News: VBA Launching New Automated Tools!

The Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA) aims to expedite the utilization of automation tools this summer to match its workload and achieve unprecedented records in claims processing. 

Officials from the VBA informed the House Veterans Affairs Committee that increasing automation is definitely a vital component of the agency’s five-year modernization plan. 

Raymond Tellez, the VA’s Acting Assistant Deputy Undersecretary for Automated Benefits Delivery, revealed that as part of the five-year modernization plan, the VBA is currently testing automation technology to reduce claim processing time. 

Tellez stated that the VBA expects these tools to reduce the backlog of claims within two years.  

He projected that the backlog, estimated to peak at 400,000 cases between now and 2024, would dramatically decline and fall below 100,000 claims by 2025. 

He emphasized the cautious approach being taken due to the challenges associated with implementing automation and the need to support employees who have undergone significant transformations over the past decade. 

As part of the modernization effort, the VBA plans to introduce automated data support tools that will expedite the delivery of information, such as Veteran’s medical exams and military service validation, which would go to claims processors. 

Furthermore, the VBA is launching automated data ingestion (ADI) tools to prepopulate information for benefits claims. 

Robert Orifici, the Director of VA’s Office of Information and Technology’s Benefits and Memorial Systems portfolio, noted the successful use of the ADI tool by approximately 400 VBA employees.  

Orifici mentioned that the ADI tool currently operates as a browser extension but will be deployed to more employees from this summer through fiscal year 2024. Eventually, ADI’s functionalities will be integrated into the agency’s Veterans Benefits Management System (VBMS). 

In addition, the VBA is introducing smart search tools that will enable VBA employees to search through a Veteran’s file more efficiently.  

Tellez stated that as part of the modernization plan, the VBA aims to break down the VBMS into smaller components, allowing for the modernization and upgrade of individual sections. 

Tellez explained that the VBA is decommissioning some legacy systems as part of the modernization effort, either modernizing them into new modules within VBMS or developing standalone modules. 

The modernization initiative intends to reduce the need for employees to switch between tools and create a unified working environment by consolidating necessary data. 

David Bump, a VBA Authorization Quality Review Specialist and National Representative for the American Federation of Government Employees’ National VA Council, expressed support for using technology to enhance the work of VBA processors.  

However, he expressed concern about automation tools fully replacing VBA employees.  

Bump urged lawmakers to ensure that all Veterans’ claims involve VA claims employees at some stage and that the process does not become entirely automated.  

He emphasized that technology should supplement, rather than supplant, the VBA’s workforce. 

Bump also raised concerns about the reliability of VBMS, noting that the system often crashes or requires rebooting, causing delays for claims processors.  

He highlighted the impact of system issues on performance metrics and the need for adequate time to account for such challenges. 

Tellez responded that the agency addresses outages on a case-by-case basis and stated that there is no consistent trend of system failures. 

Bump emphasized the importance of including VBA employees in the planning and upgrading of the tools they use.  

He pointed out that employees often face workarounds and inefficiencies when new software is deployed, causing delays in claim processing. 

Tellez assured that the VBA holds weekly calls with employees from regional offices to gather feedback on automation tools and involves frontline employees in the deployment process. 

VBA’s modernization plans also involve enhancements to the National Work Queue, a system that assigns claims to the VBA’s regional offices. 

Tellez explained that the agency is exploring ways to distribute work more efficiently and agilely through improvements to the National Work Queue. 

Bump commented on the current process, stating that the National Work Queue assigns work to regional offices based on an algorithm that considers the number of employees in each office. 

Bump suggested opening the National Work Queue would reduce idle time for claims processors, eliminating supervisors’ need for additional work.  

He believed that granting employees full access to all available claims would streamline the process and help meet performance standards more effectively. 

Furthermore, Bump urged the VBA, as part of its modernization plans, to ensure that a benefits claim remains within one regional office throughout processing. Currently, claims may be transferred between offices, leading to repeated steps and potential errors. 

The VBA’s modernization efforts aim to leverage automation tools, streamline processes, and reduce the backlog of claims while ensuring that technology complements the workforce rather than replacing it. 

The agency remains committed to improving VBMS and addressing system issues while involving employees in decision-making processes and gathering their valuable input. 

By embracing automation and modernization, the VBA is striving to enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of benefits processing, improving services for Veterans across the country.