VA has unveiled our new Decision Ready Claims (DRC) initiative – just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to delivering faster claims decisions for Veterans.
Veterans who submit their claim under DRC with accredited Veterans service organizations (VSO) can expect to receive a decision within 30 days from the time VA receives the claim. VSOs will ensure that all supporting evidence (e.g. medical exam, military service records, etc.) is included with the claim submission. This advance preparation by the VSOs allows claims to be immediately assigned to claims processors for a quick decision. Processing these claims faster makes a big difference across our entire inventory.
The Veterans Benefits Administration developed DRC as an extension of Fully Developed Claims. It is just one way VA and VSOs are collaborating to help Veterans receive faster decisions on disability claims. VA works closely with participating VSOs to make sure their representatives are properly trained in the new process and given the tools they need to successfully participate in the DRC program on behalf of the Veterans they serve.
DRC was first implemented May 1, 2017, at the St. Paul Regional Office and is now available at all VA regional offices. While DRC is currently limited to claims for increased compensation (commonly known as claims for increase), VA’s goal is to expand the types of claims accepted under the initiative.
DRC is a promising step toward aggressively overhauling our benefits delivery to Veterans now that we’re in a fully digital operating environment. With electronic claims processing as our foundation, we have more innovation in store to continue to improve our service to Veterans, their families and survivors.
To learn if DRC is right for you, please visit www.benefits.va.gov/compensation/DRC.asp.
Thomas J. Murphy is currently the Acting Under Secretary for Benefits. Prior to his current position, he was appointed Principal Deputy Under Secretary for Benefits in the Department of Veterans Affairs.
Topics in this story
More Stories
During this International Fraud Awareness Week, VA aims to arm Veterans and their loved ones with the resources they need to protect themselves from common scams that target their benefits.
An important part of financial planning is life insurance, which VA offers through a variety of whole life programs to Veterans, service members and their families.
DOD has updated installation access procedures for Veterans. New process makes entering military bases and using services easier.
I have been waiting since 2013 when I filed my VA Form 9 for my appeal to be decided. I had a BVA hearing 2/5/16 (finally), and am still waiting for a decision. Other blog posts have said the BVA is working on cases from 2014 already, but my case number is a ’13. Everytime I ask about my case, I get the standard “waiting for place on docket” and they “can’t tell me when the appeal will be decided”.
The VA is by far the slowest process I have ever been involved in. Hopefully they figure out a way to get more claims done correctly the first time. If claims were correctly decided the first time, it would speed up the process overall.
What horse snot. The VA just added another six months to a year on gathering of evidence. They have hidden the records for 46 years telling me they were lost in transit from Vietnam when I was medivac”d out in June 1971. A Permanent Profile 3 on DA 3349 was ignored, the Medical Evaluation Board was corrupt, no counsel or PEBLO, every condition of an “Unexplained Illnes”, and 30 FOIA Requests went unanswered or I was sent service records, no medical records. They are hiding the fact that experiments were done on us in my opinion, and we are assigned to die, uncompensated. There is a lot of trusting fools out there that believe in DAV, VFW, VVA, and others, but the fact is none of them are your friend. You have no friends connected with the VA, but you would really be screwed without them like many of us. They screwed you coming and going and lied both ways. Pretty sickening how we are so deceived, but we are trusting, giving man the benefit of the doubt(unlike the VA), believing their words as truth. If you believe them you are a fool. You get a lawyer or you are screwed and may be even then, and DAV will go out of their way to see you screwed. 46 years and I haven’t found an honest employee yet, well, maybe one and possibly 2, but no examiners and none connected to your rating. All examiners are 100% against you and “Liars”. All of them, at least in Kansas City.
We once again take a good ideal and screw it up by releasing the ideal before we have things in place to handle the burden this places on our people trying to assist Veterans. When 90% of our local VSOs are less than part time employees (8 hours 1 day per week), and we have a very limited access to material it sucks to see this released without a road map to house this will work at the Regional Office. All of sudden Veterans are asking and if we can really get them a quick claim processed in 30 days but yet who is their point of contact. How many hires have been made to make this influx happen….sure the test site worked well,,,,,,,,,LOL they were set up and tested and the information was put out and it was brought on board correctly. Now lets punt it out there to all the other states and say make it happend because we already told the veterans it was…Thanks again People at the Top. Us bottom feeders will try to make you look good.
I have been waiting for my appeal for over 1 year with no results.Since my army records were destroyed in that fire,WHY
do I have to wait so long for my decision?
VERY WELL SAID ARTHUR, THANK YOU
This is a great program that will undoubtedly aid many thousands of veterans to obtain their decisions quickly. A caution, however – do NOT sacrifice the veterans waiting on appeals so that these initial claims can be adjudicated within 30 days. This problem existed (perhaps still exists) with PTSD filing. An FDC application for benefits in the Cleveland region received a decision within 6 weeks and that was great. However, appeals, particularly DRO appeals, languished for years while resources were shifted to initial claims. There must be an effective policy in place to ensure that existing claims and appeals do not receive short shrift in order to allow this program to be a tool for a more favorable public and within the Beltway perception and trotted out as the poster child when asking for increased appropriations. Thank you.
Very well said Arthur.
LOL Arthur.
Do you believe this? Today, just today, another 6 months to a year got added to my claim that has been there for over 3 year already, or does this just apply to new claims? I filed in 1983 and am waiting. I have 100% documentation of boots on ground in Vietnam, hospitalized there a month with a skin disease, medivac”d out with a “P3” Permanent Profile, had every condition of unexplained illness, hospitalized again in the states twice, coma 2/3 months after discharge for a week, did not stableize or recover in the next 10 months after Vietnam. All in the line of duty and while on duty, but denied. Cut and dry right? Nope lied to for 46 years and counting. the BVA denied me access to my treatment records a third time August 11 2017. I waived a in person DRO with long wait time for a 2/3 month DRO Review in 2/3 months. Six months have passed and another year wait added. Don’t believe a word of it.