VA CLAIM SHREDDING UPDATE

House Veterans’ Affairs Committee Chairman Bob Filner (D-CA) released this statement following the roundtable discussion 19 NOV on the shredding of veterans’ documents by the VA:

    "Today’s roundtable revealed a number of shortcomings within the VA that are hardly new and most definitely failing our nation’s veterans. I am encouraged that the VA came forward and revealed that important documents were slated for the shredding bin.  "I remain angry that a culture of dishonesty has led to increased mistrust of the VA within the veteran community.  A systemic lack of integrity seems pervasive and that is a shame. First, I am not convinced that only 500 documents were saved from the shredding bin.  This is merely a snapshot in time.  The VA was unable to convince me that more documents have not been shredded in the past and I honestly do not know how many records have been destroyed and how many files lost over the past decades. Second, we have heard promises from the VA before.  We have heard that the claims process will go paperless.  Training will be improved.  VA’s latest promise is that veterans can submit statements containing information that will be used in the adjudication process in lieu of documents missing from their files.  While this is an important step forward, I am skeptical that this new step will become part of the claims process. Additionally, the VA’s outreach has been limited to a reliance on media reports and a message on the VA website.  The VA did not report a systematic way of reaching out to veterans to alert them of new policies that may have huge implications in their claims going forward. Finally, Congress has routinely asked VA what it needs to adequately care for veterans and the response has been that it is adequately poised.  This is clearly not adequate care for our veterans. Listen, this is a long-term systemic problem that will require uncomfortable changes, long hours, unprecedented cooperation, extraordinary progress, and a new system of independent oversight.  Clearly, the current system of self-reporting and internal regulation is ineffective.  Congress must hold the VA accountable for a job NOT WELL DONE.  A complete paradigm shift is necessary and I look forward to working with new leadership to correct the problems plaguing the benefits claims system.  I am pleased that veterans have begun to work on transition issues in the impending Obama Administration.  I plan to work with veterans service organizations, veterans, and the VA to fundamentally change the way that the Veterans Benefits Administration conducts business."

         At the conference doubts were raised about whether the Bush administration can do anything to restore confidence in the Veterans Affairs Department following the discovery last month of key benefits claims documents in shredding bins at regional offices. But the problem, initially discovered by teams of auditors from the VA inspector general’s office, didn’t exactly shock the veterans’ community. Veterans have complained for decades about VA losing or destroying claims documents, making an already complicated process even more difficult to deal with. Veterans’ advocates attending a roundtable discussion arranged by the House Veterans Affairs Committee said VA’s admission of mishandling documents is a sign of the fundamental problems that veterans have seen for years. Rick Weidman, executive director for government affairs of Vietnam Veterans of America, said the only real news is that VA now acknowledged the problem. “Shredding is not the issue,” he said, calling instead for focus on “the integrity of the process.”Rep. Harry Mitchell, D-Ariz., said he is worried that leaving key documents to be shredded is a sign of a larger workload problem and pressure to meet production quotas. Mitchell said it has led him to wonder whether VA officials have been completely honest when they said they had all of the resources they needed to handle claims. Retired Vice Adm. Patrick Dunne, VA’s undersecretary for benefits, said the problem reflects poor document handling procedures, not an effort to prevent veterans from getting what is due them. The ultimate answer, he said, is a completely electronic filing system in which key records are scanned into a computer — although a paperless claims processing system won’t be available before 2010.

         A short-term solution, which might not be fully in place before President-elect Barack Obama takes office in January, sets new document management procedures for every VA regional office — including establishing records management officers and requiring two people to review any document before shredding. Rep. Bob Filner  said the fact that a review found 41 of the 57 VA regional offices had crucial documents in shredding bins is an “intolerable situation.” “These actions completely shatter confidence in the whole VA system,” Filner said. “This episode has further strengthened my belief that we need to have accountability in [VA] and leadership that demands accountability. These incidents and mistakes, all occurring to the detriment of our veterans and never to their benefit, remind me more of the Keystone Cops than a supportive organization dedicated to taking care of our veterans.” The VA has announced special procedures for veterans who believe lost records have led to the denial or delay of a benefits claim. [Source: AirForceTimes Rick Maze article 19 Nov 08 ++]