Akaka Introduces Legislation To Improve Veterans’ Disability Claims Processing

[ranger11bv]

AKAKA INTRODUCES LEGISLATION TO IMPROVE VETERANS' DISABILITY CLAIMS PROCESSING

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee Chairman Daniel K. Akaka (D-Hawaii) introduced legislation today to make much-needed improvements to VA's disability claims processing. VA provides disability compensation to approximately 3.1 million veterans across the nation.

"VA's system to provide veterans with disability compensation is well intended, but it is broken. This bill will move the Department closer to fulfilling its obligation to provide every eligible veteran with timely and accurate disability compensation," said Akaka.

As Chairman, Akaka has held a series of hearings on improving the veterans' disability compensation system (to view the Committee's hearings click here). The Committee will hold a hearing to review disability claims processing on July 1, at which time witnesses will testify about Akaka's legislation.

The Claims Processing Improvement Act of 2010 (S.3517) would make various changes to the way VA processes disability compensation claims, including provisions to:

* Set up a process to fast-track claims that have been fully developed;

* Help veterans with multiple disability claims by allowing VA to provide partial disability ratings; and

* Provide that the Department give equal deference to the medical opinions of a veteran's non-VA doctor.

The bill would also establish a test program at several Regional Offices replacing VA's method for identifying musculoskeletal disabilities. Compensation under the pilot would be based on a functional assessment of limitations due to the disability, such as standing, walking or lifting, and would take into account the severity, frequency and duration of symptoms of the disability. To identify disabilities, the pilot would use the common language of the International Classification of Diseases, rather than VA's current Rating Schedule.

To read Senator Akaka's statement in the Congressional Record introducing the bill, click here: LINK http://akaka.senate.gov/press-releases.cfm?method=releases.view&id=9e2cc9f7-9714-408d-90e0-a4544453a42d

-END-

Edited June 24, 2010 by Tbird
added link

[ranger11bv]

here it is:

http://akaka.senate.gov/press-releases.cfm?method=releases.view&id=9e2cc9f7-9714-408d-90e0-a4544453a42d

[SLEDGE]

" Lets see how badly the VA can mutilate and mangle this otherwise good peice of legislation. "

The real problem has never been 'what are the rules'.

The problem is enforcing the existing rules.

The VA has been killing our benefits for 200 years by simply ignoring anything that causes them more work than they want to put up with.

And/or is too expensive.

Until they figure out how to make anything work right for the veterans nothing is going to cause a meaningful change in the system.

Even when we show how badly they have screwed-up the process there are no enforcement entities in place to correct the problem.

Without enforcement all you have is a bunch of pension seekers running the system.

Pension seeking as the only important issue on the minds of management.

And management is very skilled at the trickle-down theory.

The small percentage of good people in the system, who really have the vets in mind and work for the vets, is too small to have much affect.

All of the rest just follow the example of management in their work.

No penalties for messing up the lives of disabled veterans, just nice rewards.

As long as there are rewards the system will psychotically resist change.

sledge

[retiredat44]

first of all, free, or discount is helpful for many..

but, just some stories from my experiences...

I used to hop around on Space 'A' alot when on active duty..

I cannot tell you how many times I was dumped at places that had no rooms to stay, or stuck for several days are some craphole...

the price was right, but if you are not able to handle sleeping in plastic charis and psending several days in bad places... with/without a room or bed...

then I would be very careful on using the space 'a'

now, mind you about 30 years has passed since I went through this,, but I can't imagine that it has gotten much better.. but the price was good,, back when I first did it it was free, then they started charging $10.00 for flights to Europe... and they even threw in a sack lunch...

IMHO

Edited June 24, 2010 by retiredat44

[broncovet]

As long as the "fox guards the henhouse", (the VAOIG), Veterans can be assured of zero improvement in the VA. In a nutshell, the "fox" keeps track of the numbers, so that he can make Adolph Hitler out to be a "friend of the jew", and Shinseki's "benefit improvement plan" to be a "friend of the Veteran", when the opposite is true. Aka cannot "Improve" Veterans Disability Claims Processing without adding to the budget, and, since they are not willing to do that, the Same Old Same Old will continue. The VAOIG ensures that NO VETERANS will benefit, that ONLY VAOIG and VA executives benefit from any changes. Bottom LIne: Veterans loose and VA executives continue their fraud.