**GAO-09-108**                      Published: Jan 29, 2009. Publicly Released: Jan 29, 2009.                  

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## Highlights

In 2005, Congress created a traumatic injury insurance benefit program, known as TSGLI, to help servicemembers with traumatic brain injury and other serious injuries with the financial burdens that they and their families face. The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) administers the program, in collaboration with the Department of Defense (DOD), while the branches of service are responsible for deciding servicemembers' claims. GAO examined (1) the TSGLI approval rate for traumatic brain injury claimants, and whether DOD and VA have assurance that claims are processed accurately, consistently, and in a timely manner and (2) any challenges servicemembers with traumatic brain injury may have faced in accessing TSGLI benefits, and the extent to which DOD and VA have taken steps to address such challenges. GAO analyzed program data and interviewed DOD and VA officials, servicemembers, and medical professionals.

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## Topics

Veterans

Claims processingClaims settlementData integrityEligibility criteriaHealth care costsHealth care policiesHealth care programsHealth care servicesInsurance claimsInternal controlsManaged health careMilitary health servicesMilitary personnelProgram managementQuality assuranceRatesVeterans benefitsVeterans' medical careTrauma careTimeliness