Dependency Claims (Changes In The Works)

[harleyman]

Well as some of you may know General Allison Hickey Under Secretary of the VA, has been making her rounds to many of the VA Regional Offices and conducting a few hour presentation to the VA employees about thier current work in progress and future changes.

One of the interesting changes the General informed VA employees in her recent visit are the changes currently being implemented in how the VA handles dependency claims.

Evidently, the VA is training the phone/ call center people on how to add dependents into the computer system right over the phone. Resulting in a rapid approched in adding dependents to Veteran's awards. There are some call centers that have implemented this as a satilite program in about 30% if their dependency calls. It seems to be working quite well and they are starting to make the changes at more call centers as we write, thus eliminating the majority of dependency claims, except for those where there are financial administrative issues involved and it takes a person to intervene.

The General stated she did not understand why Veteran's have to jump through so many hoops to simply add their spouse or thier child to their award. She related her experience in the military when you walked up to the window and told the pay clerk you got married or you had a child born, and they added them onto your pay right then and the next payday you had the increase on your pay check. She said our Veteran's are fully capable and be trustworthy and competent enough to tell us if they are married or have children, and there is no reason why dependency claims cannot be handled over the phone with instant computer entry.

I don't know about all of you, but I like this General, and I see some good changes in store for Veteran's in the next 1 to 3 years as VA goes paperless. Hang in there everyone I see clearer skies ahead. As I have time I will try to share more of the things that were presented by the General. By the way, we all found her to be very practical and engaging, but straight forward and she states she had a desire to get rid of the dead weight of some of the processes that were implemented through "fear" by VA, rather than in the spirit of granting benefits to disabled Veterans.

If there is something you want to see changed I will be happy to submit your ideas. (serious ideas for implmenting changes only please) :) harleyman

Edited August 24, 2013 by harleyman

[jbasser]

TO ALL:

Special Note: When VA is talking about CLAIMS that does not include APPEALS. We have claims and we have appeals. We do not address Appeals by calling then claims. Appeals cases are Appeals.

General Hickey did say they are in the process of implementing some of the changes they have started with the claims, and they are now planning to initiate those policies and changes in Appeals. So they are starting to move in the direction of the Appeals backlog.

Please also note: The AMC is not a special office somewhere off by itself. The AMC is right there at the RO. At my RO the appeals (AMC) is across the hallway. C-files go back and forth between appeals and claims processing all day long. AMC people are Appeals VSRs/RVSRs who were moved to the Appeals team to process Appeals at each RO. When the BVA sends your file to the AMC, he is simply sending it back to the RO from whence it came, except instead of going to the claims teams it goes to the appeals teams. - Just on FYI

Unless it goes to AMC DC.

J

[harleyman]

Usually when an Appeal is remanded it is sent back to the Regional Office where the claim was worked. But JBasser is correct there is the AMC in D.C.

Harleyman

[carlie]

Usually when an Appeal is remanded it is sent back to the Regional Office where the claim was worked. But JBasser is correct there is the AMC in D.C.

Harleyman

Yea - this is correct - I call it the Bermuda Triangle : -)

[carlie]

I've been fighting for dependent allowance since 1980 with retro back to day

following separation in 1978.

Hopefully this will finally be resolved - CORRECTLY - in the next couple of weeks.

[harleyman]

Yea - this is correct - I call it the Bermuda Triangle : -)

Yea, I understand. At work those of use who have pending Appeals,"under our breath" call it "never-never land". I can relate.

[yelloownumber5]

@J

Absolutly! When I added our now 20 month old daughter I received a letter back from the VARO saying she was added and this only took maybe two weeks which knowing the VA had me in shock and I was paid the next pay period. I can't see who and what is trying to be done but I was told here is no backpay for adding new dependents, the time only starts when the VA inputs in the system.

It doesnt take 10 minutes to add a dependant to a claim.

That is my point also. I have been very outspoken to others on this issue.

They need to get it done. Why make kids wait for food??

J