How Is The Va Doing?

[Pete53]

http://www.ipsnews.net/print.asp?idnews=39731

[danang_1969]

Yes, when I was in the process of my claim, I also thought I was getting the runaround, too, and that the VA was just trying to save money by denying me. But I wasn't sure how much of that was actually the truth and how much was due to some possible desperation and/or a paranoid reaction on my part (real or imagined). As it turned out, maybe the merit of my claim was not as "obvious" as I thought it was. Even so, it was also true that had the VARO gone by its own regs, I would not have had to go all the way to the BVA. So it was probably both our faults.

But was there some "dark conspiracy" involved here to make me wait that long due to arbitrary denials along the way?

I can't say there was.

I know it may still seem that way to some of us, maybe even a lots of us, that the VA is out to "jip" vets in order to deny them of any benefite due (not including the false or no-merit claims, that is, which SHOULD be denied), but I believe the delays/problems are mainly from the overwhelming workload/backlog, inexperience of new VA employees, not enough VA employees to meet present needs, and some degree of flat-out error re: decisions...rather than any planned, official or unofficial VA policy of "screw the vets."

And until I see a smoking-gun memo that someone smuggled out of some VARO or VA-HQ saying there really IS such a policy -- probably from the top (i.e., the White House or the Secretary of Veterans Affairs) that orders all VA employees to deny rather than grant, use delay tactics so the vet gives up or dies -- regardless of the merits of the case or deny in order to save money -- then I can't presently believe there is any VA conspiracy against veterans. Screwups, yes, but not any delierate policy to mess with vets.

Now if such a memo ever comes to light, then I will be first in line to nail the SOBs against the wall and the "leadership" responsbile should be jailed...but it's been DECADES now that these "VA misadventures" been going on and no such memo of any such "dark orders from the top" have surfaced. So I have to believe it's just the whole PROCESS -- claims process, claims backlog, employee training & experience, VA getting funded properly, etc. -- that is the problem, not that the VA is really out to get vets.

-- John D.

There is so many failed areas in the system and as you said I don't think they are out to get the vets. It's inexperience of the triage teams. SO nay claims and few workers and the vet not having the resources and no-how to file and present his evidence to the satisfaction of the law for grating the claim. Good post and I think you are right on. The main thing that I see that needs improved is more teams handling less claims and more communication with the vet during the decision making period.

danang_1969

[john999]

The VA just wants to save money. It is not a conspiracy. It is just cheapness and a lack of regard for vets. Now I see Dole says older vets may have to settle for less to help the Iraq vets. He does not depend on his compensation to live. He lived off the taxpayers for 40 years in politics. I bet he has a nice pension and the best health care money can buy. What a miserable bastard.

[cloudcroft]

Dole the politican (not his military service) is a pathetic individual. Known as a "Great Compromiser," ANYthing on the table was fair game for compromising it away or watering it down, whether the issues be VA benefits or US Constitutional civil rights.

Frankly, anyone can compromise...what's so great about that? But it takes real convictions to stand for something. Dole doesn't have that.

And as has been said here before -- partly due to the "new and improved small all-volunteer military" vs. a draft system getting everyone into military service for at least a few years -- vets are a very small minority few politicians will care about.

Heck, many don't even care about the ACTIVE duty military, let alone vets.

-- John D.

Edited October 22, 2007 by cloudcroft

[Pete53]

Well any Vets treated differently today will probably learn what can happen tomorrow.

[jmack]

Great topic with great ending results for the veteran. It kind of makes one say to himself is there more that could be done me. So, as ideas come to me I think that on my good days that I have, I may just check with some of the homeless vets and see how I can help them get started, if they haven't already submitted a claim for benefits. Thanks Pete for starting this topic.

jmack

[Ricky]

"dark conspiracy" Nope you are right. However, it is not just the just the things you spoke of. Yes they contribute to the problem. However, one must remember - although the VA is setup to take care of veterans, it is the governments equivilant to a civilian disability insurer's claims processers. One must remember that a VA claim is simply a claim filed AGAINST the United States. Nothing more, nothing less.

As a matter of fact a civilian disability claims department is sometimes much easier to deal with than the VA due to the thing called accountability. If a civilian disability insurance company steps too far out of line they will find themselves in civil court and possible criminal court if their intentions were intentional and a violation of law.

The VA system, notice I did not say the people, was designed as a self check type of system. This self check is sided against the claimant and not the system. Yes, yes I know we have congress. But remember who the partent company is - The U.S. Government. This has been proven time and time again at great expense to the taxpayers. How many useless and costly commissions, studies and hearings have been setup or held to find out why the backlog is so large? or why it takes 4 years to process a claim etc....... You could count 24 hours a day for a month and could not count them all. And the result? VA testifying to congress or the budget or the GAO. And the outcome - VA stating each and every time "We'll fix it now". Hmmmm..... seems as though the fix it now syndrome is chronic with continuity since they have suffered from it since the 50's and the problems addressed then still are problems today. NO Accountability. Now I blame this on the government (congress and the administrations over the years. Its not a dem/republic thing it is a government thing. You get these elite ones up there who know all and they spend billions of dollars trying to save thousands and pull votes. The government does it in all things not just the VA. No matter how much we can save on a hammer by conducting the correct or common sense process in the purchasing, some idiot politician, an elite one, knows a better process. This better process expands into several commissions and then studies to study the commission's recommendation, costing millions, then we do it the idiots way and the damn things cost billions when what we needed would have only set us back a few hundreds of thousands - in the end one of the other elite smart ones finds fraud after all of them break during use and we are back to more commissions and studies...... the cycle goes on.

It is the same with the VA. They, the government (Not the VA) will spend billions just to save a few million.

I ranted a little but remember the key points - no accountability to ANYONE and no matter what type of claim you are filing you are FILING A CLAIM AGAINST THE U.S. GOVERNMENT! Don't scream at me and yes I do know that we earned benefits with our service, but does not a civilian also earn benefits for the payment of their money for disability insurance? Sameo - sameo.