Kuhl Votes to Improve Veterans' Disability Claims Processing System
Press Release
Kuhl Votes to Improve Veterans' Disability Claims Processing System
U.S. Representative John R. "Randy" Kuhl, Jr. (R-Hammondsport) today voted for the Veterans Disability Benefits Claims Modernization Act of 2008, H.R. 5892, which improves the disability claims processing system of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).
"Our veterans deserve the best from this country, but our nation is failing them by forcing them to wait months to receive the assistance they've earned. Benefit processing times have increased from an average of 177 days in 2006 to 183 days in 2007 and that is inexcusable," said Rep. Kuhl. "This legislation will ensure that our current and future veterans receive accurate and timely benefits they deserve and it will dramatically reduce the claims process system."
The Veterans Disability Benefits Claims Modernization Act of 2008 will establish an Office of Survivor Relations to assist survivors of all veterans and deceased Servicemembers regarding VA benefits and services. The bill will also require the VA Secretary to develop a plan to implement information technology upgrades to improve its claims processing capabilities. In addition, H.R. 5892 will require a certification examination of relevant Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA) claims processing personnel and managers and would require the VA Secretary to contract with an outside entity to conduct an evaluation of the VBA's training and quality assurance programs.
At the end of 2007, there were approximately 24 million American veterans. According to the 2006 Annual Report from the VBA, there were 3,582,255 veterans and survivors receiving compensation and pension benefits. Since 2001, the number of claims for new or increased benefits has skyrocketed, reaching 838,000 in 2007. Due to the labor-intensive claims process, there are almost 600,000 backlogged claims at the VA.
Congressman Kuhl has relentlessly worked to increase funding for the VBA to hire additional benefits claims processors. This has been an important priority of his, as many 29th District veterans have had to contend with excessive delays in receiving or accessing their health care benefits from the Department of Veterans Affairs. Last fall, Kuhl urged the House Appropriations Committee to include $124.2 billion in the Fiscal Year 2008 Consolidated Appropriations Act to enable the Department to hire 1,800 additional claims processors to work down the existing backlog and reduce the time needed to process new ones. Congress ultimately provided this funding, and he will continue to support efforts to improve the efficiency of the claims process.
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