Disabled veterans testify about funding, delayed claims

[Posted by alaurie_97@yahoo.com]

Disabled veterans testify about funding, delayed claims



WASHINGTON — Disabled veterans asked Congress for help Tuesday in
funding programs fairly and reducing delays in deciding benefits
claims.

The Veterans Benefits Administration faced 770,291 claims for
disability compensation and pensions on Jan. 11. That's 282,790 more
than a year earlier, according to officials from the advocacy group
Disabled American Veterans.

Even more troubling, one in six of the agency's initial decisions on
disability claims are wrong and can take years to rectify, veterans
told a joint hearing of the House and Senate Veterans' Affairs
Committees. Veterans Affairs Secretary Eric Shinseki has set a goal of
98 percent accuracy by 2012, with the help of a new electronic
processing system.

"The VA has struggled for decades to reform its system for processing
claims for benefits, yet despite much activity there has been little
real progress," said Wallace Tyson, national commander of the veterans
group.

Rep. Jeff Miller, R-Chumuckla, chairman of the House panel, said
lawmakers will work with Disabled American Veterans to improve the
agency's performance.

"I know how vital these services are," Miller said. "There are
significant challenges ahead for VA and for this committee, not the
least of which are reforming the claims-processing system and ensuring
appropriate funding levels for veterans programs in a time of fiscal
constraint."

Spending concerns also worried the veterans.

President Barack Obama exempted the Veterans Affairs Department, along
with military spending, from the domestic spending freeze proposed in
his budget for fiscal 2012, which starts Oct. 1. House Republicans
also have avoided trimming agency spending while proposing deep cuts
in other departments.

But with Congress determined to make drastic spending cuts, veterans
remain worried.

Obama has proposed:

$53.9 billion for veterans' medical care, which is less than he
proposed for the current fiscal year. Veterans are pushing for $1.1
billion more.

$509 million for medical and prosthetic research, which would be $72
million less than current funding. Veterans are asking for $620
million.