4/25/2019 Gmail - Senior Project

natalie hood <nhood2869@gmail.com>

Senior Project
10 messages

natalie hood <nhood2869@gmail.com> Thu, Mar 7, 2019 at 11:15 AM

To: cdboyd@careconnecthr.com
Cc: susan.vanschenck@vbschools.com

Good morning,
My name is Natalie Hood. Ms. Juleah Best mentioned that you may be interested in answering a couple of my
questions pertaining to my senior project. I am a senior within the Legal Studies Academy at First Colonial High School,
and my senior project is centered around the topic of Accessibility to Healthcare for Veterans. I have created a
symposium, called “Medics and Cadets,” for veterans and local JROTC cadets to attend while questions about the
healthcare system will be answered and recorded. The recorded symposium will be uploaded to the Library of Congress
for anyone to access. If you are still interested in answering a few of my questions or possibly attending the symposium
as a part of the panel of doctors/ medical administrators, you may contact me by phone everyday after noon or anytime
by email. Thank you for your time and consideration.

Respectfully,
Natalie Hood
(757)-907-5654
nhood2869@gmail.com

Christina Drumm-Boyd <cdboyd@careconnecthr.com> Thu, Mar 7, 2019 at 5:46 PM

To: natalie hood <nhood2869@gmail.com>
Cc: susan.vanschenck@vbschools.com

Hello Ms. Hood,

I would love to learn more about your project and I would be happy to answer any questions that you have.

Kind Regards,
Christina Drumm-Boyd

Sent from my iPhone

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natalie hood <nhood2869@gmail.com> Fri, Mar 8, 2019 at 7:40 AM

To: Christina Drumm-Boyd <cdboyd@careconnecthr.com>

Good morning Ms. Drumm-Boyd,

Prior to planning my senior project, I wrote a twenty-paged research paper focused on the delays faced within the VA
healthcare system. Examples of these delays are long wait times, secret waiting lists, and limited use of contracted non-
departmental facilities.Resulting in veterans waiting over 30 days for appointments for their chief complaints and
possible passing of veterans who have pressing conditions. Medics and Cadets is centralized around clarifying why
these delays happen within any healthcare system and hopefully resulting in the avocation for finding a solution. I am
open to hearing from many doctors from the private sector and specifically the VA system. Are you a doctor or physician
in the private sector or do you happen to work for the VA?

Respectfully,
Natalie Hood
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(757)-907-5654
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Christina Drumm-Boyd <cdboyd@careconnecthr.com> Fri, Mar 8, 2019 at 8:29 AM

To: natalie hood <nhood2869@gmail.com>

Natalie,

I am not a VA employee or a physician.

I am a U. S. Department of Veterans Affairs Accredited Claims Agent. I specifically represent non service connected
pension claims and service connected compensation claims before the Office of General Counsel, which is the Dept. of
Veterans Affairs Private Court.

My perspective on the healthcare administration is from the standpoint of a claims agent that has witnessed delays in
disability compensation assessments and highly questionable denials based on poorly completed medical evaluations.
Based on your focus, I may not be able to offer the information that you are seeking, however I remain willing to assist if
needed and applaud your efforts!

Regards,
Christina Drumm-Boyd

Sent from my iPhone

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natalie hood <nhood2869@gmail.com> Fri, Mar 8, 2019 at 8:55 AM

To: Christina Drumm-Boyd <cdboyd@careconnecthr.com>

Ms. Drumm-Boyd,

I understand that you can not get too specific, but can you elaborate what happens when a medical evaluation is poorly
completed or mishandled? I am interested in the legal perspective of how these types of situations are handled as well.
Part of my paper was taking VA medical laws and analyzing the legality of how some cases are handled.
Respectfully,
Natalie Hood
(757)-907-5654
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Christina Drumm-Boyd <cdboyd@careconnecthr.com> Fri, Mar 8, 2019 at 3:07 PM

To: natalie hood <nhood2869@gmail.com>

Natalie,

Veterans filing claims for service connected compensation are subject to absorbent delays in scheduling disability
examinations, 6 months and longer wait times. Additionally, I have found that the Department of Veterans Affairs
physician’s, medical examiners, disability reports are often vague, often in disagreement with civilian physician
examinations or they refuse to complete the disability questionnaires all together. As a result we can NEVER solely rely
on Dept. Of Veterans Affairs physicians to complete the medical forms required for a compensation claim.

VA federal law states that the VA must consider disability reports and medical records from licensed civilian physicians
as well.

Claims can also be denied when a Veteran/claimant is asked to appear for a medical evaluation, but due to cognitive and
or physical impairment they are unable to report for the assessment. Many veteran claimants are considered medically
housebound so traveling to the local VA hospital is NOT always feasible.

Unfortunately if the veteran did not secure a copy of their complete medical record on or before discharge it is often very
difficult to obtain or “locate” complete medical records that may be crucial to establishing a logical nexus in support of

https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0?ik=0ef5c40397&view=pt&search=all&permthid=thread-a%3Ar-4713179637414251456&simpl=msg-a%3Ar463064909… 2/4
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their claim.

Sent from my iPhone

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natalie hood <nhood2869@gmail.com> Tue, Mar 12, 2019 at 8:43 AM

To: Christina Drumm-Boyd <cdboyd@careconnecthr.com>

Ms. Drumm-Boyd,
Thank you so much for your clarification and information. This has greatly helped my understanding of the VA
healthcare system. I would like to offer you spot on my panel on March 28th at 5pm. Being a part of the panel would
include answering questions that I may lead the audience with and questions the audience may have. The entire
symposium would be recorded and later uploaded to the Library of Congress. If you can not participate, I completely
understand and appreciate the time you've given to answer my questions.

Respectfully,
Natalie Hood
(757)-907-5654
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Christina Drumm-Boyd, BSH,CSA, GCM <cdboyd@careconnecthr.com> Tue, Mar 12, 2019 at 1:50 PM
Reply-To: "Christina Drumm-Boyd, BSH,CSA, GCM" <cdboyd@careconnecthr.com>
To: natalie hood <nhood2869@gmail.com>

Natalie,

Thank you so much for the invitation, but unfortunately I out of town that week at a conference.

I appreciate the opportunity to provide feed back to you and I wish you much success! The work
you are doing is really of paramount importance!

Sincerely,

Christina Drumm Boyd, BHS, CSA, GCM

Accredited U.S.Veterans Administration Agent 
Life, Health and Annuities Agent-VA
Owner/President
www.careconnecthr.com

Care Connect of Hampton Roads, Inc.-Virginia Beach

200 S. Kellam Road
Virginia Beach, VA 23462
Phone:  757-271-4270
Fax:  757-544-9363

Care Connect of Hampton Roads, Inc.-Newport News 

(located inside of The Law Firm of McDermott and Ward) 12350 Jefferson Avenue, Newport
News, VA 23602
Phone: 757-271-4270
Fax:  757-544-9363
                       

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4/25/2019 Gmail - Senior Project

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natalie hood <nhood2869@gmail.com> Wed, Mar 13, 2019 at 11:06 AM

To: "Christina Drumm-Boyd, BSH,CSA, GCM" <cdboyd@careconnecthr.com>

Ms. Drumm Boyd,

I completely understand and thank you so much for your time. I would like to further ask for your permission to use the
information you gave me for my project. I have two options for use of the information. I can either use the information in
the recorded symposium, or I can paste the information for additional documentation of my project to my senior project
website. Both options can be done with or without your name per your approval. Thank you again for your time
and consideration.
Respectfully,
Natalie Hood
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Christina Drumm-Boyd <cdboyd@careconnecthr.com> Wed, Mar 13, 2019 at 1:12 PM

To: natalie hood <nhood2869@gmail.com>

Natalie,

You have my permission to use the information provided as you see fit and to also reference my name.

Thank you,
Christina

Sent from my iPhone

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