Vets Getting Worse Dealing Dealing With Claims.

[tagandbag]

Haven.t heard this from Filner before, but I may be behind the times here. If this was posted before my apoligies.

t&b

Filner: VA claims process needs radical changes

By Rick Maze - Staff writer

Posted : Saturday Aug 1, 2009 10:33:21 EDT

Improving the veterans’ claims process will require more than just hiring more staff, the House Veterans’ Affairs Committee chairman said Friday.

Rep. Bob Filner, D-Calif., said in an interview that radical change is needed to eliminate the backlog of claims and make the whole process easier for veterans by automatically accepting claims for disabilities rated at 30 percent or less, with only spot-checking for accuracy.

Filner called this the “IRS model,” a reference to the Internal Revenue Service process of auditing a small percentage of federal income tax returns, not every one.

He said automatic claims approval, with some auditing, is a way of clear what he estimates are 100,000 claims from Vietnam veterans related to exposure to Agent Orange. And the practice also could put a big dent in the overall backlog of all claims pending before VA, which Filner estimates to be almost 1 million.

“When you are getting to a 1 million backlog, the insult is so great you really have to do something,” he said.

In many cases, he said, veterans “get more pain and suffering from the [claims] process than they ever did from their wounds.”

Reforming the claims process is on Filner’s list of top issues that must be addressed by Congress this year.

Other priorities, he said, include creating a process for advance funding of veterans’ health programs, starting a comprehensive program for homeless veterans, improving VA health care treatment for women, and expanding access to VA care for veterans in rural areas.

[Testvet]

Pete I wish I could figure out how my brain works I can remember the wierdest stuff but for some reason books and movies fly in and out with little retention anymore 6 months later they are new again but I remember Alaska, Edgewood, I can't remember kids birthdays my brain hasn't worked right in years since the stroke and then throw in the PTSD and some days my brains are just "mush"

[Pete53]

I have taken to re reading some books that I really enjoyed and although I basically have a good idea of where it is going the second time I seem to be able to pick out more details.

Another quote from my Dad was only an idiot would see a movie a second time.

Everytime the Godfather comes on without commercials I still watch it. I also watch Josey Wells every time I see it on the schedule.

[sgmdae]

I just went to Filners Web Site,

there some interest bills for Vets, maybe we should get behind a few of them and see if we can get them through

Especially the one that wants to hire 1800 more claim processors.

[tagandbag]

Sorry guys, I should have been a little more specific. I wasn't really talking The IRS MODEL, towards claims, it was what he said about veterans getting more pain from the dealings with the VA and it causing more pain than the wounds we got while in the service. Altough, IRS model seems to be on a level playing field, I am not so sure it would work. I think it could cause a lot more veterans, a lot more pain if they were granted benefits and down the road the VA decides this person does not deserve this. Then what, the veteran would wind up owing a ton of money. I don't know, everything thats going on in financial aspect of the world is turning to sh%t.

I am scared and worried,

t&b

[broncovet]

TagandBag

There is no doubt that Filner is right on this one. Military personnel begin their career as the healthiest, most fit Americans and the military and the VA turns this same healthy/fit lot into the highest suicide level and highest homeless level of all groups. The high suicide level for Veterans could be accounted for by the military, however, the high homeless level in Veterans is surely the result of the VA's claim "process".

How can the VA possibly account for this dramatic turnaround, other than the VA's own mismanagement?

That is, why are yesterdays most fit Americans, todays highest risks for suicide and homelessness?

Edited August 21, 2009 by broncovet

[SLEDGE]

Those political pundits CLAIM that they want to:

Reduce the backlog?

Award claims without the usual BS that I (sledge) went through between 1985 and 2009?

As my Grandfather used to say, "Somebody is blowin and goin."

His opinion of bureaucrats rivaled mine.

Remember this,

Veterans are touted to be the reason that the VA exists.

Caring for the wounded is supposed to be the main priority.

That's BS.

VA managers compete for 'higher up the ladder' jobs because the can pad their pockets better at the next level.

That's how government works.

The name of the agency that those people are employed under does not matter.

The beneficiaries, of whatever agency, do not make any difference to the managers once contact with 'us' is no longer a part of the job.

Outa sight, outa mind.

A good individual proficiency rating, lies that they all tell about each other in order to get promoted, is never dependent upon how these whiners and fakers perceive the doling out of the benefits from the agency.

Veterans are 'NEVER' satisfied so watch the budget, not the vets.

At the lowest level of care-giving, basically the nurses, I have seen a slight improvement in attitudes and subsequently care-giving.

Even though I've never met a bad nurse or one with a rancid attitude in the first place.

However, when bandages are constantly in short supply, patient chow doesn't taste like food and the formulary is driving you nuts, even the best can get rattled.

Ask a spouse, not the patients.

Politicians love to point the finger at someone else and that will always cause a few sabers to rattle.

Expert panels will be formed so the proper scape goats can be identified.

(Who is running the VA now and what was his last job?)

Considering how much our tax dollars have spent on the economy, the war, global warming scares and as always, foreign aid -

health care and compensation for disabled veterans is GROSSLY underfunded and completely inadequate.

You don't get a million unanswered claims if the congressional mandate for veterans care has been followed.

A million has to involve many, many blood sucking government leeches on the veterans in general.

I still say, if the VA managers would allow the system to function like the rules and regs prescribe, this forum community would have no reason to exist.

But then, how would they get cousin Bubba and the mistress on the payroll?

Good rant, I'm done now.

sledge