U.S. Sen. Rob Portman (R-OH) this week expressed concern regarding the current backlog of U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) disability claims totaling almost 182,000 claims, which the Veterans Benefits Administration expects soon will peak at about 225,000 to 240,000 claims.
“We understand that there has been an influx of VA disability Blue Water Navy claims and Agent Orange claims under the recent National Defense Authorization Act expansion,” wrote Sen. Portman and U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH) in an Aug. 30 bipartisan letter sent to VA Secretary Denis McDonough. “We urge VA to work to eliminate the backlog to ensure timely benefits decisions for our veterans and their families.”
The senators pointed out that the VA’s temporarily paused in-person Compensation and Pension (C&P) examinations, which ran from April 2020 to October 2020 due to pandemic-related health and safety concerns, has contributed to the claims backlog.
“As you know, last fall, during a surge in the C&P examination backlog, VA suspended all C&P examinations and sent veterans to private contractors, with no notice to Congress,” wrote Sen. Portman and his colleague. “Although the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) eventually resumed some in-house examinations, VA continues to rely on VBA [Veterans Benefits Administration] contractors to perform about 90 percent of all C&P examinations.”
They urged the VBA to follow through on the Government Accountability Office’s (GAO) recent recommendations for improving oversight and quality control of contractor examinations and requested updates on the VA’s compliance with Section 2002 of the Johnny Isakson and David P. Roe, M.D., Veterans Health Care and Benefits Improvement Act of 2020. The senators also seek details on the VBA’s progress in completing open recommendations in the GAO’s October 2018 and March 2021 reports, according to their letter.
Additionally, Sens. Portman and Sherrod requested an itemized breakdown of funds that the VA has obligated under both the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act and the American Rescue Plan to address the C&P examination and claims backlogs.
The lawmakers also suggested that the VA maximize telehealth examinations when possible and encouraged the White House to select a qualified nominee for the vacant Under Secretary for Benefits, a position the senators called “critical for VA to address the C&P examination and claims backlogs promptly and effectively.” Doing so would allow their chamber to proceed with the confirmation process as soon as possible, they wrote.
“We would stand ready to help with regard to moving an appropriate nominee through the process,” Sen. Portman and his colleague wrote.