Ebenefits Suggestion

[usdart]

I made a suggestion on the Ebenefits Web Site that it would be helpful to Vets If they would send an Email Alert when there is an change or update in Status.

If you agree it might help if we flood them with requests!!

[justrluk]

I think I may have mentioned the same thing a while back. Either update via email or tweets or whatever, but at least tell me when something has changed!

[TiredCoastie]

You've got a great idea.

eBenefits has had its problems with email alerts and may be a bit shy having been bitten. About two years ago, maybe longer, they had a messaging system that was supposed to alert vets and forward via email information sent to the eBenefits messenger. One day, it went haywire. We must have received maybe 200 or more emails. I think our ISP eventually wound up filtering them out after a couple of days. It could have been some sort of hacking attack or something. The messanger never worked again after that, at least to my knowledge.

With the claims that eBenefits is adding features and enhancements supposedly requested by veterans, it would be a pretty interesting test to see what happened if a bunch of us peppered them with this suggestion.

[jbasser]

If it is a benefit to help the vet. They may do it but dont bank on it.

[justrluk]

I get notifications from MyHealtheVet when a new message has posted. This same approach could be used in order to notify vets when a change in accounts has happened.

[TiredCoastie]

Yeah, it makes sense and it's clearly doable - good point about MyHeatheVet and the secure messenger feature.

Setting up an email notification would also cut down on the amount of server access volume if all of us aren't visiting the site multiple times per day hoping for some change to our claim.

Jbasser has a great point, though. When you were on active duty, did you ever experience one of those great technological upgrades that show up at your unit which actually reduce your overall capability to do your job because the new system wouldn't do what the old one would? Someone back in the rear decided which capability was important. However, back then, the overall mission was first and foremost in everyone's minds and all the pieces of the service were supposedly working together.

I wouldn't be so bold as to claim we're in the same kind of situation now with the VA with all the pieces working together. Just because a certain capability helps us out doesn't mean that it's going to help them out. eBenefits is a big win for the VA because we're not lighting up the call center from opening to closing which means less employees are necessary...ever get that quick poll question when checking your claim's status, etc as to whether or not you'd be more or less inclined to call the call center after using eBenefits? So, you have to sell the idea as something that's very good for them and that we might benefit as well. It's all in the semantics.

[usdart]

I also suggested that Ebenefits and Myhealthevet be one log in and all on the same site. I have a hell of a time remembering all the damn passwords and log ins for all the sites that need them.