Dec 5, 2023   SOURCE: BusinessWire

Stuck in Limbo: The Deepening Crisis of the VA Claims Backlog

VA Claims Insider, LLC (VACI), a leading education-based coaching/consulting company for veterans has put a call of action out to the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs (VA) around the rapidly growing disability claims backlog issues they are facing. The number of pending claims is more than 1.1 million with the backlog reaching record congestion with more than 313,000 that have not been assigned a rating after more than 125 days. The backlog is expected to get even worse throughout 2024-2025 without fast action by VA officials.

“The number of backlogged claims is out of control, with the VA projecting the number to reach a critical mass at 400,000 in 2024. While this is largely due to the influx of claims related to the PACT Act, there are several other issues and challenges the VA needs to address to relieve the pressure on the system and more importantly, get veterans the benefits they deserve faster,” said Brian Reese, Founder of VA Claims Insider. “Now is the time for solutions, and we know what they are.”

Reese says the problem is three-pronged – people, process, and systems and with millions of troops coming home from the recent deployments in the Middle East it could get even worse beyond 2024. Luckily, this is where the solutions lie.

  • Recruiting, Training, and Retention: Despite a heavy hiring push, Government Executive reported in August 2023 that overall, the VA has an overwhelming shortage in all facets of its workforce. The VA’s push for more employees is promising but must be accompanied by improved training and salary and benefits improvements that support retention.
  • Overdevelopment of Claims: This is a process issue that needs to be fixed with VA claims adjudicators. Essentially, when a veteran has submitted all the paperwork and medical documentation they need for the rater to review and rate their claim, the claim is being delayed for “additional” development requirements that aren’t needed. There could be a few reasons for this – inexperience, poor training, staff turnover, etc. – regardless, ordering unnecessary C&P exams bog down the system, and delay getting veterans the benefits they have earned and costs taxpayers more money.
  • Modernization of Systems: The VA has been operating on a system called the Veterans Benefits Management System (VBMS) for decades. This antiquated technology needs an overhaul or replacement as VBMS breaks or glitches often, requiring IT support which slows down the process and communications. This investment alone would help eliminate a significant portion of the problem.

“Actions such as passing the PACT Act are extremely important and warrant investments in the future of the men and women who have served and sacrificed for our country,” added Reese. “We must work together as a community and demand our elected leadership and the VA make the investments in people, process, and systems to make sure every veteran gets the benefits they have earned in the timeliest manner possible.”

Reese recently posted a video on the VACI website YouTube that dives into this topic even further. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pCIjXJn7uhQ

More veteran specific information and veteran data can be found on their website at: https://vaclaimsinsider.com/how-many-veterans-are-there/

To read more about navigating the backlog visit: https://vaclaimsinsider.com/why-is-my-va-claim-taking-so-long/

ABOUT VA Claims Insider

VA Claims Insider, LLC is an education-based coaching/consulting company for disabled veterans who are exploring eligibility for increased VA disability benefits and who wish to learn more about that process. The company was founded in 2016 by Brian Reese, Air Force service-disabled veteran and former U.S. Air Force Academy NCAA Division I hockey player. It is headquartered in Austin, Texas.