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.

[Testvet]

A year of retro is a nice sum of money. I would go for it if it will not stress you out too much. If you are not risking anything get that money!

John from Oct 2002 until April 2007 and the BVA decision now that was stress hell this would just be gravy they can't shoot me it's against the rules even for them rofl

[Chuck75]

When I filed the first VA A.O. claim (years ago), the state veterans office claims handler told me that if I wanted the claim to be successful, and move through the system in a year or less, the claim should be for only one medical condition, be "presumptive" and, since I was in the Navy, include specific proof that I had "feet on ground" status. (Even though the ships I rode were part of the amphibious "brown water" navy, and had combat unit awards & citations.) When the VA receives such a claim, the law requires them to look for other compensatable conditions as well. It seems that this is seldom done.

This Veteran employee's admission YESTERDAY of the ongoing problem of "cherry picking" demonstrates the VA has no intention of fixing its management problems, and the claims system will continue to be unfair, and not in date order. Of course, this is just one example of a slew of management problems at the VA.

[Vync]

When the VA receives such a claim, the law requires them to look for other compensatable conditions as well. It seems that this is seldom done.

I noticed that on my C&P examinations in 1997 and 1999, they diagnosed me with other conditions, such as GERD. If they find these conditions, are they supposed to opine on these as to whether or not they believe they are SC, or are they supposed to just list the conditions on my C&P results? If they list the conditions on my C&P exam results, but I did not at the time request to be SC for them, what are my chances of getting SC for them?

[broncovet]

Chuck points out that "cherry picking" claims has been going on for decades, with the full knowledge of the VSO's. VSO's are demonstrating that they do not represent interests of Veterans..they are merely an "extension" of the VA. Even with VSO's knowledge that the VA is, in fact, cherry picking and hurting Veterans with multiple issues, the VSO's choose not only to "look the other way", but they even go so far as blaming the Veteran for filing multiple issue claims.

I can see it now: A Veteran is injured by a bomb, sustaining multiple injuries, blown off arms, legs, brain injury etc. So he files a VA claim with multiple issues. The VSO finds fault with the Veteran saying he should have applied for a blown off arm, wait 4 years for the VA to process that claim, then apply for a blown off leg, after that one is settled. This will cost the Veteran tens of thousands of dollars in retro to the Veteran, but he MAY get his single claim faster. This saves money for the VA..while hurting the Veteran. No wonder the VSO's recommend it.

Edited January 6, 2010 by broncovet

[Pete53]

I can see it now: A Veteran is injured by a bomb, sustaining multiple injuries, blown off arms, legs, brain injury etc. So he files a VA claim with multiple issues. The VSO finds fault with the Veteran saying he should have applied for a blown off arm, wait 4 years for the VA to process that claim, then apply for a blown off leg, after that one is settled. This will cost the Veteran tens of thousands of dollars in retro to the Veteran, but he MAY get his single claim faster. This saves money for the VA..while hurting the Veteran. No wonder the VSO's recommend it.

Bronco:

I understand where you are coming from but I really wish that you would use actual claims instead of making them up. We have to be careful as I will bet a bunch of donuts that later someone will remember this made up claim and tell others that the VA does that.

After all we have plenty of real claims that are as bad or worse.

Pete

[broncovet]

Pete..

Your point is well taken. My hypothetical example was used rather than me using my own actual example. Why? Probably for some of the same reasons lots of Vets dont want to talk about things like PTSD:

Many Veterans are afraid if they speak out against the VA, the VA will "target" them for retaliation and reduce their benefits. There is some evidence that this has happened in the past.

The VA uses this fear, which often keeps Veterans from appealing a wrong decision. I think this is the main method the VA is using right now to try to reduce the backlog: "Keep Veterans in fear of retaliation so they dont appeal" It has worked well, for years, as many, many Veterans never appeal a bad RO decision. I try to make sure that not enough details to identify me appear in my posts, just in case that the 300 or so VA lawyers dont get bored and come to hadit looking for their next scapegoat to burn and put the fear back in all Vets. Altho I do appreciate the anonymity that hadit gives, a very astute attorney could piece posts details with Veterans names and identify the poster..(or a hacker could do the same, maybe even for a price)

The VA, like the military, uses fear to control people into doing it their way.

At any rate, I will keep this in mind with my future posts..if it is a hypothetical example, or, in this case not so much of a hypothetical example as a "consensus" example. Its kind of like the "Tomb of the Unknown Soldier". (I have been there..its in the nations capital) It is to honor not one soldier, but the many, many soldiers who have given their life for our country. So, yes, my post was a hypothetical example (tho I cant say that it never happened)

Please accept my apology.

Edited January 6, 2010 by broncovet