Veterans Appeals Claims Backlog

In March 2013, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) first-time disability claims had a backlog of 611,073 claims. These are first time claims that are awaiting an initial disability rating decision that have been pending for over 125 days. According to Veterans Benefits Administration Reports, as of April 2015, the first time claim backlog has been reduced to 183,190 claims. The Department of Veterans Affairs’ claims inventory currently exceeds 457,695 pending claims. These are disability compensation and pension claims received by VA, which require a rating decision and includes claims for disability compensation, dependency and indemnity compensation for survivors, and Veterans’ pension benefits, including both original and supplemental claims but does not include claims that are being appealed.

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There is currently an additional backlog of nearly 300,000 appeals claims that are being appealed after the VA has rendered its initial decision. Some of these veterans’ claims have been pending for over four years. A Marine Corps Veteran filed a class-action suit against the Department of Veterans Affairs this month, “seeking to force the department to expedite a growing backlog of benefits claims appeals, including his own.” The Department of Veterans Affairs claims to have focused their staff resources on first-time claims, reducing the first-time claims backlog by nearly 70 percent. However, veterans who have pending claims, assert that the VA handled their first-time claims improperly. Just last year, President Obama signed a $16.3 billion VA Reform Bill giving the VA the resources to improve veterans’ care and increase the agency’s resources to reduce the backlog. Additionally, it appears that Congress may give the VA another budget hike next year.

The VA has set a goal to eliminate its first-time claim backlog by the end of 2015. While such a goal may have been set with the best intentions to reduce the first time claims backlog and support our veterans, it is unclear how many first-time claims VA has approved or rejected. However, it is known that the resubmitted appeals of initial claim decisions have risen 17 percent, an all time high for the VA. The class-action suit asks the court to order the VA to make a disability rating and compensation decision within 30 days on every appeal that has been pending for more than a year if the “applicant has a financial or medical hardship.”

However, we believe that all appeals claims regardless of financial or medical hardship must be decided within 30 days after the VA receives the initial or subsequent appeal from the veteran. After all the resources Congress has provided to the VA to improve care and claims processing, there is no reason why our veterans need to wait for an appeals decision by the Board of Veterans Appeals for more than 30 days.

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I certify that I am a United States armed forces veteran who has not received a dishonorable discharge. I understand that it is illegal to make fraudulent claims about military service. Individuals who, with intent to obtain money, property, or other tangible benefit by making fraudulent claims of military service or miltiary award to obtain a benefit guaranteed only to veterans are subject to a fine and/or imprisonment.
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A Mandate to Turnaround and Restructure the Veteran’s Affairs Administration

As a national nonprofit organization devoted to our nation’s veterans, our members and leadership know the very deep challenges faced by those who have served in uniform. How? Because we live it every day. As veterans, we strongly feel that President Obama must do better than appoint yet another lifelong military, medical or political bureaucrat to lead the Veterans Administration. Once the current controversy passes, General Shinseki will be discovered to have done an exemplary job in what have become impossible circumstances for any leader. From our perspective, what was lacking was not situation specific, but systemic. What failed was the political will and courage in congress and the administration to shake up an organization being inundated by nearly impossible requirements and demands. Given this situation, midlevel career bureaucrats did what they almost always do – obfuscate and pass the buck and spin alternate realities. Now, what is required is a turnaround specialist – not another bureaucrat who hails from a broken system or one closely related.

During the backlog crisis, a senior VA official was urged to consider drastic action and turnaround the entire VA claims system. His response was departments could not be disrupted because of the huge backlog. Turnarounds most often occur during crisis. Few leaders will restructure an enterprise without the stimulus of possible failure.

The VA network is the largest hospital and provider system in the nation. Medical centers alone number one hundred and fifty-two. System wide, the VA operates over 5,000 points of contact and administers over 200,000 daily appointments. A huge system which is independently rated as providing higher or equal patient satisfaction rates when compared to civilian healthcare. The VA system is strained and damaged but it is far from broken.

Congress insulated the VA from heavy political interference. Political appointments are few and the authority of those officials is limited. The law of unintended consequences is now bearing its bitter fruit. Many VA senior bureaucrats appear to have chosen themselves over the veterans they are dedicated to serve. Mediocrity breeds mediocrity.

When bureaucrats are confronted with political pressures that demand results but ignore the costs to achieve those results, the mediocre or disgruntled senior bureaucrat will ignore or simply wait out the political leadership whose influence is limited by both time and politics. The VA/Pentagon medical records fiasco is one example of bureaucratic stonewalling and inertia.

The President should appoint, and Congress support, a turnaround specialist experienced with public and private restructuring. Appoint a mission-oriented expert whose focus is solely on streamlining the entire operation to accomplish the tasks in the most effective manner. An expert experienced with coordinating the sensitivities of various, frequently disparate, organizations with often opposing agendas is required. Military service and/or experience should not be required and may even be contraindicated.

Choose a strong individual with the support of both congress and the administration. Arm that leader with enough legal authority to accomplish a complete and thorough reorganization. The current Veterans Affairs senior leadership must be reenergized. A culture of mission accomplishment, innovation and risk must replace the current stagnation where often the only practical means to remove a failing leader is to promote them.

This is not a task for the inexperienced. For a new leader, President Obama should comb the private sector for the most qualified executive with experience transforming enterprises into proud functional organizations. Two examples of possible appointees come to mind. First, Mr. Kenneth Fisher who established Fisher House, which has saved and improved lives for thousands of veterans and their loved ones nationwide by providing housing and support to families while loved ones receive health care and rehabilitation is excellent. Second, Mr. Bill White who is the former President of the Intrepid Fallen Heroes Fund, the Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum and a tireless fundraiser, advocate and activist on behalf of veterans and active duty servicemembers is another solid example.

Without such an appointee, the VA senior bureaucracy will hunker down; make pleasing sounds and wait for the next administration. Turning a bull loose in the china shop is not President Obama’s preferred style but occasionally this approach is both necessary and effective.

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I certify that I am a United States armed forces veteran who has not received a dishonorable discharge. I understand that it is illegal to make fraudulent claims about military service. Individuals who, with intent to obtain money, property, or other tangible benefit by making fraudulent claims of military service or miltiary award to obtain a benefit guaranteed only to veterans are subject to a fine and/or imprisonment.
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Memorial Day

This Memorial Day, honor and remember the men and women who gave their lives while fighting for this nation. We salute these brave Americans and their families for their sacrifices to maintain American freedom and values.

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I certify that I am a United States armed forces veteran who has not received a dishonorable discharge. I understand that it is illegal to make fraudulent claims about military service. Individuals who, with intent to obtain money, property, or other tangible benefit by making fraudulent claims of military service or miltiary award to obtain a benefit guaranteed only to veterans are subject to a fine and/or imprisonment.
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VA Backlog

The American Veterans Committee applauds the VA’s valiant efforts to date. However, the entire U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs is facing exhaustion in a vain attempt to cope with an historic inundation of claims. The current goal of 2015 to end the existing backlog is simply unacceptable.

Too many lives are being hurt financially, mentally and physically to wait for receipt of earned and owed benefits. We support creation of a presidential commission to review the VA’s efforts and interface with Department of Defense (DOD) and other entities. Reorganization or streamlining is definitely in the nation’s and veterans’ interests.

After all is said and done, how we treat our returning military directly affects national security and the entire concept of an all volunteer military.

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I certify that I am a United States armed forces veteran who has not received a dishonorable discharge. I understand that it is illegal to make fraudulent claims about military service. Individuals who, with intent to obtain money, property, or other tangible benefit by making fraudulent claims of military service or miltiary award to obtain a benefit guaranteed only to veterans are subject to a fine and/or imprisonment.
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A New Non-Profit Veterans Organization Launched Today to Connect Veterans with Networking Opportunities

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                            

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I certify that I am a United States armed forces veteran who has not received a dishonorable discharge. I understand that it is illegal to make fraudulent claims about military service. Individuals who, with intent to obtain money, property, or other tangible benefit by making fraudulent claims of military service or miltiary award to obtain a benefit guaranteed only to veterans are subject to a fine and/or imprisonment.
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