‘Treat The Root’ Of Va Claims Backlog"

[JHawks]

Legion: ‘Treat the root’ of VA claims backlog

By Marty Callaghan - March 3, 2011

Legislative Director Tim Tetz testifies before the Senate Committee on Veterans' Affairs. Photo by Craig RobertsTestifying before a March 2 congressional hearing on the Department of Veterans Affairs fiscal 2012 budget proposal, The American Legion called upon VA to “treat the root” of the disability claims backlog problem.

At the hearing, American Legion Legislative Director Tim Tetz told members of the Senate Committee on Veterans’ Affairs that VA’s disability claims system “is broken because VA places undue stress on the number of claims processed, and minimal stress on accuracy.”

Referring to VA’s new Veterans Benefits Management System (VBMS), Tetz said, “IT tools that are only used to implement the old system will just allow VA to make the same old mistakes faster.

“This budget gives VA quite a bit of money to implement IT programs and initiatives – but does it fix it all the way?” Tetz asked. “VA must build a system that tracks individual error and holds stations accountable for not only the volume of work done, but also the accuracy of the work.”

Repeating concerns expressed at a House hearing last week, Tetz urged Congress to “at least meet the previous levels of funding.” While The American Legion has recommended $2 billion for major and minor VA construction projects, the fiscal 2012 budget calls for about $1.2 billion.

Despite The American Legion’s concerns about the claims backlog and the construction budget, Tetz said the organization “remains cautiously optimistic that the fiscal 2012 budget proposal will meet the needs of our nation’s veterans. We appreciate the efforts VA has made towards addressing the symptoms and issues that currently face our nation’s veterans.”

[Pete53]

Simply put those who make bad decisions that tie claims up for years and than reversed need to go. Old school is that decision makers need to be accountable. I do think that any one at VARO should have the right to escalate a complicated claim without being hurt but the claims that are escalated should meet the criteria of a complicated claim.

Also the more training and the harder the claims the higher the reward should be for those who step up.

[john999]

There should be a time limit that if the VA goes past that limit due to their own fault the claim is automatically approved. Interest should also be paid to the vet when the VA denies a claim due to incompetence.

[LarryJ]

There should be a time limit that if the VA goes past that limit due to their own fault the claim is automatically approved. Interest should also be paid to the vet when the VA denies a claim due to incompetence.

Think about what you are saying, John. That if the claim goes past a deadline then that claim is automatically approved. We have VA employees now, at this point, that are afraid to rate a multi-thousand dollar claim, so, if they just casually put the c-file over in the corner somewhere then after 2 or 3 years........it's approved.......by nobody......no harm done............except for the veteran who has now, after this extended waiting period......lost his wife, home, car, self-esteem.

[LarryJ]

Now, I must say, the VA's form #21-526EZ is certainly a step in the right direction.

And, this claim, properly used and properly completed, is where a good VSO can be "worth their weight in gold", for a good VSO should be able to look at this claim form and the required paper work and be able to tell whether this claim is gonna fly, BEFORE clogging up the system with useless paper work.

I'm getting decisions back in less than a month.

[Chuck75]

I'd agree that the VA system is broken, and has been so for decades.

How to fix it is the big question. Bureaucrats will just stumble along in the same old ways, until something major forces change.

In other-words, the system needs radical change/replacement.

The problem is that no one can agree as to how the system should be changed or replaced.

Different factions that might drive change do not see eye to eye.

There are factions that, if any major change is made, that the change must reduce the costs to the government at the expense of veterans.

Others insist that any changes not disturb the present system, or benefits.

Some think, (As I do) that SSA (Who is far from the ideal) might be able to better process veterans claims as an alternate, and perhaps a replacement for the VA claims system.

(Obviously, this gets back to factions not agreeing, etc.)

Another possible cost saving has to do with Medicare, and the limited availability of "local" VA medical services.

Again, in my opinion, the VA is poorly setup to provide Urgent and Emergency medical care. Such care needs to be available to veterans in a time frame that is often less than hours,

and within a reasonable distance of much less than an hours travel. Critical Care often needs to start and be effective within "Golden Time" frames. This may be within minutes, or as long as three hours.

A short time frame example might be a Stroke, and a longer time frame certain kinds of heart attacks. In both cases, the potential damage and chance of death increases with time before treatment.

It would be more efficient and less expensive to use the medicare system to provide such care, and have the VA pay the Medicare deductibles and

monthly "B" plan costs. For the "average" veteran, the conventional medical care system has many advantages- - usually such things as local facilities and capabilities, private doctors

who generally know the patient, and take the time to review the patients history, and so forth.

I believe the VA has several areas that it might and should concentrate on, instead of trying to provide for all. Most of these areas deal with things that are very unique to disabled veterans.

Currently the VA's practices/proceedures related to coverage for emergency treatment are utterly insane, and actually are intended to drastically limit the VA's costs, rather than benefit a veteran needing immediate care.

In the case of a veteran that is entitled to no cost care from the VA, the VA should pay all costs when they cannot provide the needed care in a timely manner.

[john999]

There should be some carrot and stick in the claims process for the VA. I have felt the stick on my back as a vet.