Lawmakers, watchdogs acknowledge failings of veterans disability program

"Veterans' advocates, a top government watchdog and senators in both parties on Wednesday denounced a Washington Post investigation that revealed exaggeration and fraud in the government's $193 billion disability program for former military personnel. Yet lawmakers also acknowledged a raft of shortcomings in the program that they said are creating barriers for veterans seeking benefits for bona fide disabilities. At a hearing before the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee, officials and advocates testified about systemic flaws that allow for dubious claims,"

"The Post investigation, based on 25 years of government data and thousands of pages of public documents, found that the Department of Veterans Affairs' disability benefits program has become prone to rampant exaggeration and, in some cases, outright fraud. Records show that VA has approved millions of claims for minor or treatable afflictions that rarely hinder employment, such as hemorrhoids, acne, hay fever and sleep apnea."

""The cases of fraud highlighted in these articles do not reflect the reality of who veterans are, the vast majority of the veteran population, or the values veterans embody," Moran said. At the same time, he said, "the attention these stories have received" has given the committee an opportunity to explore "whether the system we have built is serving the needs of veterans today, and how we can reform it to better serve those it was designed to help.""

Government oversight and veterans' groups denounced revelations of exaggeration and fraud within the Department of Veterans Affairs disability benefits program. Lawmakers acknowledged systemic shortcomings that create barriers for veterans seeking legitimate benefits and called for further review. Committee hearings highlighted that the program approves many claims for minor or treatable conditions that rarely hinder employment. Committee leaders reported hearing upset veterans and stated that media attention provides an opportunity to evaluate whether the benefits system serves veterans' current needs and how it can be reformed. Additional hearings are planned to examine the system further.

Read at The Washington Post