Nicholson

[Berta]

Jerrel Cook from SVR asked me to post this- it is also coming to me via others-this is not the first time the Sec raised this idea-I dont know what support it would get-----

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Berta could you please post this on hadit for me...Jerrel

Jerrel <jeecook@sbcglobal.net> wrote:

Date: Wed, 1 Aug 2007 07:34:02 -0700 (PDT)

From: Jerrel <jeecook@sbcglobal.net>

Subject: Jim Nicholson 2

To: Jerrel Cook jeecook@sbcglobal.net

Army Times

Nicholson backs new benefits claims system

By Rick Maze - Staff writer

Posted : Thursday Jul 26, 2007 11:40:47 EDT

Veterans Affairs Secretary Jim Nicholson endorses a controversial idea to attack the huge backlog of veterans’ disability claims by automatically approving some claims.

In a Wednesday interview taped for C-SPAN’s Newsmakers program, which will air Sunday, Nicholson said he was willing, on a trial basis, to try to tackle the large and growing backlog of disability claims with a program that would assume anyone who filed for compensation deserves the payment. After the first check is issued, a claim could be reviewed, with the possibility that payments could be adjusted, Nicholson said.

This speedy process would apply only for initial claims, not for people already receiving disability pay who are seeking to have their ratings revised upward. More than half of the estimated 600,000 claims pending at any time are for people who are already receiving disability compensation for a service-connected injury or disease, Nicholson said.

The automatic payment process would take many changes in law and “a new cultural frame of mind,” Nicholson said, but added, “We want to do it quicker. It irritates people.”

“Everybody would have to understand the new system,” he said, including the possibility that the benefits they are receiving could be reduced, increased or even canceled.

“This would be quick but not necessarily permanent,” he said of the payment.

He won’t be around to see such a change, however, as he has announced he will retire no later than Oct. 1 to return to private business.

The Bush administration and many veterans’ groups have raised red flags over the initiative endorsed by Nicholson out of fear it could lead to widespread cheating by veterans who would assume they could get paid without having to provide any proof of their medical condition.

In the interview, Nicholson mentioned the possibility that veterans found to be ineligible or who receive a bigger payment than warranted could be forced to repay the government, something rarely required under current law because the initial claims process, which now takes an average of 177 days, weeds out most blatant errors and fraud.

Automatic processing of at least simple claims is getting a lot of attention in Congress as a potential way to speed initial paychecks while allowing VA to concentrate on the more difficult claims, such as veterans with multiple disabilities and complicated medical histories that make it challenging to determine whether there is a military cause for the problems.

A big push in Congress for automatic benefits approval came after a March discussion before the House Veterans’ Affairs Committee where Linda Bilmes of Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government warned that radical change is needed because the backlog of benefits is only going to get worse. By her estimate, 250,000 to 400,000 disability claims will be filed over the next two years by Iraq and Afghanistan war veterans. She proposed having VA pay all disability claims filed by new combat veterans under a streamlined system that included only four ratings levels instead of the current 10.

Bilmes’ idea has since been introduced as legislation by several lawmakers. Nicholson’s endorsement of the basic concept could be of limited help to sponsors because his Oct. 1 resignation date means he will not be around to see even a pilot project implemented.

www.angelfire.com/ca2/arresteddecaymusic/jerrelcook.html

www.angelfire.com/ca2/arresteddecaymusic/jerrelcook.html

[Pete53]

I like this idea cause I had it myself years ago and have repeated it several times on Hadit. After a fixed amount of time award the claim and review later. No pay back if VA takes to long and changes mind.

[Josephine]

I was told today that this only applies to PTSD claims, anyone know for sure?

thanks,

Josephine

[SLEDGE]

This looks like a set-up to me.

Everything that they want to do, that looks good from the start, turns out to be a system glogging nightmare in the end.

After the quickie approval they can eventually cut you off and make you go through the entire process all over again, and again.

Except for the lies and deceit they have no reasonable excuses for the current backlog.

Fire the whole bunch and farm out the management to the Sisters of Mercy.

That is, if you can get them to touch it.

sledge

[free_spirit_etc]

Here is an idea. Maybe they could READ the claim when they get it. And if it seems reasonable grant it. Not automatically approving claims - just taking a little time to read the actual claim - and less time digging around in the file for something they can misconstrue. Less time sending people to doctors when they already have a medical opinion submitted. Less time sending out the "we are working on your claim" letters - and less time sending out SOCs semi-explaining why they didn't grant the claim.

Going ahead and granting claims automatically - with the idea that they will take the money back if they end up not approving your claim is kind of scarey. It would help keep vets from starving while they wait though. But what would keep it from creating a backlog of claims that need to be processed so they can get their money back. It seems like it would shift the work around and create more work. And solve the problem of vets having no income - temporarily at least. But I am not sure it would solve the problem. I read once that an enormous number of VA claims are rated at 10%. So they would just send people their $100 checks and then freeze their bank accounts later.

Free

[free_spirit_etc]

That's an idea - but that would surprise me. I thought the PTSD claims are the ones they fight a lot.

I bet they could save time if they stopped making combat vet prove they experienced a stressor.

Free

I was told today that this only applies to PTSD claims, anyone know for sure?

thanks,

Josephine