All Vets Need To Read This!

[stillhere]

This is a new pilot recently selected from this link:

http://www1.va.gov/opa/pressrel/pressrelease.cfm?id=1852

This new pilot will put Veterans in control of thier claims- and we want your input.

Hey folks,

The VA has a new pilot program starting up at the Atlanta RO. Basically, this will cover SC claims for increase, presumptives already verified, temp 100% and ALS claims.

Because of the back-logs, we have identified the above type claims mainly due to SC has already been established. We are in the process of creating an application, physicians statements for each disability system and the format on how we will process these claims. The pilot is named Rapid Evaluation of Veterans Claims (REV).

We all know that the back-log is growing, so this pilot is soliciting your help. To qualify for this pilot, you are wanting an increase in SC conditions. For your outpatient treatment records from private physicians-You will obtain them. VAMC records-basically in the application you can inform us which VAMC your treated at and we can get them. Our rating board has developed physician statements that will be made availible for you to take to your treating physician or VAMC doctor. Once you have all your documents together, submit your claim to the RO.

There will not be a VA medical exam, the application has a "waiver" for the VAE so we can rate your claim based on the material you provided to us.We will not send you a VCAA. The only correspondence you'll receive is the rating decision and your notification letter when your claim is complete.

Please give me some comments, concerns and your questions. If successful, this pilot will be launched nationally.

Admins-if Ive posted in the wrong section, please move. DRO's, RVSR's, VSR's etc please chime in also.

Thanks,

Edited February 24, 2010 by stillhere

[myround0]

When I read this at 1630, I had to think about it before commenting. In theory it will work, but the bottom line is the people working at the VA have to work. The rules they have in place now would work, if the personnel would work.

[mags1023]

Sounds great to me! Anything that improves the system is a step in the right direction. It only makes sense that if you are already service connected there should be a different level of evaluation than those still applying for initial claims. I hope it works the way we need it to!

[stillhere]

Stillhere wrote:

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Anything posted on this web by someone that is not known is suspect. I did a search/google and can find nothing specific about this program being implemented in Atlanta or anywhere else??

I have also searched a few Veteran help sites and found nothing but I did post it on another site and they have questions.

My other observation is we have quite a few members who work for the VA present and past and to date none of them have commented. I would appreciate some more feed back questions posted from them?

Any reason why?

Answer:

If you find anything we are trying to say suspect, then we apologize. We're not here to confuse anyone or make anyone suspicious, although given the VA's reputation and past behavior and actions, I can't say I blame you one bit.

You won't find anything via any type of search on the web because this program isn't out there yet. No announcements have been made about it other than within the VA that the Atlanta RO is putting it together.

This is the first website/forum we have posted about the REV process. A formal announcement has not even been made yet. As we are working on finalizing the process and the details, we simply wanted to get the word out ahead of any formal announcement so we could here what veterans themselves think of it and get their feedback. I didn't even know about this website until Recurve brought it to my attention. But I'm going to stick around and answer questions, post comments, and guage opinions the best I can. So keep em up!

[Vync]

They should expand the pilot program immediately to nearby RO's, like Montgomery...

I just mailed off increase evidence last week. :/

[john999]

How does eliminating the VCAA help a veteran? The VCAA is your roadmap to winning your claim. Now you are trying to navigate the VBA without a map. When is the last time the VA did something out of a motivation to really help vets rather than helping themselves to keep their jobs? This pilot program is just an effort to take the heat off the VA at the vet's expense. Since many will have to appeal it seems to me you are being asked to give up basic rights to get a fast decision. Fast does not mean good.

I would like to know how Berta feels about elimination of the VCAA since she is pretty expert at it applications?

[carlie]

If this additional pilot program actually goes into effect,

it is due to the following.

http://www1.va.gov/opa/pressrel/pressrelease.cfm?id=1852

Public and Intergovernmental Affairs

Shinseki Announces Winners of Innovation Competition for Improving Claims Processing

February 19, 2010

Printable Version

VA to Implement Employees’ Ideas to Transform Services

WASHINGTON –

The Department of Veterans Affairs selected 10 winners in a competition that solicited ideas from VA employees and co-located Veterans service organizations to improve claims processing and provide greater transparency to Veterans.

“I commend the innovative employees who submitted these creative ideas,” said Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric K. Shinseki.

“The men and women of VA and the veterans service organizations who understand the challenges in our claims processing systems have

stepped up to deliver tangible results for our Nation’s Veterans.”

The Innovation Initiative winners are the

Milwaukee VA Regional Office,

Philadelphia/Wilmington VA Regional Office,

Atlanta VA Regional Office,

Pittsburgh VA Regional Office and

Togus (Maine) VA Regional Office.

Development of plans for implementation of these proposals will begin immediately.

Additional winners are the

St. Louis Records Management Center,

San Diego VA Regional Office (two winning entries),

VA Central Office/St. Paul Pension Management Center, and

Phoenix VA Regional Office.

These ideas are identified for future implementation.

More than 3,000 ideas from VA employees and co-located Veterans service organizations were submitted to the competition.

The finalists were selected by

Adm. Patrick W. Dunne, former VA Under Secretary for Benefits;

Craig Newmark, the founder of craigslist and a well-known technology visionary;

Dr. Peter Levin, Senior Advisor to the Secretary and Chief Technology Officer; and

Garry Augustine, Deputy National Service Director for Disabled American Veterans.

President Obama announced the innovation competition while speaking to the Veterans of Foreign Wars in August. “We’re going to fund the best ideas and put them into action, all with a simple mission: cut those backlogs, slash those wait times, deliver your benefits sooner,” said Obama.

Veterans Benefits Administration Innovation Competition Winners

Milwaukee VA Regional Office: Streamline the administrative process for documenting actions to obtain evidence for disability claims.

Philadelphia/Wilmington VA Regional Office: Simplify the evaluation process for Veterans claiming pension benefits with aid and attendance.

Atlanta VA Regional Office: Establish an expedited claims process for Veterans who claim an increase in their service-connected disability based on worsening symptoms.

Pittsburgh VA Regional Office: Lessen the need for VA medical examinations by providing Veterans with standardized medical questionnaires to be completed by their treating physicians.

Togus (Maine) VA Regional Office: Align employee performance standards with Department of Veterans Affairs' goals.

St. Louis Records Management Center: Provide regional offices with digital images of claims-related records held in VA’s centralized storage facility in St. Louis.

San Diego VA Regional Office: Develop a computer application to calculate entitlement to additional benefits payable to Veterans with the most serious injuries.

San Diego VA Regional Office: Update VA’s computer systems to facilitate communication between VA employees and Veterans.

VA Central Office/St. Paul Pension Management Center: Implement rules-based processing for VA pension programs and other benefits.

Phoenix VA Regional Office: Make it easier for Veterans to establish service connection for specific medical conditions.