Pelosi joins in call to fix VA backlog

The bills include measures that would require the Pentagon
to provide electronic records within 21 days that a service member is
discharged and would pay veterans as each benefit within a claim is decided,
rather than waiting until the full claim is completed.

{mosads}The claims backlog and the problems with moving to
electronic records and merging the Pentagon and VA’s systems have sparked
criticism in Congress and among veterans’ organizations over the Obama
administration’s approach to the backlog.

The issue has also received renewed public scrutiny as the
number of claims has grown, including from comedian Jon Stewart, as “The Daily
Show” has done several serious segments on the problem.

Twenty members of the House VA Committee, including Chairman
Jeff Miller (R-Fla.) and ranking member Michael Michaud (D-Maine), wrote to
President Obama on Wednesday asking him to step in to solve the DOD-VA
interagency problems.

“The time has come for a decision to be made and for the
permanent merging of electronic health-care records of the DOD and the VA,” the
lawmakers wrote. “Select a system, pick a path and move forward. We can no
longer waste the time or money that will result from endless bureaucratic
inaction.”

VA Secretary Eric Shinseki has vowed to eliminate the
backlog by 2015 and meet the department’s goal of processing claims within 125
days.

Shinseki and Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel are attending a
roundtable discussion with the Senate Appropriations Committee on Wednesday.

Michaud said on Wednesday that the
legislation offered by the committee’s Democrats would help the VA reach its
goal, while also providing veterans some relief as the backlog is addressed.

Michaud said after Wednesday’s press conference that he had not yet spoken to Miller, the committee chairman, to discuss marking up the bills. But
he said he was optimistic they could reach an agreement because they’re on the same page to address the problems with the claims backlog.

Tags Chuck Hagel Eric Shinseki

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