anyone has any suggestions - both for or against.

He doesn’t want to unnecessarily muddy the waters.

Answering bc you have asked in a couple different ways. Why would continue to fill prescriptions that you don’t use, stockpile them and toss? If he doesn’t need them? Especially expensive inhalers? That doesn’t make sense to me. Especially with prescription prices driven up as they are. Doesn’t really matter, but the point is that you did do that. So now will have to work through the process provided, if further clarification is needed.

Hard to have it both ways: a stockpile of prescription meds, that one doesn’t use. Perhaps this is an unintended consequence of doing so.

No one here can tell you what will happen. But if he truly doesn’t have xxx, and he is one they want to offer an appointment to, then there is a process to work through for that. And it shouldn’t be a big deal of there really isn’t xxx.

 

[GoCubbies]

For what it’s worth, we are completing a parent statement for DD’s medical waiver. It was not requested, but feel it is necessary for context. Some of that context will be corroborated in requested counselor letter. We will get our letter notarized. DD is providing a letter as well. It may not help, but it certainly helps ease our collective minds!

It is not uncommon for parents to write a note to the waiver reviewers.

As you may guess, these are taken with a grain (well. a large grain) of salt, but sometimes are helpful.

 

[jbm2m]

It is not uncommon for parents to write a note to the waiver reviewers.

As you may guess, these are taken with a grain (well. a large grain) of salt, but sometimes are helpful.

I appreciate it! Our former healthcare system was one of those where they have to check a box in order to do anything. Hoping that having it notarized gives it slightly more credibility… with any luck, it’s a smaller grain of salt than it would have been!

 

[Herman_Snerd]

All,

Son asked me if he could or should write a preemptive letter to DoDMERB explaining his current seasonal allergy situation and prescribed allergy medications.

He’s prescribed OTC medications because my union health plan has negotiated a benefit for us which provides OTC medications for free if we use the 90-day mail order option. An economic no brainer as opposed to paying full price retail! These meds are also automatically reordered because that’s the way it’s set up. Often, we have a stockpile that’s unused and thrown away due to expiration dates. If I didn’t have a good union health plan, the prescriptions wouldn’t even show up in his medical records.

Same goes for inhalers that were prescribed and never used. We’re responsible parents who wouldn’t think of not filling a prescription. Again, countless iterations have been thrown away unused and expired due to no need for use.

How do we ”prove” that?

Like the majority of us, son is an athlete who’s never had any negative impact from his allergies. He’s a lifeguard (ton of swimming just to pass the class!), cross country runner, cuts the grass, lives with a cat that has free roam of the house, is in training with the volunteer fire company where he wears SCBA while conducting realistic firefighting training. All with zero impact to his health or physical performance.

Am I worrying too much? We’ve submitted all AMI requested. I think what my son wants to do is tell someone “his story” and is afraid what is seen on paper doesn’t synch with the reality of his allergy situation.

Make sense?

DMs are open if anyone has any suggestions - both for or against.

He doesn’t want to unnecessarily muddy the waters.

You're asking for opinions. I'll post anonymously vs DM in case the answer here provides food for thought for others facing similar concerns. I'm in agreement with above poster who recommended fastidiously gathering documentation/ letters from physician, allergist and to wait before pre-emptively writing a letter explaining your position. WRT the years of prescribed inhalers, which I assume is a big concern of yours, do you have the last few inhalers (preferably all of them) of albuterol or whatever med that was, that actually show that zero doses were taken? What does your son's medical chart say WRT use? I don't know you, but just feedback on question - I read a duality in your answer which appeals on non-use and minimizes if he does/ did have an issue (it was free... we didn't use them mostly) and appeals on his abilities (he leaps tall buildings in a single bound, runs, swims, fights fires, etc.). I read a minimization of the fact that he's had years of prescriptions of an inhaler that could end up being a DQ for him. I get it, and get wanting to do whatever you can to help, but...

I once toured a home and there was all this literature on the counter about the harmlessness of electricity near homes. Hmmm, Looked in the backyard to see a like 100 yard tall version of the Eiffel tower hosting humming powerlines on it's top. Aha - THIS is why this beautiful home was so affordable - terrifying more because I didn't want our many kids climbing it, but that literature just screamed - we have a problem but want to minimize it. You're pre-emptive letter attempting to minimize, and an appeal on performance and an appeal to deny these many medications were used.... Screams to me, maybe other readers you are trying potentially to obscure/ negate an issue. IMO You'd be better off with an AMI response that documents how these inhalers were never used - I'd mail them in if I had them. Confirm inhaler instance, volume, time since last use, age window of use, or whatever? I would avoid a he uses an inhaler so he has no issue/ performs well. I take diabetes medicine to keep my blood sugars in an excellent range, but that doesn't mean I'm not diabetic. You can't get into a time machine and take back prescriptions and use if they happened and are documented. You can provide facts, evidence, documentation that will support your case. You can confirm and schedule an expert test if and only if that will support your case.

Good luck.

 

[GoCubbies]

I appreciate it! Our former healthcare system was one of those where they have to check a box in order to do anything. Hoping that having it notarized gives it slightly more credibility… with any luck, it’s a smaller grain of salt than it would have been!

There really isn't a need to get it notarized. Just sign it and it's good.

If your next door neighbor is a notary public and it's free, then you could do it.

Buti if you have to go to downtown and pay $20, then it's definitely not worth getting.

 

[jbm2m]

There really isn't a need to get it notarized. Just sign it and it's good.

If your next door neighbor is a notary public and it's free, then you could do it.

Buti if you have to go to downtown and pay $20, then it's definitely not worth getting.

Our bank is maybe a mile from the house and does it free. Otherwise, probably wouldn’t be considering notarizing!

 

[HawkeyeMom]

Our DD was DQ'ed for 1 inhaler Rx after the age of 13. I don't think the parent letter will really make a difference; waiver authorities want objective tests (PFT's, MCT, exercise stress test... each case is different) and medical/pharmacy records. As a parent, I would gather all medical notes/ pharmacy records related to the prescriptions because that is something you can get ready and have available if a waiver is requested. Those are almost always requested as part of a waiver. Keep all records because they may be requested again for a future military job. There was a form dd filled out after the waiver was requested; that's when your son would submit his testimony.

If your son is competitive, the service academy will request a waiver and your child will go through the process. If your child has no evidence of asthma, it will be confirmed via testing. DD did get a waiver and had to do the same testing again this summer for pilot qualification.

Our dd also had seasonal allergies; that wasn't disqualifying 4 years ago. Dodmerb didn't request any of her pharmacy records related to that or her shot records (she had a course of allergy shots for the seasonal allergies). The inhaler, on the other hand, was fully vetted, repeatedly

If you have good insurance, you could consider preemptively going to a pulmonologist for evaluation, PFT, and a MCT and submit that.