summary
Introduced
05/09/2013
05/09/2013
In Committee
05/09/2013
05/09/2013
Crossed Over
Passed
Dead
01/03/2015
01/03/2015
Introduced Session
113th Congress
Bill Summary
Claims Processing Improvement Act of 2013 - Directs the Secretary of Veterans Affairs (VA) to establish: (1) a working group to assess and develop recommendations for improving the employee work credit and work management systems of the Veterans Benefits Administration, and (2) a task force to assess the retention and training of claims processors and adjudicators employed by the VA and other federal departments and agencies. Requires the Secretary, in providing assistance to a VA benefits claimant, to make no fewer than two attempts to obtain needed records from another federal department or agency, and to notify the claimant of the inability to obtain all of the records sought. Requires a record sought before the adjudication of a claim but received after such adjudication to be considered part of the original record. Authorizes the Secretary to recognize representatives of Indian tribes in the preparation, presentation, and prosecution of VA claims. Directs the Secretary to: (1) carry out a pilot program of including the participation of local governments and tribal organizations in improving the quality of disability compensation claims submitted to the VA, and (2) report quarterly through 2015 to the congressional veterans committees on the backlog of submitted claims. Changes from one year to 180 days the filing period of a notice of disagreement to a decision on a claim, after which appellate review will be initiated. Allows the Secretary to waive such deadline for good cause shown, as long as such notice is filed within 186 days after the original deadline. Revises the manner of appearance (in person, through picture and voice transmission, etc.) and appropriate location of a hearing before the Board of Veterans' Appeals. Authorizes the Secretary to disclose VA patient medical records, as appropriate under an appeal, to the Supreme Court, a U.S. Court of Appeals, or the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims. Extends: (1) VA authority to operate a regional office in the Republic of the Philippines, (2) the period for the scheduling of VA medical exams for veterans receiving temporary disability ratings due to severe mental disorders, (3) the marriage delimiting date for surviving spouses of Persian Gulf War veterans to qualify for a VA death pension, and (4) the temporary authority for the performance of VA medical disability examinations by contract physicians. Requires a report from the Secretary to the veterans committees on: (1) the furnishing of general and specialty medical examinations by the VA for purposes of adjudicating benefits claims, and (2) progress of the VA's acceptable clinical evidence initiative in reducing the necessity for in-person disability examinations and other efforts to comply with requirements concerning the acceptance of reports of private physicians.
AI Summary
This bill, the Claims Processing Improvement Act of 2013, aims to streamline and improve how the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) processes claims for veterans' benefits. Key provisions include establishing a working group to enhance how VA employees' work is tracked and managed, and a task force to focus on retaining and training claims processors and adjudicators, who are the individuals responsible for reviewing and deciding on claims. The bill also mandates that the VA make at least two attempts to get necessary records from other federal agencies before notifying a claimant of any missing information, and any records received after a claim is decided will be considered part of the original submission. It allows representatives of Indian tribes to assist veterans with their claims and initiates a pilot program involving local and tribal governments to improve the quality of disability compensation claims. The VA will also be required to report quarterly on its progress in reducing the backlog of unprocessed claims. For appeals, the deadline to file a "notice of disagreement" (a formal request to appeal a VA decision) is shortened from one year to 180 days, with a provision for extensions for good cause. The bill also updates how hearings before the Board of Veterans' Appeals (BVA), the body that reviews appeals, can be conducted, allowing for more flexibility in appearance methods and locations, and permits the VA to share patient medical records with certain courts during appeals. Finally, it extends several existing VA authorities, including operations in the Philippines, scheduling of medical exams for veterans with severe mental disorders, eligibility for surviving spouses of Persian Gulf War veterans to receive death pensions, and the use of contract physicians for medical disability exams. The bill also requires reports on the VA's use of medical examinations for claims adjudication and its progress on an initiative to accept more clinical evidence from private doctors, thereby reducing the need for in-person VA exams.
Committee Categories
Military Affairs and Security
Sponsors (5)
Last Action
Committee on Veterans' Affairs. Hearings held. Hearings printed: S.Hrg. 113-111. (on 06/12/2013)
Official Document
bill text
bill summary
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bill summary
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bill summary
| Document Type | Source Location |
|---|---|
| State Bill Page | https://www.congress.gov/bill/113th-congress/senate-bill/928/all-info |
| BillText | http://gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/BILLS-113s928is/pdf/BILLS-113s928is.pdf |
| Bill | http://gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/BILLS-113s928is/pdf/BILLS-113s928is.pdf.pdf |
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