FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: November 19, 2008
http://veterans.house.gov
Filner to VA: Confidence in VA Completely Shattered by Recent Document Shredding
Washington, D.C. – House Veterans’ Affairs Committee Chairman Bob Filner (D-CA) released this statement following today’s roundtable discussion on the shredding of veterans’ documents by the VA:
“Today’s roundtable revealed a number of shortcomings within the VA that are hardly new and most definitely failing our nation’s veterans.
“I am encouraged that the VA came forward and revealed that important documents were slated for the shredding bin.
“I remain angry that a culture of dishonesty has led to increased mistrust of the VA within the veteran community. A systemic lack of integrity seems pervasive and that is a shame.
“First, I am not convinced that only 500 documents were saved from the shredding bin. This is merely a snapshot in time. The VA was unable to convince me that more documents have not been shredded in the past and I honestly do not know how many records have been destroyed and how many files lost over the past decades.
“Second, we have heard promises from the VA before. We have heard that the claims process will go paperless. Training will be improved. VA’s latest promise is that veterans can submit statements containing information that will be used in the adjudication process in lieu of documents missing from their files. While this is an important step forward, I am skeptical that this new step will become part of the claims process.
“Additionally, the VA’s outreach has been limited to a reliance on media reports and a message on the VA website. The VA did not report a systematic way of reaching out to veterans to alert them of new policies that may have huge implications in their claims going forward.
“Finally, Congress has routinely asked VA what it needs to adequately care for veterans and the response has been that it is adequately poised. This is clearly not adequate care for our veterans.
“Listen, this is a long-term systemic problem that will require uncomfortable changes, long hours, unprecedented cooperation, extraordinary progress, and a new system of independent oversight. Clearly, the current system of self-reporting and internal regulation is ineffective. Congress must hold the VA accountable for a job NOT WELL DONE.
“A complete paradigm shift is necessary and I look forward to working with new leadership to correct the problems plaguing the benefits claims system. I am pleased that veterans have begun to work on transition issues in the impending Obama Administration. I plan to work with veterans service organizations, veterans, and the VA to fundamentally change the way that the Veterans Benefits Administration conducts business.”
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Chairman Filner provided this opening statement to begin the roundtable discussion:
Good morning and welcome to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs’ roundtable discussion on the very serious issue of the shredding of veterans documents-- whether they are claims or other records.
On October 13th of this year, we…the Committee and our Veterans…were shocked by the disturbing headline:
“SHREDDING OUR TRUST IN THE VA -- VA investigators find entire claims and other critical documents in shredding bins at Detroit Regional Office”.
A nationwide review of the VA's 57 regional offices found 41 had records in their shredder bins that should not have been there. In all, nearly 500 benefit claims records had been erroneously slated for destruction, including claims for compensation, notices of disagreement with a claim decision, and death certificates.
These actions completely shatter confidence in the whole VA system. These documents are matters of life and death for some of these veterans. This episode has further strengthened my belief that VA desperately needs new leadership, and it needs new leadership today. These incidents and “mistakes,” all occurring to the detriment of our veterans and never to their benefit, remind me more of the Keystone Cops rather than a supportive organization dedicated to taking care of our veterans.
Shortly, we will hear from Admiral Patrick Dunne, the Under Secretary for Benefits for the VA, who will give an overview of the situation and an update on the VA’s actions regarding this intolerable situation. I suspect that his comments will generate some lively discussion on the issue about how we can best proceed from this point and never allow this to occur again.
I purposefully chose this “roundtable” format, and invited stakeholders in the veterans community, so that we can address this issue, have an interactive discussion, and get to practical solutions to solve these problems. Concerns have been raised that this meeting has not been called a hearing. These concerns are unfounded and I think our veterans care less about what we call it and more about what we do. It is vital that we quickly get to the bottom of this and take concrete steps to correct and fix this today -- not tomorrow or next week. We need to hear what the VA is doing and the internal controls and protections that seemingly were in place to prevent this, and what has been done since the incident. As I said earlier, “These documents are matters of life and death for some of these veterans”.
I believe this is a critical juncture for the VA. It is on the verge of completely losing the trust and confidence of the people that it is supposed to represent…the very same people it has been entrusted to care for.
I believe the following statement in the article I cited previously adequately sums up the current feelings of our veterans:
“This is not business as usual. The recent revelations of the willful and wanton destruction of vital veteran’s records are not just another "isolated incident." We have now moved to the next level of the game. What was maddening last year is now possibly criminal.”
So this morning we are going to attempt to get a better idea of the scope of this problem and what the VA is doing to respond to it. What specific steps has the VA taken and what has it done to begin to rectify the problem?
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My thoughts typed as the meeting was ongoing, you can tell where I got frustrated and went outside to smoke I figure I can watch therest of it on tape at a later time when my blood pressure drops to more normal levels:
Filner it looks to be criminal
Filner: confidence in the VA is gone veterans just plain do not trust the VA it has a long history of games with claims files
Adm Dunne
Aug 20 began mail processing audit, they found mail in shred bins that should not have been there. 41 offices out of 57 500 documents only 2 employees under investigation nationwide WTF
retrained personnel on how to handle documents a new mail handling process officer a 2 person review and sigs before documents can be shredded
8 point plan director will have to verify compliance
April 14 2007 if veteran has a copy of a document in between then and now claims a copy is missing the VA will accept it
BS they will review earlier cases from 2004 or whatever dates the veterans claim we all know how that works we looked at it and you still lose
Digital claims in process 2010 is anticipated date for use of digital claims
IG investigation ongoing IG refused to attend todays meeting
Watchdog wrote about this before VA notified Congress SALUTE Larry
Filner tells VA official he has no confidence in VA to be honest what is the VA doing to help veterans who think they may be affected by this
NOVA Cohen
can't hear member 15 years we have been telling the VA the courts and Congress about missing documents destroyed records 20,000 cases missing files 33000 cases Aug 2008 500 records is only a snapshot no one knows how many records have been destroyed over the past years any vet should be able to ask for a look back asks that veteran gets benefit of the doubt expidited treatment for veterans presumption against the VA and the veteran should give the veteran the benefit of the doubt and award the claim records were destroyed to prevent vets from getting benefits or to decrease their work load to meet dead lines
Filner we need to know what happened and we don't want it buried Dunne says we will share what we can
Rodriguez Congressman from Tx
unknown clean up and stop this from re-occuring transparency is needed, we all know their are problems here GAO reports Texas DR Boven is brought up whistle blower system needs to be cleaned up
VVA
defends VA Rick Weidman busy sucking up, the shredding is NOT the issue, the problem is the integrity of the claims system this is not new problem has been ongoing for decades best practices manual is being ignored dubious of 16 office that said they had no documents shredded digitilization must be done Bush admin is still responsible and the funds are needed accountability down to DRO level NY removed top 6 officials for lying respect for veterans (rofl) C&P exams that follow the protocol not being done now doctors are not even reviewing the C File as required
Mitchell - we asked the VA if they had resources they said they had plenty now we here they didn't have resources and they shredded documents to make time lines for bonuses are bonuses going to be paid out why VA has highest bonuses in govt these VAs where documents were destroyed the Directors should NO get any bonus this year
Filner - is anyone talking to Obama's transition team? we need to talk to new leadership
Nov 14 forms who would destroy marriage certificates, birth certificates etc, severe action needed for who was destroying documents copies not kept what about veterans that sent documents to VA and did not keep a copy and now the documents are gone how to help them?
Dunne replies if vet tells them they submitted it that is good enough for him BS
we will work with them on a case by case basis Dunne promises to get personally involved
Goal for digital access is 2010 hell Health E vet has not progressed that fast
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
Filner to VA: Confidence in VA Completely Shattered by Recent Document Shredding
