Fixing The Backlog

[myround0]

Put the VA on 12 hour shifts every other month for about 2 years.

When a case goes to claims, it SHOULD BE SOLVED THERE.

If a case is forwarded from claims to a DRO, then if the DRO awards the case then someone in claims should have to answer as to why the case was forwarded to the DRO.

The same should happen when a claim is sent from the DRO to the APPEALS process.

Once all the information for a case is in, the VA should have one month to review it and get a decision to the Veteran making the claim.

When you look at the VA metric. 95 percent of cases are solved at the Appeals process. That to me reveals either people at the regional office either don't know their job and are there just to collect a check, which is unacceptable, or they do know their job, but refuse to do it. Where are the leaders at these regional offices. I just don't understand how you can have an open ended timeline, when you are providing a service to someone. At what point do you as a service provider, who is getting paid to perform a service, feel the need to PROVIDE THAT SERVICE.

All of my documents are there at the VA since March 2008, I know they are there because the rendered a denial decision on January 13, 2009. I served an NOD on January 22, 2009. I selected a DRO. I was given a SOC in September 2009, and on October 7, 2009, I returned the VA form 9. I know some will say my case is moving rather quickly. However, that isn't the point. The case should have been decided favorbly in the claims portion, and it should not take a full year. Once you have all the information, a folder should be moved to the ready for review stack.

That is my case, but so many others have endured the same process. The Va has put the onus on the BVA appeals team, when it should be placed at the front end, the Regional office claims team should be held accountable, as well as the Regional Office appeals team. If I were the ships Captain, Veterans Service Center Manager, my first brief would include fixing and resolving matters in our OWN HOUSE. We would do our best to resolve claims locally, and not let them back up our system. Some tough love needs to be applied.

All the talk about adding electronic or automated files making rendering a decision faster and more accurate only works when the service provider works. So you can do whatever you like, it comes down to leadership and the staff willing to DO THEIR JOBS, at every level, and, STOP PASSING THE BUCK.

[Pete53]

I have been to VARO in Waco several times before they moved their offices and several times after wards. It has been my experience that when you walk around the old VARO in Waco there was never anyone at their desk and the break room was full. At the new VA they let people wait for hearings and its more of the same.

[myround0]

Pete, MY POINT EXACTLY...Some VSCM and their subordinate supervisors have to step up nd make this agency personnel be held accountable...PS. My case currently sits in the WACO Regional Office, and all I get is: appeals take time we will review your case, HOW MUCH TIME...

Edited February 22, 2010 by myround0

[Testvet]

Pete, MY POINT EXACTLY...Some VSCM and thier subordinate supervisors have to step up nd make this agency personnel be held accountable...PS. My case currently sits in the WACO Regional Office, and all if get is: appeals take time we will review your case, HOW MUCH TIME...

DROs are part of the VARO decision making process very senior raters are the DROs or team leaders per se

it is my understanding that some of the VAROs do not want issues like CAD as secondary to PTSD settled at the RO level, as the BVA judges award 50/50 based on the IMOs the veterans have justifying it if you read the BVA decisions you will see this, to the VA it's a cost effective method for them NOT to award what they call questionable claims, to us veterans we think they all should be approved, with this new rule that Shinseki has called for about Ischemic Heart disease being presumptive for AO, is going to cost the govt hundreds of millions of dollars if not billions, 50 and 60 year old men have heart disease and the cost of disabled veterans just went up exponetionately

It's hard when you are on the "roller coaster" and what we think is NOT what the VA thinks, and the back log is only going to get worse before it gets better, many of us have fought the VA for a decade or longer waiting for the VA to process claims is only comparable to a SSD claim if it's not approved within 6 months, it is going to take years for the appeal hearing to be held and if a disabled vet has to wait for both of them to make their decisions, they are going to be in serious financial problems quickly, many like me had their SSD claims approved only to wait years for the VA to approve our claims, and for many it was the other way around VA approved the claim and then they had to wait 2 - 3 years for SSD to get approved both systems are messed up and need to be fixed

I wish there were better answers but don't hold your breath

[john999]

I never thought I would live to see the VA make any sort of heart disease presumptive for AO. Maybe the VA will drag out the actual implemation of the award so slow most of us old dudes will be dead. I am sure they are thinking about this.

[Testvet]

I never thought I would live to see the VA make any sort of heart disease presumptive for AO. Maybe the VA will drag out the actual implemation of the award so slow most of us old dudes will be dead. I am sure they are thinking about this.

It was a order by Shinseki that did it it dang sure wasn't their lawyers telling them to do it

[Pete53]

I read an article that Shinseki was in El Paso promising that the VA was going to provide better service to Veterans. They are also talking about building a showcase Hospital in El Paso. It seems weird that a town with so many Veterans would not have their own Hospital.