Isakson Calls for Fix of VA Healthcare Application Error That Is Delaying Benefits for Thousands

Press Release

U.S. Senator Johnny Isakson, R-Ga., chairman of the Senate Committee on Veterans' Affairs, is calling on the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to extend VA healthcare enrollment opportunities after a coding error at its Health Eligibility Center in Atlanta, Ga., reportedly resulted in the incorrect closure of up to 440,000 applications.

In a letter to VA Secretary David Shulkin, Isakson expressed concerns that the VA has not taken enough steps to prevent this potential coding error from delaying VA health benefits.

Isakson was joined by U.S. Senate Committee on Veterans' Affairs ranking member Jon Tester, D-Mont., and U.S. House Committee on Veterans' Affairs leaders, U.S. Reps. Phil Roe, R-Tenn., and Tim Walz, D-Minn., in sending the letter.

"Given the enormity of the impact on veterans, we urge you to take additional steps to further ensure veterans receive every opportunity to complete their applications and that those applications are not improperly closed due to VA error," the members wrote to Secretary Shulkin. "To that end, we recommend that the VA send an additional letter to those veterans who were potentially impacted by the coding error, clarifying what additional information is needed. Given the widespread reporting of this matter, we believe that a clarifying letter will provide veterans with some peace of mind on what is actually still needed to complete their enrollment."

The error may have occurred when the VA requested more information from veterans to complete their pending applications. The VA allegedly switched two codes requesting different information.

The Senate and House committee leaders are asking the secretary to send another corrected letter to veterans who have incomplete enrollment applications and not to close any health care applications from these affected veterans for a year after this action is taken, so that veterans have had the opportunity to provide the correct information.

Isakson's letter to Shulkin is available online here.

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