S. 3419 would amend title 38, United States Code, to direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to modernize the disability benefits claims processing system of the Department of Veterans Affairs to ensure the accurate and timely delivery of compensation to veterans and their families and survivors.
Detailed Summary
Veterans Disability Benefits Claims Modernization Act of 2008 - Revises or adds provisions relating to the disability compensation system of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to: (1) establish in the Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA) an Office of Survivors Assistance to provide assistance to veterans' survivors and dependents regarding VA benefits and services; (2) require a study on adjusting the schedule for rating veterans' disabilities; (3) establish the Advisory Committee on Disability Compensation; (4) require a study on the employee work credit system of the VBA; (5) require a study on the VBA's work management system; (6) require the certification and training of VBA employees responsible for processing claims; (7) require an annual independent assessment of the VBA's quality assurance program; (8) provide for the expedited VBA treatment of fully developed claims and a checklist for individuals submitting incomplete claims; (9) require a study of the VBA's need to employ additional medical professionals to act as a medical reference for employees handling claims; (10) provide for the assignment of partial disability ratings to certain veterans; (11) require a review and revision of VBA use of information technology; and (12) allow a claim beneficiary to be substituted as a claimant in the case of the death of a veteran claimant while a claim is awaiting adjudication or appeal.
Requires the Chief Judge of the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims to report annually to the congressional veterans' committees on the Court's workload.
Revises provisions concerning the jurisdiction and finality of decisions of the Court.
Status of the Legislation
Latest Major Action: 8/1/2008: Referred to Senate committee. Status: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
Points in Favor
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Points Against
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Visitor Comments
DEBBIE
August 29, 2008, 5:16pm (report abuse)this bill is supposed to similar to HR 5892 bill, as far as i understand it. but the bill says nothing at all about the widow of a veteran becoming the claimant in a claim. i think this bill is so off base it is funny. the way they worded it, it mentions nothing like HR 5892 and you know if it doesn't specifically spell it out the va won't do it, and then when it does you you how they act. the va is so much against all veterans it blows my mind. if you can't have the original bill what good does one do when it won't help anything. thank-you