The bill would authorize a pilot program to hold medical examinations for veterans’ disability claims at Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) medical facilities. It would also require a study of exam access in rural areas and new training for VA employees who order or review exams. The VA would review samples of examinations for quality and excessive development, and give priority processing to affected claims when an exam is inadequate. The bill would also require a review and plan for exam scheduling systems and processes.
If you are a veteran seeking disability benefits, the pilot could make VA medical facilities an option for some examinations. The bill would require the VA to study exam wait times for rural veterans and plan ways to improve access, including options that could reduce long-distance travel. It would also require a process for examiners to send evidence you provide during an examination to your claims file. The bill does not guarantee a particular exam location or timeline.
The bill gives no total cost estimate. It says pilot program expenses, including certain examination travel and incidental expenses, would be reimbursed to VA operating and information technology accounts from funds available for compensation and pension payments.
No publicly available information.
No publicly available information.