Poor Management By Va

[broncovet]

At the VA watchdog site, in the comments section, a VA employee admitted to "cherry Picking" Veterans claims..looking for single issue, fast easy claims while passing over multiple issue claims. How fair is this? Could I suggest this, as follows:?

Employees go to supervisor desk for their next claim, which is done in order of date received, unless there is a valid "advance on the docket" claim which would have priority. Employees would not pick their claim..they would be assigned a claim to work..in date order.

As far as complex claims go, each employee would get hard ones and easy ones..in date order, so that it would all even out over a period of a year or so.

Is this really so hard? Even waitresses are often assigned customers by the hostess.

comment follows from the VA watchdog site:

- I will not identify my employment afilliation so take this for what you will....

What was left out of the VA special (aside from many other things) was that if an employee does not get their "points" it has a negative impact on their performance evaluation! Performance evaluations can get you promoted. I have never heard of them getting you bonuses, but i guess anythings possible. And consistently under performing can get you fired! I'm sure this points system had the intent of promoting high levels of production however, what it ends up promoting is working just hard enough to get those points. Many cases would benefit from a more thorough review but due to time limits forced by the required "points system" they are just shoved through as quick as possible. More importantly not all cases give the same value. For example a case with 15 different disabilities being claimed is worth the same amount as eight - A case with 7 different disabilities being claimed is worth the same amount as a claim with only 1. Which do you think is more likely to be done first? Of course, the one that takes the least time for the most points! Or how about claims that are already in progress that need a review to see if they are ready to be rated? Some are 5+ volumes thick and some are the size of a manila envelope. I ask again - what gets done first? Of course, the one that takes the least time for the most points! The same scenario can be applied in any number of situations: old cases vs. new, thick vs. skinny, complicated vs. easy etc etc. Many times employees will "hold" files that could be sent to the rating board, simply because they have enough numbers for the day and because they know they will need them the next day (or God forbid, next week). Easy quick claims are "cherry picked" over others or "stolen" from other employees because they require less output to get the points! As a Vet working within the VA, I do what I can to serve Veterans the way I want to be served, but in the end I to am bound by the "points" system and my ensuing performance evaluations.

[broncovet]

Berta..

I agree with your take that getting a good VCAA letter is critical, and could save 5 years or more on the hamster wheel.

Excuse my ignorance but what does, "They made a statement as to the VCAA problem but found it non prejudicial" mean?

I am guessing that it means they admitted a VCAA problem, but it did not have anything to do with the outcome, so they did not address it.

I do not agree, however, with the poster who said that all of VA's problems are because of congress. That makes no sense because the VA has been a disaster for decades regardless of which congressman is in office. Again it boils down to bad management, but how can the VA keep picking bad managers year after year? The president does not reveal his criteria for selection of a Sec. of the VA, so it usually boils down to who the president owes favors to, and not who is the most qualifed for the position. The answer is that the system, where the Secretary of the VA is appointed by the president, is flawed, in part, because there is no accountability. If the VA were a commercial enterprise, the VA management would be held accountable to the shareholders, who could decide to change managers if the shareholders felt that management was not acting in shareholders best interest.

We Veterans cant change the Secretary, even if we all voted to have the Secretary removed. The public is fed "the fox guarding the hen house's" statements who says that Veterans are doing just fine under the present system.

Edited January 8, 2010 by broncovet

[jerrbilly]

For now on I will include cherries with every piece of evidence I submit. :)

At the VA watchdog site, in the comments section, a VA employee admitted to "cherry Picking" Veterans claims..looking for single issue, fast easy claims while passing over multiple issue claims.

comment follows from the VA watchdog site:

- I will not identify my employment afilliation so take this for what you will....

What was left out of the VA special (aside from many other things) was that if an employee does not get their "points" it has a negative impact on their performance evaluation! Performance evaluations can get you promoted. I have never heard of them getting you bonuses, but i guess anythings possible. And consistently under performing can get you fired! I'm sure this points system had the intent of promoting high levels of production however, what it ends up promoting is working just hard enough to get those points. Many cases would benefit from a more thorough review but due to time limits forced by the required "points system" they are just shoved through as quick as possible. More importantly not all cases give the same value. For example a case with 15 different disabilities being claimed is worth the same amount as eight - A case with 7 different disabilities being claimed is worth the same amount as a claim with only 1. Which do you think is more likely to be done first? Of course, the one that takes the least time for the most points! Or how about claims that are already in progress that need a review to see if they are ready to be rated? Some are 5+ volumes thick and some are the size of a manila envelope. I ask again - what gets done first? Of course, the one that takes the least time for the most points! The same scenario can be applied in any number of situations: old cases vs. new, thick vs. skinny, complicated vs. easy etc etc. Many times employees will "hold" files that could be sent to the rating board, simply because they have enough numbers for the day and because they know they will need them the next day (or God forbid, next week). Easy quick claims are "cherry picked" over others or "stolen" from other employees because they require less output to get the points! As a Vet working within the VA, I do what I can to serve Veterans the way I want to be served, but in the end I to am bound by the "points" system and my ensuing performance evaluations.

[Vync]

jerrbilly,

I think you are onto something. We should organize a cherry pie party, somewhat similar to the Boston Tea Party. Pick a certain day and everyone goes to the VA RO's throughout the country to deliver cherry pies in thanks for all of their cherry picking.

[Testvet]

jerrbilly,

I think you are onto something. We should organize a cherry pie party, somewhat similar to the Boston Tea Party. Pick a certain day and everyone goes to the VA RO's throughout the country to deliver cherry pies in thanks for all of their cherry picking.

they would probably take them and eat them make great for snacks at lunch I doubt if they would really understand why they were getting them......

[jerrbilly]

I'd have to add a little note that "these are for pickin only." :)

Jerr

they would probably take them and eat them make great for snacks at lunch I doubt if they would really understand why they were getting them......

[alphahec]

VA regional offices should follow the FIFO (first in first out) principal, but again it's the system as a whole that is faulty.