Bills
| 3.23.22

Does the VA Need to Host Events to Help Vets File Disability and Pension Claims? (H.R. 3936)

Do you support or oppose this bill?

What is H.R. 3936?

(Updated December 9, 2019)

This bill would require the Dept. of Veterans Affairs (VA) to carry out a three-year pilot program aimed at helping veterans complete VA disability and pension claims while obtaining needed medical opinions all at one place. It would require the VA to hold Veterans Engagement Team (VET) events at least once a month at community facilities in 10-15 districts represented by VA regional offices over the three-year program.

To help veterans complete their claims, VA staff would host VET events at community facilities where veterans could come to complete their claims and receive a medical opinion if one is needed. If a veteran’s claim can’t be completed at the VET event, the VA would be required to provide them with a clear explanation of the next steps needed to complete the claim.

During the first year of the program, the VA would hold these events at a location in at least 10 districts represented by VA regional offices, including at least two regional offices in five districts of the Veterans Benefits Administration. For both the second and third years of the program, events would happen at least once a month at a location in 15 VA districts, including at least three regional offices in each district.

The VA would be able to coordinate with state and local governments, nonprofit groups, and businesses to use facilities to host VET events for no or minimal cost. It would also be able to accept uncompensated services from non-VA physicians who assist in offering medical opinions to be used in disability and pension claims. VA physicians could travel between districts for these events, but wouldn’t be transferred on a permanent basis.

Argument in favor

Veterans have earned their disability and pension benefits and shouldn’t have to leave go without because they’re unable file their claims. These events will help the VA better serve veterans and ensure their claims get filed.

Argument opposed

There shouldn’t be a need for the VA to hold events geared toward assisting veterans in filing claims for disability and pension benefits, but if they’re going to they should spare no expense rather than looking to minimize cost.

Impact

Veterans who need to file a disability or pension claim with the VA; physicians who work with or for the VA; and the VA and Veterans Benefits Administration.

Cost of H.R. 3936

A CBO cost estimate is unavailable.

Additional Info

In-Depth: Sponsoring Rep. Ryan Costello (R-PA) introduced this bill to try and create a “one-stop-shop” for veterans who need assistance from local VA Regional Offices, and have struggled to file their disability or pension claim because of bureaucratic inefficiencies:

“Veterans are people, not just claims numbers. As we have repeatedly seen, we need a culture change at VA Regional Offices, particularly the Philadelphia Regional Office, and the VET Act is an effort to move the VA forward. By bringing the convenience of these events directly to our communities, we are taking a step in the right direction to provide the personalized care the veterans need and deserve.”

The House Veterans’ Affairs Subcommittee on Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs passed this legislation by voice vote. There are currently five House cosponsors of this bill, all of whom are Republicans.


Of Note: In recent years the VA has made a significant effort to reduce its backlog of disability claims, though there is still a sizeable number of claims that haven’t been dealt with and it may never be completely eliminated. The backlog had been as large as 611,000 claims in March 2013, and in December 2015 the VA announced the backlog was under 75,000 — an 88 percent decrease from the backlog's peak.

However, the VA stated that reasons such as scheduling, other entitlement issues, and the discovery of may not allow them to process all claims within 125 days which essentially means that new claims will continue to be added to the backlog at a rate that doesn’t allow the VA to eliminate it.


Media:

Summary by Eric Revell
(Photo Credit: Flickr user DVIDSHUB)