M21-1 · Section XIII.i.3.E

Medical Treatment for Veterans Showing a Positive Tuberculin Reaction

M21-1 section XIII.i.3.E. Official source text with a separately reviewed Claim Raven explanation when available.

Claim Raven wrote the explanation that follows. The original VA text appears below it, unchanged.

What this means

m21-1:XIII.i.3.E explains medical treatment for veterans showing a positive tuberculin reaction. In plain terms, the official guidance says individuals who receive tuberculin tests sometimes show a change from negative to positive without any other evidence of a tuberculosis infection. It also addresses chemotherapy prescribed for personnel testing positive for tuberculin reaction is to be continued over a 12-month period to reduce the possibility of subsequently acquiring tuberculosis.

How this may help with a claim

Use m21-1:XIII.i.3.E as an internal VA audit trail for medical treatment for veterans showing a positive tuberculin reaction, not as a promise of a particular result. Compare the actions recorded in your claim file or decision notice with this source-specific detail: Individuals who receive tuberculin tests sometimes show a change from negative to positive without any other evidence of a tuberculosis infection. Chemotherapy prescribed for personnel testing positive for tuberculin reaction is to be continued over a 12-month period to reduce the possibility of subsequently acquiring tuberculosis. If the record does not show the expected action, identify the missing step precisely when asking VA or an accredited representative to review the file.

What to review in your file

  • Check the file against this official condition: Individuals who receive tuberculin tests sometimes show a change from negative to positive without any other evidence of a tuberculosis infection.
  • Confirm that the record or notice addresses this source point: A positive tuberculin reaction without any other evidence of a tuberculosis infection is not a disease or disability and is not a reason for discharge from service.
  • Document how this stated step or exception applies: After treatment, the medical facility forwards VA Form 10-7131, Exchange of Beneficiary Information and Request for Administrative and Adjudicative Action, to the regional office with the following legend:

Important limits

m21-1:XIII.i.3.E is primarily internal workflow guidance about medical treatment for veterans showing a positive tuberculin reaction. It can help identify what VA was expected to document, but it does not by itself create a claimant deadline, a freestanding entitlement, or a guaranteed remedy. The source also states: Individuals who receive tuberculin tests sometimes show a change from negative to positive without any other evidence of a tuberculosis infection. After treatment, the medical facility forwards VA Form 10-7131, Exchange of Beneficiary Information and Request for Administrative and Adjudicative Action, to the regional office with the following legend:

Search terms when useful

Phrases that may help when searching your claim file or this library.

  • Medical Treatment for Veterans Showing a Positive Tuberculin Reaction
  • m21-1:XIII.i.3.E
  • Medical Treatment Showing
  • Positive Tuberculin Reaction
  • Medical Treatment Showing Positive
  • chemotherapy program adopted service
  • policy chemotherapy treatments
  • chemotherapy discharged personnel

Original VA guidance

The official VA text of this section

Overview

In This Section

This section contains the topic, " Medical Treatment for Veterans Showing a Positive Tuberculin Reaction."

1. Medical Treatment for Veterans Showing a Positive Tuberculin Reaction

Introduction

This topic contains information on medical treatment for Veterans showing a positive tuberculin reaction, including

  • chemotherapy program adopted by the service departments
  • policy on chemotherapy treatments
  • chemotherapy for discharged personnel, and
  • processing VA Form 10-7131, Exchange of Beneficiary Information and Request for Administrative and Adjudicative Action, for discharged personnel testing positive for tuberculosis.

Change Date

April 12, 2007

XIII.i.3.E.1.a. Chemotherapy Program Adopted by the Service Departments

Individuals who receive tuberculin tests sometimes show a change from negative to positive without any other evidence of a tuberculosis infection.

The military service departments have adopted a program of chemotherapy for personnel who had a negative tuberculin test on entrance into service, but who were found to have converted to positive during service.

XIII.i.3.E.1.b. Policy on Chemotherapy Treatments

Chemotherapy prescribed for personnel testing positive for tuberculin reaction is to be continued over a 12-month period to reduce the possibility of subsequently acquiring tuberculosis.

Important: A positive tuberculin reaction without any other evidence of a tuberculosis infection is not a disease or disability and is not a reason for discharge from service.

XIII.i.3.E.1.c. Chemotherapy for Discharged Personnel

At the request of the military service departments, Department of Veteran Affairs medical facilities provide continued chemotherapy for the remainder of the 12-month period to discharged personnel who tested positive for tuberculosis during service.

After treatment, the medical facility forwards VA Form 10-7131, Exchange of Beneficiary Information and Request for Administrative and Adjudicative Action, to the regional office with the following legend:

Medical care being authorized for positive reaction to tuberculin test on basis of prima facie evidence of eligibility.

XIII.i.3.E.1.d. Processing VA Form 10-7131 for Discharged Personnel Testing Positive for Tuberculosis

Follow the steps in the table below when you receive VA Form 10-7131 is received for discharged personnel testing positive for tuberculosis.

Scroll sideways to see the full table.

StepAction
1Interpret VA Form 10-7131 to mean there is no disease or disability present.
2Associate VA Form 10-7131 with the claims folder without any control. Notes: A final report of examination is submitted at the end of the 12-month treatment period. When completing any VA Form 10-7131, subsequently received in which Service-Connected is checked in Part I, do not make any reference to service connection for a positive tuberculin reaction. Reference: For more information on compensation claims based on a positive tuberculin reaction, see M21-1, Part VIII, Subpart iii, 2.A.