FOR RELEASE: June 15, 2001

GAO Reports VA Claims Processor Training Development Delays 

Evans Says Delays Unacceptable
 Calls For Training Effectiveness Evaluation

Washington, DC – Congressman Lane Evans (D-IL) today released a General Accounting Office (GAO) assessment of efforts by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to provide training for claims processing employees that is both effective and standardized.  According to the GAO report requested by Evans, the Ranking Democratic Member of the House Committee on Veterans Affairs, significant delays in VA development of computer assisted “Training and Performance Support System” (TPSS) are “hindering the program’s ability to achieve its objective of providing standardized training to claims processing employees.”  Evans, a supporter of the training initiative stated, “I am disappointed that critical training modules have not been developed in time to train the new employees VA has recently hired to address one of the largest backlogs of pending claims in history.  I am also concerned that VA does not have a formal evaluation plan to assess the efficacy of the training programs.” 

VA expected the training initiative would reduce the amount of time needed to train employees in the complex adjudication of veterans’ claims for compensation and pension benefits.  GAO found that the development and implementation of the program is at least two years behind schedule and that alternative training methods may reduce the number of computer training modules needed.  Although the first module for appeals was released in May of 1989, VBA did not require all regional offices to use the training programs until December of 2000.  Not all offices used the program in a consistent manner.   

Using a survey of all regional offices and follow-up interviews in six VA Regional Offices, GAO found “that many TPSS modules will not be available when needed to train new employees and that TPSS may not substantially reduce the training period for employees.”  GAO recognized the value of uniform training modules designed to improve both accuracy and consistency.  VA has agreed with GAO’s recommendations to explore alternative means of training such as continuing to use the VBA Satellite Network to deliver timely standardized training.  VA has also agreed for the need to develop more formal plans for evaluating the impact of TPSS on accuracy and consistency in claims processing. 

Evans reported he was recently contacted by an unemployed Illinois veteran who had appealed a service-connected disability rating of 30% to the Board of Veterans Appeals.  Without obtaining any other evidence, the Board reversed the regional office decision and awarded a 100% rating.  Evans said, “This strongly suggests to me that Illinois veterans may be having their claims under-rated.  For a veteran with a valid disability claim to be told that the disability is less serious than the veteran knows it to be is infuriating, and unfair to our Nation’s defenders."  

Improved accuracy and consistency in claims decisions will benefit veterans, the VA, and the Nation.  Despite the enormous backlog of claims pending at VA regional offices, Evans encouraged the VA to develop an appropriate number of computer assisted training modules, while also utilizing alternative training methods.  “I believe that evaluation of various training methods is crucial to improving the quality of claims adjudication and the job performance of VA adjudication personnel."