Reporting for ROLL CALL 9/1/13 9:16AM
Hey Captain!
There are @ one million backlogged claims at the VA at this time. And, more to come. Many more. Today the news is that the President is going to ask Congress for its permission for us to invade Syria, Iran's ally and Russia's and Chinese 'friend'. Congress may or may not give its blessing to this and if it does not, the President can launch an attack regardless. So, another way on the horizon, we are 'out' of Iraq only leaving a few hundred thousand 'white collar' soldiers, we are pulling out of Afghanistan and stockpiling Troops in South Korea. More VA claims on the horizon.
The answer to your question about 'what happens' when a claim is filed at the VA, my only answer is: Who knows? Certainly not anyone working at the VA. Last year those responsible for handling claims got bonuses. Big bonuses. Why? Because they are doing a fantastic job of back up the claims. "Lie and deny until you die!" This is the motto of the VA. And, it works. Remember, it is more economically sound for the VA (government) not to pay its soldiers than to do so for wounds incurred in war. So, if the VA can make a soldier quit in his quest to receive compensation for the scars of war he bears, then so be it to the VA's advantage.
Here we come to the spot where I need to explain 'how to play the game'. And, that's just what it is. A game. Up to this point, the game has started when the Cherry Troop goes to the VA to get his VA card. Now we are at the point in the game where the claim has been filed. The pressure is on, now, at the VA to process these claims faster. Congress is on them. And so is the general population. So, dragging its feet is no longer an 'unseen' act. But, the claim takes time to process. And those processing those claims take their time in doing so.
Billions of dollars have been spent to 'update' the records systems at the VA converting 'paper files' to 'computer files'. And, do you know what? It's not working. This morning Facebook emailed me a request for me to give them my telephone number to further secure my position with them. I did so. When I hit 'send' to Facebook, I then when to my Yahoo account and there on the top of my mailbox was an email from Facebook telling me that they had received my telephone number. If Facebook can do that in that time period, why can't the VA?
I'm not saying the VA should approve a Veteran's claim in a matter of 24 hours. Each claim has its own merits. And, there are responsibilities to adhere to, so a claim has to be taken in one at a time. There are no easy answers here. The wheels spin and turn at the VA churning out a 'yeah' or a 'nay' on each claim, one at a time. Could the process be made more efficient? Only the VA really knows how to answer that question. It is what it is. Backlogged!
LT
out
Reporting for Roll Call : 20:50 Hrs – 9/2/13
ReplyDeleteHi LT:
Sorry I’m late…just took advantage and made Labor Day one of those lazy, hazy, kickback, doing nothing days….no reveille,..late almost brunch type long slow breakfast with a good read ( no interruptions…better half lazying away in bed)…felt reeeeeaaal good!
Re: Your Post No. 8.- What you’re describing isn’t a broken system, as some seem to think, but rather a system deliberately designed to be unresponsive and dysfunctional. For all intents and purposes a ”carousel ride” designed by a Mad Hatter. Besides making it difficult just to get on the damned thing, once you’re on it things just go round and round never getting anywhere.
You call it a “game”. A game, from your description of it, which is not likely to produce any kind of useful outcome. That’s a pretty sorry and dumbass game to be playing.
Yeah, heard about all those wonderful bonuses they got. Isn’t that special! Pressures building up against the way the VA handles such things? Hah! How many times have we heard that tune? How many times have there been Congressional Committee hearings to “fix” things? How many times have new VA Secs. swore up and down they’d straighten things out? How many times has even our great American “public” exclaimed outrage about it all? ….there aren’t enough zeros on anyone’s calculator to count them all!
You’ve pretty well laid out the whereases and wherefores of the VA motives for the way such claims are handled. It boils down to it being a deliberate institutional policy of obstruction and delay. It seems to me, however, just learning how to play its game is not good enough. Sure, that will get you into the “pipeline”…but your claim will just be right there in that million plus backlog, as tail-end Charlie. It seems to me, a better approach, is to try and figure out how and in what way it “obstructs”, “delays”. What’s the mechanism involved for doing that? If we can ID those points of blockage, wouldn’t that give us a better chance for figuring how to either, get around them, by-pass them, or even eliminate them?
Which is why I asked that question…what happens to a claim once it’s filed? Where does it go? You don’t seem to know. You did previously mention that the apparent “first level of review” was with a VA Claims adjuster. Wonder what would happen if someone actually tried to walk a claim through the process…step by step…first level, who processes it? Where does it go next?...etc.etc…My thinking is: once we can get a fix on the mechanics of the system (like a diagram for an electrical or plumbing system), we might then have a better fix on where to apply “pressure” where it may be needed(can’t fire for effect without coordinates, or even a half-ass FO).
I do agree…every claim has to be reviewed and evaluated on its merits. We need to know who, what, where, or how, that review and evaluation are made…and by whom.
CENTURION
PS. Re Syria…no boots on the ground, odds are they’ll just blast another “aspirin factory” or two…so they can claim they have the moral high ground again.