VA Makes Good on Pledge to Reduce Claims Backlog

[CAS3]

VA Makes Good on Pledge to Reduce Claims Backlog

WASHINGTON (Oct. 8, 2003) - Secretary of Veterans Affairs Anthony J.
Principi today declared partial victory in the Bush administration's battle
to reduce the backlog of veterans' compensation claims.

On Sept. 30, the Secretary made good on his pledge when the
Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) pending inventory dropped to 253,000
claims, representing a 41 percent reduction in inventory from a high of
432,000.

"I am very proud of all the hard work our employees around the
country have done over the past two years to get our backlog down," Principi
said."We must not, however, let our guard down now that the inventory of
claims has returned to normal levels. We must build on this success."

A cornerstone of Principi's pledge to the nation in 2001 was to
reduce the pending claims workload in VA to 250,000 rating claims by Sept.
30, 2003. This number represents a normal workload inventory because of the
complex process involved in gathering all the information and evidence
needed to decide a veteran's claim.

To convert that pledge to an actionable plan, Principi chartered the
VA Claims Processing Task Force shortly after taking office. Chaired by the
current Under Secretary for Benefits, Daniel L. Cooper, the task force
recommended a series of changes to improve the claims process, which Cooper
has implemented.

As a result, VA has over the past two years decided about 68,000
claims per month, an increase of more than 70 percent from the 2001 level of
about 40,000 per month.

"Reducing the claims inventory level is important, but is only part
of the administration's goals for improving service to veterans," said
Cooper."VA is continuing to make gains in reducing the time a veteran must
wait for a decision on a claim while focusing equal attention on ensuring
the accuracy of our decisions."

Principi also set as a goal the completion of veterans' claims in an
average of 100 days. This goal, while not yet achieved, is within VA's
grasp.

"In February 2002, it took an average of 233 days, or more than
seven months, to adjudicate a new disability claim. Although we have
reduced that average to 156 days, I hope that in the months ahead we'll be
able to announce we are at 100 days, giving veterans the service they
deserve," Principi said.

It is also significant to note that the average age of the claims in
VA's inventory has been reduced from over 200 days to 111 days.

The improvements in claims processing have not been made at the
expense of quality. VA's measure of the accuracy of its benefit entitlement
decisions is now at 85 percent, an improvement from an 81 percent accuracy
level in fiscal year 2002.

As VA works toward continued improvement in quality and the 100-day
goal to render a decision, Principi has directed all employees to give
special priority to the claims of veterans returning home with injuries
sustained in Iraq and Afghanistan.

VA continues to work closely with the Department of Defense to find
better ways to coordinate efforts related to delivery of benefits to service
members returning home from conflicts around the world.

[marine5]

Ah..The dance of the tooth fairies...
Question...of the over 200,000 claims..how many were ajudicated in
the Vets favor ???
True story...it took me 33 years 83 days to get from 60% to 100%
for the same things I was discharged with 31Nov72...
Come to find out the VARO never even had my DD 214...(Lost it)
never mind that my DAV rep never had it either...and never once asked for it.
If you believe anything the VA says...I have a bridge I will sell you...
Its all window dressing for the masses..
The wannabes are swamping the system...

[CAS3]

Of the claimants I represent, over 75% were given benefits.
Guess you had the wrong rep!!
We tell every vet to bring all relevant paperwork with them...we tell them what that paperwork is!
A vet only gets disability from the day after they leave the service if they apply within one year. If you apply after one year, you will only get benefits from the date your claim was stamped at the VA regional office.