Quick action urged on vet disability checks

Quick action urged on vet disability checks
By Hope Yen - The Associated Press
Posted : Thursday Oct 11, 2007 5:34:16 EDT

WASHINGTON — Injured veterans suffering long waits for disability checks could have their claims processed immediately with audits done later, if need be, the head of a special commission said Wednesday.

Separately, two major veterans groups expressed impatience at government delays in improving care for wounded troops. They urged President Bush to move quickly to nominate a new Veterans Affairs secretary who would finally make the “needs of our nation’s veterans a national priority.”

“This is no time for the president to fill such an important position with a placeholder for the remainder of his term,” said David W. Gorman, an executive director of Disabled American Veterans.

Retired Lt. Gen. James Terry Scott, chairman of the Veterans’ Disability Benefits Commission, testified before Congress Wednesday. His was the first of several commissions and task forces to weigh in on the Hill on the issue of reducing delays in veterans’ disability pay.

Last week, the 13-member commission issued a 544-page report on the ailing system, calling the current 177-day wait unacceptable. It called for better technology, standardized procedures and additional staff to reduce the Department of Veterans Affairs claims backlog to about 90 days within two years.

Under questioning Wednesday, Scott acknowledged that more radical efforts might be needed. He said a VA pilot program that would let veterans get benefits without having to prove their claim first — subject to random audits later for validity — might work if the new VA secretary works closely with Congress to ensure there are no unintended consequences.


Rest of article at: http://www.armytimes.com/news/2007/10/ap_vetschecks_071010/



uhc comment: So the 'quick' action goal is to reduce the waiting period by 87 days within two years?

Let's cut the earmarks from Congress and add that money to the VA to pay for the additional personnel that are needed to streamline the process a little.