The VA failed to update veterans’ dependent status as early as 2011
The Department of Veterans Affairs did not properly process requests to update dependent status as early as 2011. However, it did not appear that they discovered this issue directly. Issues that came about as a result of the use of the online appeals process, for the PACT ACT, lead to the VA looking for solutions. During the review, one of the VA’s technology specialists discovered that approximately 56,000 veterans, who requested that their dependent status be updated, did not have their requests processed properly.
From military.com:
The VA launched a review into its PACT Act online appeal process Aug. 31 after receiving complaints from veterans and an inquiry from Military.com over concerns that the system wasn’t working properly. Officials said Tuesday the technical issue that prevented hundreds of veterans from completing a “notice of disagreement” form through the website had been identified and fixed.
According to the VA, the website did not load as a result of a software bug accidentally introduced during a planned update July 27. A fix was rolled out Sept. 1, and the VA is now “monitoring to ensure that no further veterans are impacted by [the problem],” VA Press Secretary Terrence Hayes said in a statement late Tuesday.
During the process of looking into the claims issue, a VA information technology specialist found that 56,000 veterans who submitted a request to update their dependents — adding or removing spouses or children — “did not have those claims successfully processed by VA.gov,” an error that may date as far back as 2011 and could affect their monthly benefit payments.
The agency first began investigating that issue in August 2021, but the “full scope and urgency of the problem wasn’t understood” until August and the recent review of the system for the PACT Act appeals issue, Hayes said.
Work was underway Tuesday to identify all veterans affected by the notice of disagreement problem and contact them to ensure they are able to submit their appeals dated to their initial appeal date.
The agency is also working on a fix to the problem with dependent updates to make sure no more veterans are affected, and to identify those who were, Hayes said, and adjust their benefits payments as needed.
Military.com Provides additional information here.
Category: Veterans Issues, Veterans' Affairs Department
“To err is Human…but to really foul things up, you need a computer.” “Houston, we have a problem…and it’s been there since 2011.”
BZ to the techno wienie that “discovered” this error. Bill Gates sez…DAMN…we’re busted!
SMH.
Recently had a couple of computer foulups myself. I firmly believe that computerization is subject to the law of diminishing returns; the gains in efficiency and economy promised by computerizing everything eventually disappear and old fashioned paper and in-person methods become cheaper and more efficient.
If you have ever needed to change your password online you know what I mean. When you change your password “they” need to send you your new password by email, but if you cannot access your email to get your new password because your old password no longer works you are screwed. Sort of a “Catch 22”.
Or when your organization updates the password policy, and now passwords have to be 16 characters long, with numbers, capitals and special symbols. But don’t write it down! That creates a security risk!
And they know absolutely that people will violate that policy, but they persist with it and base their procedures and actions on the assumption that people will follow the policy.
I have come to the conclusion that although IT people have a reputation as being smart and knowledgeable (just ask an IT person), they are in act just as dumb, ignorant, and lazy as the rest of the population.
VA sux.
Yeah, I got some VA REMF upset at an NRA meeting once when I was trying to get some help for AB Son.
Not a fan.