VA backlog at risk

[G_j]

http://www.politico.com/story/2013/09/veterans-backlog-at-risk-under-shutdown-97593.html?hp=r3


The troublesome claims backlog at the Veterans Affairs Department will start to pile up even more a month after the start of the government shutdown, getting farther behind each day the government remains closed beyond that.

“Claims processing and payments in the compensation, pension, education, and vocational rehabilitation programs are anticipated to continue through late October,” according to an updated VA shutdown guide. “However, in the event of a prolonged shutdown, claims processing and payments in these programs would be suspended when available funding is exhausted.”

At the very least, claims waiting times are likely to increase over the short-term, due to furloughs of “non-essential” employees.

The VA may have to furlough as many as 20,000 claims processors if the White House and Congress aren’t able to agree on a continuing spending resolution to keep the government running past midnight Monday, VoteVets.org founder Jon Soltz said. And the existing claims backlog, which has long been decried by veterans’ advocates, could start to grow again if the shutdown continues for very long.

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[factsarenotfair]

1. The Pres and Congress could have added this to the Pay the Military bill.

n/t