The Monday Morning Workload Report has surged from 21,000 claims to over 33,000 in the past few weeks. These EP 930s are the type of claims that the VA OIG recently cited in an investigation as ways to understate the VA 125 day backlog by moving claims where errors were made that they do not include in there backlog statistics. The OIG Investigation used data from 2016 and released its report on Sept 10, 2018. Rather than correcting the problem, it appears to have gotten much worse over the past few weeks. This flies in the face that the VBA told the OIG that this problem would be corrected by 31 December 2018.
The following is taken directly form the OIG Investigation:
...VBA’s reported backlog did not represent all claims that had been awaiting rating decisions for more than 125 days during the first and second quarters of FY 2016. The OIG estimated VARO staff completed about 63,600 other EPs that required rating decisions that took over 125 days to complete and which VBA did not count as part of the backlog. This occurred because VBA leaders chose to limit which EPs were included in the backlog. VBA’s reported backlog statistics could be unclear to some stakeholders regarding its progress toward eliminating the disability claims backlog. The OIG estimated that in its completed backlog, VBA only reported about 239,000 of 302,000 claims (79 percent) that required rating decisions that took over 125 days during the first and second quarters of FY 2016. More importantly, VBA generally prioritized its workload of rating EPs over other EPs, resulting in significant delays in processing other EPs that were older and required rating decisions. 16 At the end of May 2018, VBA reported that its rating EPs were pending an average of approximately 90 days. However, the OIG found that VBA’s additional EP categories each included cases that required rating decisions, and the category with the lowest average days pending was reported as being about 142 days...
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VA Response:
Review of Accuracy of Reported Pending Disability Claims Backlog Statistics The Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA) concurs with the findings in OIG’s draft report and provides the following comments in response to the recommendations.
Recommendation 1: The OIG recommended the Under Secretary for Benefits consider revising which claims are included in VBA’s reported disability claims backlog and provide a clear definition to all stakeholders.
VBA Response: Concur in principle. VBA is currently reviewing how best to supplement or adjust reporting on the rating-related backlog since such reporting has been essentially unchanged since reporting began in 2009. VBA will consult and collaborate with stakeholders to make certain any proposed changes to reporting on the backlog are well understood.
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pointer123
The Monday Morning Workload Report has surged from 21,000 claims to over 33,000 in the past few weeks. These EP 930s are the type of claims that the VA OIG recently cited in an investigation as ways to understate the VA 125 day backlog by moving claims where errors were made that they do not include in there backlog statistics. The OIG Investigation used data from 2016 and released its report on Sept 10, 2018. Rather than correcting the problem, it appears to have gotten much worse over the past few weeks. This flies in the face that the VBA told the OIG that this problem would be corrected by 31 December 2018.
The following is taken directly form the OIG Investigation:
...VBA’s reported backlog did not represent all claims that had been awaiting rating decisions for more than 125 days during the first and second quarters of FY 2016. The OIG estimated VARO staff completed about 63,600 other EPs that required rating decisions that took over 125 days to complete and which VBA did not count as part of the backlog. This occurred because VBA leaders chose to limit which EPs were included in the backlog. VBA’s reported backlog statistics could be unclear to some stakeholders regarding its progress toward eliminating the disability claims backlog. The OIG estimated that in its completed backlog, VBA only reported about 239,000 of 302,000 claims (79 percent) that required rating decisions that took over 125 days during the first and second quarters of FY 2016. More importantly, VBA generally prioritized its workload of rating EPs over other EPs, resulting in significant delays in processing other EPs that were older and required rating decisions. 16 At the end of May 2018, VBA reported that its rating EPs were pending an average of approximately 90 days. However, the OIG found that VBA’s additional EP categories each included cases that required rating decisions, and the category with the lowest average days pending was reported as being about 142 days...
-----------------------------------
VA Response:
Review of Accuracy of Reported Pending Disability Claims Backlog Statistics The Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA) concurs with the findings in OIG’s draft report and provides the following comments in response to the recommendations.
Recommendation 1: The OIG recommended the Under Secretary for Benefits consider revising which claims are included in VBA’s reported disability claims backlog and provide a clear definition to all stakeholders.
VBA Response: Concur in principle. VBA is currently reviewing how best to supplement or adjust reporting on the rating-related backlog since such reporting has been essentially unchanged since reporting began in 2009. VBA will consult and collaborate with stakeholders to make certain any proposed changes to reporting on the backlog are well understood.
Target Completion Date: December 31, 2018.
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The Monday Morning Workload Report has surged from 21,000 claims to over 33,000 in the past few weeks. These EP 930s are the type of claims that the VA OIG recently cited in an investigation as ways
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