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106TH CONGRESS

1ST SESSION S. 1680

To provide for the improvement of the processing of claims for veterans

compensation and pension, and for other purposes.

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

OCTOBER 1, 1999

Mr. ASHCROFT (for himself and Mr. FEINGOLD) introduced the following bill;

which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs

A BILL

To provide for the improvement of the processing of claims

for veterans compensation and pension, and for other

purposes.

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Veterans Benefits Ad5 ministration Improvement Act of 1999’’.

6 SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

7 Congress makes the following findings:

8 (1) The Veterans Benefits Administration of

9 the Department of Veterans Affairs is responsible
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1 for the timely and accurate processing of claims for

2 veterans compensation and pension.

3 (2) The accuracy of claims processing within

4 the Veterans Benefits Administration has been a

5 subject of concern to Congress and the Department

6 of Veterans Affairs.

7 (3) While the Veterans Benefits Administration

8 has reported in the past a 95 percent accuracy rate

9 in processing claims, a new accuracy measurement

10 system known as the Systematic Technical Accuracy

11 Review found that, in 1998, initial review of vet12 erans claims was accurate only 64 percent of the

13 time.

14 (4) The Veterans Benefits Administration could

15 lose up to 30 percent of its workforce to retirement

16 by 2003, making adequate training for claims adju17 dicators even more necessary to ensure veterans

18 claims are processed efficiently.

19 (5) The Veterans Benefits Administration needs

20 to take more aggressive steps to ensure that vet21 erans claims are processed in an accurate and timely

22 fashion to avoid unnecessary delays in providing vet23 erans with compensation and pension benefits.
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1 SEC. 3. IMPROVEMENT OF PROCESSING OF VETERANS BEN2 EFITS CLAIMS.

3 (a) PLAN REQUIRED.—Not later than 90 days after

4 the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of

5 Veterans Affairs shall submit to the Committees on Vet6 erans’ Affairs of the Senate and the House of Representa7 tives, the Majority Leader of the Senate, and the Speaker

8 of the House of Representatives a comprehensive plan for

9 the improvement of the processing of claims for veterans

10 compensation and pension.

11 (b) ELEMENTS.—The plan under subsection (a) shall

12 include the following:

13 (1) Mechanisms for the improvement of train14 ing of claims adjudicators and for the enhancement

15 of employee accountability standards in order to en16 sure that initial reviews of claims are accurate and

17 that unnecessary appeals of benefit decisions and

18 delays in benefit payments are avoided.

19 (2) Mechanisms for strengthening the ability of

20 the Veterans Benefits Administration of the Depart21 ment of Veterans Affairs to identify recurring errors

22 in claims adjudications by improving data collection

23 and management relating to—

24 (A) the human body and the impairments

25 common in disability and pension claims; and
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1 (B) recurring deficiencies in medical evi2 dence and examinations.

3 (3) Mechanisms for implementing a system for

4 reviewing claims-processing accuracy that meets the

5 Government’s internal control standard on separa6 tion of duties and the program performance audit

7 standard on organizational independence.

8 (4) Quantifiable goals for each of the mecha9 nisms developed under paragraphs (1) through (3).

10 (c) CONSULTATION.—In developing the plan under

11 subsection (a), the Secretary shall consult with and obtain

12 the views of veterans organizations and other interested

13 parties.

14 (d) IMPLEMENTATION.—The Secretary shall imple15 ment the plan under subsection (a) commencing 60 days

16 after the date of the submittal of the plan under that sub17 section.

18 (e) MODIFICATION.—(1) The Secretary may modify

19 the plan submitted under subsection (a).

20 (2) Any modification under paragraph (1) shall not

21 take effect until 30 days after the date on which the Sec22 retary submits to the Committees on Veterans’ Affairs of

23 the Senate and the House of Representatives, the Majority

24 Leader of the Senate, and the Speaker of the House of

25 Representatives a notice regarding such modification.
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1 (f) REPORTS.—Not later than January 1, 2000, and

2 every 6 months thereafter, the Secretary shall submit to

3 the Committees on Veterans’ Affairs of the Senate and

4 the House of Representatives, the Majority Leader of the

5 Senate, and the Speaker of the House of Representatives

6 a report assessing implementation of the plan under sub7 section (a) during the preceding 6 months, including an

8 assessment of whether the goals set forth under subsection

9 (b)(4) are being achieved.

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