‘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.”

[Chuck75]

The way to deal with automatic approval is complex, but it might be done without major changes to multiple existing laws.

For instance, the at least as likely as not can be applied correctly, (as it should be, and is not) Combat veterans can be actually given the leeway that the laws allow and the VA ignores.

Differences between valid IMOs and C&P results can be automatically resolved in the veteran's favor, as the appeal process often does.

The automatic approval can be based upon existing law when applied in the veteran's favor, something that the VA routinely does not do.

If really doubtful, interim benefits can still be paid.

After all, doubtful cases or obvious fraud can be dealt with as it is now, but without repayment, unless fraud is proven in a civil court.

Lets face it, the VA's present process is more concerned with expending the government's money, and less about providing veterans with the benefits earned and prescribed by the law.

As an organization, the VA and perhaps individually, the VA bureaucrats, (I believe) should be held in contempt of congress, until it's ways are changed.

(I don't believe this will ever happen, because I think that congress and past administrations gave the VA instructions under the table to minimize benefits paid to veterans any way possible.)

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.

Edited March 6, 2011 by Chuck75

[jbasser]

That would help to reduce the claims backlog.

So we have 1: eliminate the mistakes by all parties by a quality assurance who answers to the secretary. and no one at any ro level.

Curtail BVA remands instead of grants or reversals costing years of suffering for deserving vets.

Court remands doing the same.

If a remand is required then the remand goes to the QA folks. Not the original rater.

Break up the AMC and move the Jobs to the regional offices where these folks can help process claims.

Training and continuing education for all Claims handling people from RO to VSO.

Do yearly testing on all VSO's to ensure they are able to do the job.

Do competency testing on all raters and RO personnel to determine the folks who need additional training or need to be canned.

The QA folks need to be a separate entity working for the Secretary and have at least 1 at a paygrade equal to or higher than the Service center Manager.

Edited March 6, 2011 by jbasser

[Berta]

Larry states the nitty gritty:

"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. "

Or they selectively add more time to the stall by sending the claim to the BVA.And then as in my case 6 years after filing my claim, the BVA-since they can READ, awarded it based on evidence the RO had ignored for 6 years.

Then in spite of BVA statement in a past claim I had- that told them to pay me an offset ( a "muti-thousand dollar award) if I succeeded in direct SC death as well as ancilary benefits, the RO stalled that payment for another year and so far as refused to even mentioned the ancillary benefits at all to me.

If I didn't know what those ancillary benefits were myself -I would have never gotten them.They involved Chap 35 new delimitng date and CHAP 35 refund of thousands in tuition , the REPS benefit,I got about 20 thousand, and some other stuff.

I bypassed the VARO and directly contacted VA EDU and REPS etc,sent them the evidence and I got my money.

This RO crap is an absolutely deliberate and calculated effort to withhold money from vets and widows.They only seem to do it when the evidence indicates that 'multiple thousands ' are involved.