{"id":2113397,"date":"2023-12-01T13:28:42","date_gmt":"2023-12-01T18:28:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/op-ed-arizonas-veterans-deserve-better-than-the-current-va-backlog\/"},"modified":"2023-12-01T13:31:58","modified_gmt":"2023-12-01T18:31:58","slug":"op-ed-arizonas-veterans-deserve-better-than-the-current-va-backlog","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/op-ed-arizonas-veterans-deserve-better-than-the-current-va-backlog\/","title":{"rendered":"Arizona&#8217;s veterans deserve more than the current VA backlog"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">18<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fop-ed-arizonas-veterans-deserve-better-than-the-current-va-backlog%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2113397&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><h2>Arizona&#8217;s Veterans Deserve Better than the Current VA \u200dBacklog<\/h2>\n<p>Unfortunately,\u2063 too many of America\u2019s heroes are facing difficulties when transitioning to\u2064 civilian life, specifically with regard to securing the Veterans Affairs disability benefits to which they are entitled.<\/p>\n<p>According to the most recent survey from \u200dthe VA, veterans in Arizona <a href=\"https:\/\/www.va.gov\/vetdata\/docs\/SpecialReports\/State_Summaries_Arizona.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">trail the national \u200baverage<\/a> when receiving disability compensation by several percentage points,\u2063 exposing issues with the current claims system that need to be corrected.<\/p>\n<p><strong>A significant impediment that veterans face when trying to secure\u200d VA\u200b disability benefits is\u2064 the claims system itself.<\/strong> A maze of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/exclusive-republicans-introduce-two-bills-to-combat-the-job-killing-biden-agenda\/\" title=\"EXCLUSIVE: Republicans Introduce Two Bills To Combat The \u2018Job-Killing Biden Agenda\u2019\">bureaucratic red tape<\/a>, many veterans find it \u200doverwhelming, if not impossible, to navigate\u200b the process themselves.<\/p>\n<p>As such, they have turned \u2062to veterans service organizations\u200c (VSOs) and VA-accredited \u200cattorneys for assistance.<\/p>\n<p>But while these entities can provide some important help, VSOs are staffed predominantly by\u2063 volunteers who also handle a myriad of other tasks, from medical transportation services to home \u2062loan help, and as such lack the manpower\u200c and expertise to assist all of Arizona\u2019s veterans with their claims.<\/p>\n<p>In fact, a quick\u200d scan of the VA <a href=\"https:\/\/www.va.gov\/ogc\/apps\/accreditation\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">website<\/a> shows that only a little over half of the VSO representatives in Arizona even have a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/biden-sends-letters-to-covid-aid-recipients-after-democrats-railed-on-trump-for-signing-checks\/\" title=\"Biden Sends Letters To COVID Aid Recipients After Democrats Railed On Trump For Signing Checks\">phone number listed<\/a>, leaving approximately one \u200breachable VSO officer for every 7,900 veterans\u200d in the state. Attorneys, meanwhile, only step in upon \u2062appeal of a claims decision, causing further delays in the process.<\/p>\n<p>While\u2063 Congress \u200cis <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/house-gop-threatens-hhs-secretary-with-subpoena-over-covid-19-origins-investigation\/\" title=\"House GOP warns HHS secretary of subpoena for COVID-19 origins probe.\">evaluating legislative solutions<\/a>\u200b to address these shortcomings, \u2063they\u200c must choose their path wisely,\u200d as with government it \u2062is too often \u200dthe\u200d case that the cure is worse than the\u2062 problem.<\/p>\n<p>A bill known as the\u2062 GUARD VA Benefits Act, while well-intentioned, could limit \u200cveteran choice in \u2063the \u200cways they could seek assistance\u2063 throughout \u200cthe process and make it\u200b harder to secure benefits.<\/p>\n<p>Fortunately, a\u200c better \u2063path forward exists in the form of the PLUS for the Veterans Act, \u200dwhich would provide \u200ba pathway for the private sector to take a more active \u200brole\u200c in helping \u200dveterans navigate the VA disability claims process.<\/p>\n<p>In recent years, as the VA backlog has ballooned to over\u200b <a href=\"https:\/\/www.benefits.va.gov\/reports\/mmwr_va_claims_backlog.asp\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">300,000 \u200cclaims<\/a>, private consulting agents have started offering their services to help streamline the process. These companies,\u200c which can leverage marketplace forces and staff expertise to\u2063 efficiently process claims, work on \u200ba contingency basis, which means that \u2063they do \u2062not get paid unless they increase the benefit payment for a veteran.<\/p>\n<p>Unfortunately, \u2064the\u200c current\u200c VA accreditation process does not allow a pathway for these \u2064private actors to \u200bgain formal VA recognition \u2014 \u200ban oversight that needs to be fixed. But instead of providing such a pathway, supporters of\u200c the GUARD Act would like to criminalize this\u2064 business model altogether.<\/p>\n<p>The PLUS Act, by contrast, would reform the accreditation regime\u2063 to include private consultants while increasing the VA\u2019s capability to enforce laws against exploitation of veterans by\u200b bad\u2063 actors. This legislation would empower veterans \u2064to decide their best course of action for themselves when seeking assistance \u2064by offering a\u200b much broader pool of VA-accredited firms,\u2062 providing more options in\u200d maneuvering a\u2063 very complicated bureaucratic process.<\/p>\n<p>When I sat as a\u200d member of the Arizona state Senate, I fielded hundreds of \u2064inquiries from \u200bveterans pertaining to\u200b their health care and disability claims and \u2063have seen \u200cfirsthand\u2063 the difficulties\u2062 these individuals face\u200d in navigating\u200d this system.<\/p>\n<p>I can only hope that all the stakeholders in Washington who have been entrusted with protecting our veterans\u200b can pass\u200b the PLUS\u2062 Act or come to the table to craft a compromise that will benefit those who served our country.<\/p>\n<p>Given \u2064how\u200c much \u2062these men and women \u2063have sacrificed, the least we can do \u2063is give\u2064 them the \u2064tools and choices to get the help\u2063 and assistance they need and deserve.<\/p>\n<p>The\u200b post <a rel=\"nofollow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/op-ed-arizonas-veterans-deserve-better-current-va-backlog\/\">Op-Ed: Arizona&#8217;s Veterans \u200cDeserve Better than\u200c the\u200c Current VA Backlog<\/a> appeared first on <a rel=\"nofollow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\">The Western Journal<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p> <\/p>\n<h2> How can involving the private sector in the claims process under the PLUS for Veterans Act help\u2062 streamline processes\u200b and reduce the \u200dbacklog, ultimately providing Arizona&#8217;s veterans\u200d with \u2062better support and faster\u200b claim resolution<\/h2>\n<p><span>  Ss for veterans. These agents are experienced in navigating the complexities of the VA system and can provide personalized assistance to veterans \u2063in Arizona.<\/p>\n<p>The PLUS for Veterans \u2064Act would allow \u2063veterans to choose private consulting agents to help them \u2064with their VA disability\u200c claims. \u200cThis would provide veterans with\u2064 more options\u200c and \u2063increase competition, leading to improved services and faster claim resolution.\u200b It would also alleviate \u200bthe burden on \u200dVSOs and VA-accredited attorneys, allowing them to focus on other important tasks and appeals.<\/p>\n<p>Critics argue that involving the private sector in the \u200dclaims process may \u2063lead to exploitation and\u2062 fraud. However, the PLUS for Veterans Act includes strict regulations and oversight \u200cmeasures to \u2064prevent such abuses. Consulting \u200dagents would be required to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/time-to-bud-light-best-buy-best-buy-faces-blowback-for-leadership-training-program-that-excludes-white-applicants\/\" title=\"'Best Buy's Bias Training Sparks Controversy: Excludes White Applicants'\">meet specific qualifications<\/a> and adhere \u2063to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/biden-champions-electric-vehicle-company-that-energy-sec-has-millions-in\/\" title=\"Biden Champions Electric Vehicle Company That Energy Sec Has Millions In\">ethical standards set<\/a> by the VA. This would\u200c ensure that veterans receive high-quality assistance without being taken advantage of.<\/p>\n<p>Furthermore, the private sector has already shown its effectiveness in streamlining processes in other areas. Companies and organizations in various industries have successfully implemented technology and efficient\u2062 practices to improve customer \u200cservice and responsiveness. Applying these principles to\u200d the VA claims process could\u2062 significantly reduce the \u200cbacklog and provide veterans\u2063 with the support they need and deserve.<\/p>\n<p>In \u2062conclusion, Arizona&#8217;s veterans deserve better than the current VA \u200bbacklog. The existing claims system is overwhelmed\u2062 and in need of \u2062reform. The GUARD VA Benefits Act, while well-intentioned, may limit veteran choice and make it harder to secure benefits. The PLUS for \u200dVeterans Act offers a better path forward by involving the \u200bprivate sector and allowing\u2062 veterans to choose consulting\u2063 agents to\u200c assist them. With proper regulations and oversight,\u200b this approach can streamline the claims process and provide Arizona&#8217;s veterans with the support\u2063 they deserve in a more efficient \u2063and timely manner. It is crucial for \u2062Congress to carefully consider and support \u200bthis\u2064 legislation to ensure that our veterans receive the benefits and assistance they so rightly deserve.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Unfortunately, numerous American heroes encounter challenges when transitioning to civilian life, particularly in obtaining their entitled Veterans Affairs disability benefits. In Arizona, veterans face even more difficulties, as they lag behind the national average in receiving disability compensation, as revealed by the latest VA survey. This highlights the existing issues<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2582,"featured_media":2113398,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/cndimages.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/IMG_2758-scaled-1.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[548],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2113397","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-conservative-news-daily"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/cndimages.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/IMG_2758-scaled-1.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2113397","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2582"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2113397"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2113397\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2113398"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2113397"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2113397"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2113397"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}