The U.S. House of Representatives on Monday approved legislation offered by U.S. Rep. David Valadao (R-CA) that would standardize software used by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to process benefit claims. The U.S. Senate is now considering the bill for action.
“The VA’s current claims system is inefficient, creates backlogs, and burdens veterans and their families with unnecessary paperwork,” Rep. Valadao said. “House passage of my bill is an important step to expand automation tools, streamline the process, and ensure our veterans receive the care they deserve, and I look forward to working with my Senate colleagues to get it across the finish line.”
The congressman on June 9 sponsored the Modernizing All Veterans and Survivors Claims Processing Act, H.R. 3854, to direct the VA to submit a plan to expand the use of certain automation tools in the department.
Currently, the VA has several offices that handle different types of benefits claims. To speed up disability claims, the VA has used AI tools to draft letters and gather key documents.
However, these tools haven’t been extended to other claims like pensions or survivors’ benefits, leading to long delays — sometimes years — for VA decisions, according to information provided by Rep. Valadao’s staff.
Claims processing is also slowed by mislabeled documents in the VA’s electronic system that can cause delays or even missed evidence that could support a veteran’s claim.
Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of H.R. 3854, the VA Secretary would be required to submit a plan to specific committees in Congress about how the secretary would make automation tools available to the VA for the purpose of processing claims, the text of the bill says.