VA, Vet Groups Oppose Claims-System Changes

By: fedweek

The Department of Veterans Affairs, the Veterans of Foreign Wars and the Paralyzed Veterans of America have registered objections in Congress to two bills aimed at reducing the VA’s current disability backlog of 600,000 claims. H.R. 1490 would provide benefits as soon as a veteran applies for disability compensation. H.R. 1444 would authorize $500 per month for veterans awaiting benefits appeals decisions for more than 180 days. VFW spokesman Gerald Manar said that H.R. 1490 would encourage veterans to file increasing, spurious and sometimes fraudulent claims. He said that H.R. 1444 would encourage more veterans to file appeals, which would corrupt and further complicate the claims process. Carl Blake of the PVA said that paying veterans on the presumption the claims were valid would be a mistake. He also said that interim $500 payments would encourage frivolous claims and add to the workload.