VA trims benefits paperwork by 13 pages
Published: June 15, 2010
Veterans Affairs officials announced today they've revised paperwork for first-time disability and pension claims, shortening the 23-page form down to a mere 10-page application. In a statement, VA Secretary Eric Shinseki said the move symbolizes "changes underway to make VA more responsive to Veterans and their families.”
Of course, the new form still includes four pages of instructions, plus a two-page addendum at the end to authorize release of personal information to VA claims researchers. Even if the process is faster, that doesn't mean it's a quick turnaround.
Applying for benefits has been a cumbersome process for years -- veterans groups say most first-time applicants need help navigating the sea of forms and regulations just to get their foot in the door. And the VA claims backlog, which recently topped 500,000, means that most claims still take more than a year to process.
VA officials said they're working to "break the back of the backlog," and that simple changes like the paperwork reduction will make a difference in the long run. But they also admit that more work needs to be done.
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