The Va Secretary, Honorable Bob Mcdonald May Be Looking

[hurryupnwait]

According to one post, the VA Secretary has been invited to have a look at Hadit.com and has responded that he will have a look. So, now is the time to comment on how to fix the problems with the VA. Please no bashing the VA.

What can he do to improve the VA?

[Philip Rogers]

I've got a suggestion: How about "when someone emails the Secretary have someone who responds to the writer, that they've received the email and will follow up within X number of days."

pr

[63SIERRA]

As I previously stated I believe lack of TIMELY, DIRECT, EFFECTIVE communications between the veteran, and someone intimately involved in thier claims is a root problem. Passing information second and third hand creates innacuracies and confusion, it also INSURES delays.

Very simple issues could be easily cleared up, . I would suggest they regional office create liason teams who communicate DIRECTLY with the vet or thier agent.

This would accomplish several positive actions

1. It would allow the veteran to communicate with someone who has open access to thier claims file ,. Because when we call the 1800 number now, they dont have any more access than we have on ebenefits.

2. It would promote a sense of order and organization, for the veteran to have access to someone who can answer thier concerns in a real time setting.

3. It would create ACCOUNTABILITY. because it makes the REGIONAL office responsible for the veterans .

Also, the office of inspector general should start a liason, where a representative from the Inspector Generals office is intimately involved in the day to day mechanisms of the regional office that they are working with, so they can see whats really going on, and make suggestions for improvement, or pass informations to other regional office liason on things that are working for them. A few "scheduled" spot inspections a year is a waste of time. A field inspector should be assigned to every Regional Office, who has DIRECT knowledge of what is going on there.

EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION, ACCOUNTABILITY AND OVERSIGHT are key.

Edited January 4, 2015 by 63SIERRA

[georgiapapa]

Suggestion to improve the VA claims system.

Problem: Veterans are not able to communicate directly with VA reps at their regional offices who have immediate access to their claim files and can answer questions regarding their claims. At the present time, veterans are not able to call or meet in person with VA reps at their regional offices to discuss their claims, clarify misunderstandings, answer questions regarding their claims, etc. This not only harms the veterans but it impacts the efficiency of the VA regional offices.

The current communication systems (1-800-827-1000, IRIS, ebenefits, etc.) used by veterans to communicate with VA regarding their claims are just not working when it comes to providing adequate responses to claims questions in a timely manner.

Suggestion: Set up a system like the Social Security Administration has where claimants can actually meet in person with a SSA rep who has immediate access to their claim files and can answer questions regarding their claims. Sometimes, the SSA rep will also provide the claimant with a call back number in the event the claimant has questions later. Shouldn't veterans have the same access to their regional offices as claimants do with SSA offices? If it works for SSA, why wouldn't it work for the VA?

There are some VA officials who think direct contact between veterans and the regional offices will slow down the claims process. There are also some VA officials who think direct contact may jeopardize the safety of regional office employees. These VA officials should take a lesson from SSA.

I really believe implementation of this suggestion would help in speeding up the claims process, reduce the claims backlog, reduce appeals, improve the relationship between veterans and the VA, etc. It would help veterans and the VA.

This is just my opinion but I invite the VA Secretary to get input from other veterans regarding my suggestion. I hope other Hadit members take the time to post their suggestions and I hope Secretary MacDonald takes the time to read our suggestions and give all of them serious consideration.

[georgiapapa]

63SIERRA,

You beat me to the punch. I did not see your post before I posted my response. I think you and I are on the same page about vets not being able to communicate directly with the regional offices regarding their claims. This is the "root problem" as you put it. I don't know if Secretary MacDonald will ever read our posts but at least we gave our opinions.

[georgiapapa]

Another suggestion I have, if Berta doesn't beat me to it, is to give DIC recipients and DIC applicants the same access to VA information systems (e.g.- ebenefits) available to veterans. JMO

[mariorivera830]

What about putting these "hidden under the rug" benefits? If it weren't for people like people on this site, people like my wife and I would just be another family who lost their job because of service connected disabilities, who loses their home and get divorced. My being 100% is only because of the kind hearted people here who have helped us with research and answers to questions that nobody else would explain,and being lucky enough to have a wife who didn't give up on me when any sane person would have.

My wife has had to "figure out" how the VA plays, and we aren't law school educated, so my "advice" to the secretary would be to make it easier to access the information needed to get the benefits people are eligible for. And to be able to read that information.