The Real Claims Backlog

[Berta]

I just got permission to publish the hyperlink from this article and a few excerpts:

http://truth-out.org/opinion/item/24144-va-also-not-telling-the-truth-about-veteran-disability-claims

In part:
"Last month, with typical Washington fanfare, the VA proclaimed it had made "significant progress toward our goal of eliminating the claims backlog in 2015" by reducing this backlog from 611,000 to 344,000 veterans' claims pending more than 125 days. "

"Although the VA's numbers appear promising, a closer look reveals a far different story: The 344,000 claims are only those that have been pending for longer than four months. The VA's total disability claim inventory is actually 1.3 million. "

Among the one million claims not mentioned in the VA's press release are 275,000 claim appeals languishing for an average of four years before a VA decision. According to the Center for Investigative Reporting, as many as 19,500 veterans died while waiting on a VA claim decision in the fiscal year ending September 2012."

If you join Discus , it works in most comment sections, for news stories like this....

I dont have time to comment tonight or even read the veteran's comments there ,but will tomorrow...this was an OP ED piece from the Bergmann & Moore law firm a few days ago.

Monday .....Subpeona day at VA

[Notorious Kelly]

We do need to get the Real word out there - Thanks, Berta!

[JewBacha]

"First, the VA must be transparent and admit there are 1.3 million total pending disability claims - not just the 344,000 initial claims pending longer than four months".

956,000 variance? Good thing this "variable" isn't used in guidance systems.

JB

Edited June 9, 2014 by JewBacha

[Pete53]

file A&A claim for my wife. I called VA and they told me decision takes about 10 months. I supplied Doc's Form and told them wife had been on SSD and gave dates. I also told them that they could make their decision from Docs Form and Social Security info.

We will see what happens. Its only 146 bucks a month nut it is a principle of what she deserves.

[TiredCoastie]

Just looking at the Monday Morning Workload Report from yesterday and adding across the column heads of the various types of claims that the VBA handles, I got approx 1.5M. That includes pensions, education, burial, entitlement award adjustments (?), and even appeal numbers being posted now.

Wow, wonder when they started posting appeal totals? It's just a number on hand. The VA published they hold 273,948 appeals right now and there's not a row for the BVA that I saw, only a breakdown by ROs and an "other" row. There's also not a breakdown of what type of claim is being appealed.

Just looking at entitlement claims only, the VA published that they had 541,506 on hand as of yesterday morning, with 280,930 of those older than 125 days. (Only those older than 125 days are considered part of the backlog.) When the VA talks claims, usually they mean entitlement claims but there are a lot of other types they handle. Most of the heat has been over entitlement claims and that's what's impacted most of the people on this site the most.

And what about those who are looking for help from the VA pension process for long term medical care, etc? Education claims for those attempting to transition? Burial claims? Are these really less important overall? That's really the point of showing that there are 1.3 to 1.5M total claims on hand.

Shifting back to entitlement claims for disability, while the overall numbers have dropped since the Neimer flood, with the overall total on hand down to around the same number they had back in October and November of 2010, this is only part of the overall load on the system and not a solid view into the whole disability process. I haven't tracked appeals numbers yet...didn't know I could until just now and wonder what appeals I'd be tracking anyway...but those numbers have to be on the increase and ought to be considered part of the overall claim process metrics when the VA talks "backlog." Sure they got you a decision, but how many of us have had to appeal, then appeal the appeal decision, etc? Fight for the action directed in the appeal decision to actually happen?

Ultimately, I'd like the VA to say what one boss used to say whenever he was asked for something quickly - "You can have it now, good, or right. Pick two." Honestly, I'll pick good and right.