The Veteran's appeal for payment or reimbursement of unauthorized medical expenses incurred at CMC on February 27, 2017, is denied because the services rendered were not in a medical emergency and there was no prior authorization from VA.
The deciding factor: The condition did not meet the criteria for a medical emergency as it was a scheduled follow-up appointment after an initial heart attack, and delay would not have been hazardous to life or health.
- Claimed conditions
- Myocardial infarction (heart attack)
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- October 9, 2018
- Citation
- 18141068
This is a plain-language summary generated by AI from a public Board of Veterans’ Appeals decision. It can contain errors — always verify against the original. Read the original VA decision (opens in a new tab) using citation 18141068.
What this means for you
A final Board denial may be appealed to the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims, generally within 120 days of the Board mailing date. A Supplemental Claim with new and relevant evidence is a separate option. Another Higher-Level Review of the Board decision is not available. Check your own notice: this historical decision does not set your deadline.
What you can do next
Use your own notice and decision stage. A remanded issue is not a final court-appealable denial. VA review guidance and CAVC filing instructions (U.S. federal; reviewed October 7, 2026).
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Whole decision: Granted
The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for payment or reimbursement of ambulance travel expenses incurred on June 17, 2025 due to an emergency heart attack. The ambulance service was provided by a volunteer organization and later intercepted by a higher-tier EMT company.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the Veteran's additional periods of service, which are necessary for a proper determination on his cause of death and any related service connection claims.
- Whole decision: Granted
The Veteran's death was caused by a subarachnoid hemorrhage, which is presumed to be due to exposure to Agent Orange. The myocardial infarction (heart attack) that contributed to the Veteran's death is also presumptively service-connected as it falls under the criteria for IHD in Vietnam veterans.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for his service-connected lumbar myositis, psychoneurosis and conversion hysteria, residuals of shrapnel wounds of the left thigh and pelvis with retained foreign bodies and scars, and residuals of shell fragment wounds of the right thigh and left leg. The veteran was also denied entitlement to a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities.
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