Reducing Claims Back Log

[boomer2]

check link

http://www.military.com/news/article/va-tackling-mountainous-claims-backlog.html?ESRC=eb.nl

[Quaymar]

check link

http://www.military....html?ESRC=eb.nl

"The VA currently has a backlog of about 850,000 claims." Holy crap!!

"“In 2013, our goal is to ensure that no more than 40 percent of the compensation and pension claims in the pending inventory are more than 125 days old,” Shinseki said in his testimony to the Senate Armed Services Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Subcommittee." That's great but there are still more than 9 months left in 2012. What measures are they taking NOW??

[Pete53]

From watching Hadit it seems to me that they are starting to bring the back log down. Was over a million a while back and now it seems we have success stories every month instead of in bursts once or twice a year. Lets say I am cuatiously optimistic although I now have a claim that is 20 months old and stuck in Waco quagmire

[Quaymar]

From watching Hadit it seems to me that they are starting to bring the back log down. Was over a million a while back and now it seems we have success stories every month instead of in bursts once or twice a year. Lets say I am cuatiously optimistic although I now have a claim that is 20 months old and stuck in Waco quagmire

Uh oh...mine is in Waco too! (Crosses fingers).

[carlie]

Whatever they do -

I wish they would also make more effort in training and raise the expectancy

level of accuracy in adjudicating claims, to higher than 70 percent.

IMO - much of the backlog is due to inaccuracy during adjudication

which leads to appeals.

Does anyone have a number on how many of the 850,000 current claims,

fall into the APPEALS category ?

[john999]

Carlie, a 30 percent error rate would not be acceptable for the post office. I worked for the post office and when we got a case check we had to have a 95% accuracy rate. We did not even have to have a HS diploma. These VA employees could not even make it on the graveyard shift at the post office.

John

[Capt.]

Hello Boomer,Pete, Carlie and John, Quay,

There may be a small decrease in the backlogs but the overall number "they" have reported is lower than the total,,,appeals also number. I posted a comment on the backlogs situation about 3 or 4 months ago and it was nearly 1.3 million or more. I also reported that during the reign of Jim Nicholson as Secretary, he reported to the House Veterans Subcommitte of a backlog of 750,000 in 2007. That number brought the dismay of many of the subcommitte members as unacceptable . Promises made to reduce it and the total number of days then to adjudicate a claim was 173 and he announced he was trying to bring it down to 145 which his answer was labled as "appaling" by one commitee member. Nothing has changed really. The number has continued to climb and I only can see the number has slowed some due to the hiring of 3500 new adjudicators 2 1/2 yrs ago to help with the Nehmer and Vietnam Era backlog. They have not finished 2009 claims and appeals. Mine was just awarded from 2009 NOD at the DRO.

Carlie is directly right on target. It is the fact that the adjudication process is so bad that the appeals process is backed up. The ROs cannot make a simple determination and have caused this huge problem. My claim is not different . Awarded a few which never should have needed a DRO and taken 5 years. Then to top it off they missed the Pulmonary Hypertension completely which results in an appeal and more dead time and delays.

John , how can ANYONE run a business like them and get bonuses and raises and even keep their job? It is so incredible.

Carlie ,,,back to your question of appeals and the number. I said the backlog is 1.3 million but they are saying 850,000...... both of these numbers do not take into account the appeals process alone. It must be staggering. Just think of how many of our Hadit family has appeals going and then look at how many Vets are not members of Hadit and are appealing. I would love to see that number from someone ....... and I do not want to see some VA propoganda to mislead us and Congress by giving us some number that is incorrectly lowballed. Good question and one that needs to go to the next HVAC or SVAC meetings.

It is so frustrating to see this fiasco... and as you pointed out Carlie, it is unecessary.

Above all every Vet because of this problem must dig in and NEVER GIVE UP. God Bless, C.C.

Edited March 19, 2012 by Capt.Contaminate