REPORT REGARDING DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS CLAIMS PROCESS

To Whom It May Concern:

This is a request under the Freedom of Information Act. I hereby request the following records:

A copy of the report submitted to Congress in compliance with Sec. 682 of NDAA 2013:

SEC. 682. REPORT REGARDING DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS CLAIMS PROCESS TRANSFORMATION PLAN.

(a) Report Required- Not later than 60 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall submit to the Committees on Armed Forces and the Committees on Veterans’ Affairs of the Senate and House of Representatives a report on the plan of the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to reduce the backlog of claims for benefits under laws administered by the Secretary that are pending as of the date of the enactment of this Act and to more efficiently and fairly process claims for such benefits in the future.

(b) Contents of Report- The report required in under subsection (a) shall include each of the following:

(1) A detailed explanation of the Veterans Benefits Administration Claims Transformation Plan, including--

(A) a timeline and steps to completion with anticipated completion dates;

(B) all benchmarks and indicia of success that the Secretary will use to measure the success or failure of each step in the Transformation Plan; and

(C) the estimated costs, by fiscal year for each of the five fiscal years following the fiscal year during which the report is submitted, associated with the Transformation Plan, including training and personnel costs, as well as the increase or decrease in the number of personnel expected as part of the Transformation Plan.

(2) A detailed explanation of the claims process that is expected to result after the completion of the Transformation Plan, from initial filing of claim to the award or denial of benefits, including any appellate steps in the process.

(3) A detailed explanation of the roles and purposes of the Program Management Office, the Veterans Benefits Administration Transformation Governance Board, Transformation Joint Executive Board, and Design Teams, including a list of personnel for each entity as well as current and projected costs over the subsequent five fiscal years to operate and staff each entity.

(4) A detailed explanation of all steps taken thus far to involve non-Federal entities in the claims process, including the Texas Veterans Commission and other State or local agencies relating to veterans’ affairs, veterans service organizations, and other not-for-profit entities.

(5) A plan for the Secretary to partner with non-Federal entities to support efforts to reduce the backlog of claims for benefits under laws administered by the Secretary and to more efficiently and fairly process such claims in the future, including State and local agencies relating to veterans affairs, veterans service organizations, and such other relevant Government and non-Government entities as the Secretary considers appropriate. Such plan shall include--

(A) a description of how the Secretary intends to leverage such partnerships with non-Federal entities to eliminate the backlog by--

(i) increasing the percentage of new claims that are fully developed prior to submittal to the Secretary and expediting the processing of such claims; and

(ii) helping claimants gather and submit necessary evidence for claims that were previously filed but require further development; and

(B) a description of how such partnerships with non-Federal entities will fit into the Transformation Plan.

I also request that, if appropriate, fees be waived as I believe this request is in the public interest. The requested documents will be made available to the general public free of charge as part of the public information service at MuckRock.com, processed by a representative of the news media/press and is made in the process of news gathering and not for commercial usage.

In the event that fees cannot be waived, I would be grateful if you would inform me of the total charges in advance of fulfilling my request. I would prefer the request filled electronically, by e-mail attachment if available or CD-ROM if not.

Thank you in advance for your anticipated cooperation in this matter. I look forward to receiving your response to this request within 20 business days, as the statute requires.

Sincerely,

Shawn Musgrave

To Whom It May Concern:

I wanted to follow up on the following Freedom of Information request, copied below, and originally submitted on June 27, 2013. Please let me know when I can expect to receive a response, or if further clarification is needed.

Thank you for your help.

To Whom It May Concern:

I wanted to follow up on the following Freedom of Information request, copied below, and originally submitted on June 27, 2013. Please let me know when I can expect to receive a response, or if further clarification is needed.

Thank you for your help.

To Whom It May Concern:

I wanted to follow up on the following Freedom of Information request, copied below, and originally submitted on June 27, 2013. Please let me know when I can expect to receive a response, or if further clarification is needed.

Thank you for your help.

Hello,

We had been sending this FOIA request to the incorrect email address for several months. Please confirm receipt.

Thank you.

===========

To Whom It May Concern:

This is a request under the Freedom of Information Act. I hereby request the following records:

A copy of the report submitted to Congress in compliance with Sec. 682 of NDAA 2013:

SEC. 682. REPORT REGARDING DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS CLAIMS PROCESS TRANSFORMATION PLAN.

(a) Report Required- Not later than 60 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall submit to the Committees on Armed Forces and the Committees on Veterans’ Affairs of the Senate and House of Representatives a report on the plan of the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to reduce the backlog of claims for benefits under laws administered by the Secretary that are pending as of the date of the enactment of this Act and to more efficiently and fairly process claims for such benefits in the future.

(b) Contents of Report- The report required in under subsection (a) shall include each of the following:

(1) A detailed explanation of the Veterans Benefits Administration Claims Transformation Plan, including--

(A) a timeline and steps to completion with anticipated completion dates;

(B) all benchmarks and indicia of success that the Secretary will use to measure the success or failure of each step in the Transformation Plan; and

(C) the estimated costs, by fiscal year for each of the five fiscal years following the fiscal year during which the report is submitted, associated with the Transformation Plan, including training and personnel costs, as well as the increase or decrease in the number of personnel expected as part of the Transformation Plan.

(2) A detailed explanation of the claims process that is expected to result after the completion of the Transformation Plan, from initial filing of claim to the award or denial of benefits, including any appellate steps in the process.

(3) A detailed explanation of the roles and purposes of the Program Management Office, the Veterans Benefits Administration Transformation Governance Board, Transformation Joint Executive Board, and Design Teams, including a list of personnel for each entity as well as current and projected costs over the subsequent five fiscal years to operate and staff each entity.

(4) A detailed explanation of all steps taken thus far to involve non-Federal entities in the claims process, including the Texas Veterans Commission and other State or local agencies relating to veterans’ affairs, veterans service organizations, and other not-for-profit entities.

(5) A plan for the Secretary to partner with non-Federal entities to support efforts to reduce the backlog of claims for benefits under laws administered by the Secretary and to more efficiently and fairly process such claims in the future, including State and local agencies relating to veterans affairs, veterans service organizations, and such other relevant Government and non-Government entities as the Secretary considers appropriate. Such plan shall include--

(A) a description of how the Secretary intends to leverage such partnerships with non-Federal entities to eliminate the backlog by--

(i) increasing the percentage of new claims that are fully developed prior to submittal to the Secretary and expediting the processing of such claims; and

(ii) helping claimants gather and submit necessary evidence for claims that were previously filed but require further development; and

(B) a description of how such partnerships with non-Federal entities will fit into the Transformation Plan.

I also request that, if appropriate, fees be waived as I believe this request is in the public interest. The requested documents will be made available to the general public free of charge as part of the public information service at MuckRock.com, processed by a representative of the news media/press and is made in the process of news gathering and not for commercial usage.

In the event that fees cannot be waived, I would be grateful if you would inform me of the total charges in advance of fulfilling my request. I would prefer the request filled electronically, by e-mail attachment if available or CD-ROM if not.

Thank you in advance for your anticipated cooperation in this matter. I look forward to receiving your response to this request within 20 business days, as the statute requires.

Sincerely,

Shawn Musgrave

To Whom It May Concern:

I wanted to follow up on the following Freedom of Information request, copied below, and originally submitted on Oct. 2, 2013. Please let me know when I can expect to receive a response, or if further clarification is needed.

Thank you for your help.

Hello,

Per the email below from the Veterans Affairs FOIA office, I hereby submit the request below to the Veterans Benefits Administration. Please confirm receipt.

Best,
Shawn Musgrave

===================

To Whom It May Concern:

This is a request under the Freedom of Information Act. I hereby request the following records:

A copy of the report submitted to Congress in compliance with Sec. 682 of NDAA 2013:

SEC. 682. REPORT REGARDING DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS CLAIMS PROCESS TRANSFORMATION PLAN.

(a) Report Required- Not later than 60 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall submit to the Committees on Armed Forces and the Committees on Veterans’ Affairs of the Senate and House of Representatives a report on the plan of the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to reduce the backlog of claims for benefits under laws administered by the Secretary that are pending as of the date of the enactment of this Act and to more efficiently and fairly process claims for such benefits in the future.

(b) Contents of Report- The report required in under subsection (a) shall include each of the following:

(1) A detailed explanation of the Veterans Benefits Administration Claims Transformation Plan, including--

(A) a timeline and steps to completion with anticipated completion dates;

(B) all benchmarks and indicia of success that the Secretary will use to measure the success or failure of each step in the Transformation Plan; and

(C) the estimated costs, by fiscal year for each of the five fiscal years following the fiscal year during which the report is submitted, associated with the Transformation Plan, including training and personnel costs, as well as the increase or decrease in the number of personnel expected as part of the Transformation Plan.

(2) A detailed explanation of the claims process that is expected to result after the completion of the Transformation Plan, from initial filing of claim to the award or denial of benefits, including any appellate steps in the process.

(3) A detailed explanation of the roles and purposes of the Program Management Office, the Veterans Benefits Administration Transformation Governance Board, Transformation Joint Executive Board, and Design Teams, including a list of personnel for each entity as well as current and projected costs over the subsequent five fiscal years to operate and staff each entity.

(4) A detailed explanation of all steps taken thus far to involve non-Federal entities in the claims process, including the Texas Veterans Commission and other State or local agencies relating to veterans’ affairs, veterans service organizations, and other not-for-profit entities.

(5) A plan for the Secretary to partner with non-Federal entities to support efforts to reduce the backlog of claims for benefits under laws administered by the Secretary and to more efficiently and fairly process such claims in the future, including State and local agencies relating to veterans affairs, veterans service organizations, and such other relevant Government and non-Government entities as the Secretary considers appropriate. Such plan shall include--

(A) a description of how the Secretary intends to leverage such partnerships with non-Federal entities to eliminate the backlog by--

(i) increasing the percentage of new claims that are fully developed prior to submittal to the Secretary and expediting the processing of such claims; and

(ii) helping claimants gather and submit necessary evidence for claims that were previously filed but require further development; and

(B) a description of how such partnerships with non-Federal entities will fit into the Transformation Plan.

I also request that, if appropriate, fees be waived as I believe this request is in the public interest. The requested documents will be made available to the general public free of charge as part of the public information service at MuckRock.com, processed by a representative of the news media/press and is made in the process of news gathering and not for commercial usage.

In the event that fees cannot be waived, I would be grateful if you would inform me of the total charges in advance of fulfilling my request. I would prefer the request filled electronically, by e-mail attachment if available or CD-ROM if not.

Thank you in advance for your anticipated cooperation in this matter. I look forward to receiving your response to this request within 20 business days, as the statute requires.

Sincerely,

Shawn Musgrave