VA making progress or scamming the numbers?
The VA seems to be making some progress in recent weeks … from Politico:
The Veterans Affairs Department is chipping away at a massive inventory of disability claims for veterans, reducing the number of claims considered backlogged by about 13 percent in recent weeks.
…
But in recent months, the department has taken steps to try to deal with the backlog. The oldest claims in the system were moved to the front of the line and claims processors were required to work at least 20 hours of overtime each month. That has helped to reduce the backlog to just over 531,000, the VA said Thursday.
Among the claims cleared were about 65,000 cases that had been pending for longer than two years. About 2,000 such cases remain.
So, that little bit of mandatory overtime helped them clear up more than 100,000 claims – 65,000 of which were sitting for more than two years.
I’m skeptical.
It seems like the VA has just rubber-stamped all those claims – or denied them (because that clears them from the backlog as well), without any scrutiny – I wonder how much VA fraud we are going to be hearing about in the coming years …
Additionally, if all those claims were able to be processed in such a short time, why were they sitting for years to begin with?
Rep. Jeff Miller, R-Fla., chairman of the House Veterans Affairs Committee, has a similar assessment of the VA’s sudden abilities.
“Any progress toward eliminating the backlog is welcome news. But we cannot forget that the department is still far short of its own backlog performance benchmarks for 2013.
“Additionally, one can’t help but question how the department was able to process most of its two-year-old claims in just 60 days. If two months was all VA needed to adjudicate these claims, why did the department let them sit for two years or longer? Furthermore, what will happen to the backlog once VA employees are taken off of mandatory overtime and returned to regular duties? Nevertheless, when it comes to evaluating VA’s success in combatting the backlog, the two most important numbers are zero and 2015. In other words, this problem won’t be solved unless the backlog is at zero by 2015, just as VA leaders have promised.”
Well, he’s partially right, but it’s not all about zero by 2015 – the claims have to be done properly, the first time, and cases of fraud need to be identified and handled. If those two things aren’t done, then a backlog of zero is meaningless.
Category: Veterans' Affairs Department
I share your concerns, Rob. I too wonder just how much critical evaluation there was in adjudicating those claims.
I’m guessing there was a lot of use of two rubber stamps – one reading “approved” and one reading “denied”. As well as maybe a metal disk-shaped binary decision mechanism just under 1″ in diameter with a thickness of a bit under 2mm.
I’m concerned about this as well. I filed a claim last month and had a reply in less than two weeks. Two weeks! I would like to know how they could’ve properly reviewed my pages of medical and deployment history, along with dealing with the other Vets claims, to come back with my review that fast. And yes, I’m going to appeal the decision.
I just wonder what they are going to do with some of the claims that they don’t want to make a decision on…like mine. They have ample information, they have multiple diagnoses, it is just they don’t want to have to admit it would be a presumptive claim. It hasn’t been denied or approved. It is just in limbo…
@3, they’ll likely deny it at first, so the appeals people have to figure it out.
Something tells me this is a case of severe Pencil Whipping. So typical of a bureaucracy under pressure. Arbitrarily deny the claims and then deny that you denied them.
Well, they denied mine despite new evidence. My guess is that more of these were not really adjudicated but snap decisions.
It is simple, no adjudication. Just stamp all of them denied. Then cry out how efficient we have become.
Their track record is pretty clear. I’d be surprised if any of those 2 year old claims were accepted. With the denial, they move to the back of the line again, and it’s up to the vet to do the follow up for their claims to be reconsidered.
I attempted to get a job with the VA system twice — and was passed over both times. Now I’m glad I didn’t get the job, because I wouldn’t want to be part of anything like this.
Looking in the from the outside, it looks like the vets are being screwed.
I am both happy and scared at this moment. I am happy that I have my assessment coming up next week (I’ve been in the system since February of last year). I am scared that they will rubber stamp me as the 10% mark. I’ve spoken to friends who are in the psychological counseling field who have told me that I am 50% on my good days and 70% on my bad. Definitely say a prayer for me.
You’re skeptical? You’re too kind. Just run the BS flag up the pole and render a snappy salute. This is PR, nothing more.
Today’s headline “65,000 claims processed in two months.” Next month’s headline “Claims in appeals process skyrockets.” In case anyone hasn’t done the math yet, 20 hours of overtime in a month is roughly one extra hour per business day. We’re to believe that’s all it took to knock out 10% of the entire department’s backlog in two months? That’s like struggling with a leaking pipe for years and some new guy claims to have fixed it with an extra turn of the wrench. Either it’s a criminal oversight on the water company or the “hero” is full of shit.
Just asking a question here. Anybody know anyone who was caught in the backlog, that got a fair rating decision? Everyone I know got a denial letter.
As a Veteran Service Officer, I have seen a lot of “provisional decisions” coming across my desk in the last few weeks. My biggest fear is that they are “top sheeting”, meaning only looking at the very top sheets before making a decision. Some decisions have been favorable; others look more like low ball. It is what it is, I’m afraid. All we can do in our position is work with it and we do our best to help our Veterans (coz I are one!!) with whatever decision comes down the pike. Hang in there!! We’re here to help!
Last time numbers like this moved, it was the Pigford fraud.
I know in my father’s case, his claim was denied: not enough evidence of the side-effects of exposure to Agent Orange in his Army medical file. Of course, back in the 70s and 80s, Rangers didn’t go on Sick Call. They rub their tab and their CIB and move out with a purpose.
@13.
What about unqualified practitioners opining on subjects/conditions outside their range of expertise IN THEIR MEDICAL RECORDS?
For example: Psychologists practicing Neurology or Neuropsychology? PA’s opining on mental conditions (for record)? Internists opining on audiological or vision conditions?
Yeah.
Its illegal and about to make the front page.
@14.
Take a knee, take a Motrin and drink some water.
heard that.
It should be the VA’s new motto. Instead of WWP’s buddy carry, just have a dude (not the Lone Soldier) taking a knee with the canteen.
Fitting.
I had the misfortune of needing the VA’s help within a month of getting out of the Corps (11/72). I was in line behind a gentleman with documented proof that he was a WW1 Army Vet. I felt honored to talk to someone with that kind of service. The obese female “civil servant” told him that he had just been seen by them the preceding week in a very nasty way (as if he were wasting her time!) I couldn’t help myself-I got in her face and asked her who the hell she thought she was. I accused her (a mere clerk) of overstepping her bounds (in language any Marine would understand). The old Vet did get seen. I was escorted out by security. (Sepulveda VA Hosp.)
How’s this bumrush still gonna work with “mandatory overtime” with sequestration furloughs?
Inquiring minds wanna know.
Unless the Texas VA group has changed. You Vets in Texas are denied. I appealed to Waco from 72 to 2000. No go every time I tried. I have found that the smaller VAMCs give better care in all ways. Here in Oklahoma the service seem to know how to get things done. I expect a 90% denial rate of the claims they processed so quickly. Good Luck Joe
Bureaucrats not doing their jobs and being accountable to no one? Shocking. (Not.)
Move the papers along. Doesn’t matter that their incompetence causes actual pain to real people.
What really, seriously offends me is that there is a sufficient market for attorneys working these claims that they are advertising. Disgusting.
The Appeals Broad motto From Nam to now:Deny, Deny, Deny till the Vet dies. Joe
My impression is that, more and more, federal and state lower level employees are basically people who would be on welfare if the government/s hadn’t taken them in. I’ll bet that anyone would be able to recount the “don’t care” attitude displayed by any state’s Dept. of Motor Vehicles (never mind any federal agencies).
Fringe: the VA isn’t subject to sequestration. As I understand it, it’s because their programs are in the “mandatory spending” category. Only those programs considered “discretionary spending” (which includes most DoD spending) are subject to sequestration.