The Department of Veterans Affairs is nearing its goal of reducing the claims backlog time to 125 days, VA Secretary Eric K. Shinseki said April 2. The improved claims-assessment process largely will be attributable to a better, automated system that is now being tested in several regions. It should be in place by September, according to VA. Even with automated and manual processing systems working in tandem, however, keeping up with claims adjudication will remain a challenge. The agency processed 900,000 claims in 2009, while receiving 1 million new claims. And in 2010, VA processed 1 million claims, while taking in 1.2 million new ones.
