It’s been more than a year since the landmark expansion of veterans benefits, known as the “Accord Act,” went into effect.
Millions of disability compensation claims have been approved, with more to be approved.
But as Lisa Desjardins reports, many commercial companies are also making profits despite engaging in illegal activities.
The bipartisan agreement legislation would be the largest expansion of veterans benefits in a generation, including care for veterans exposed to incinerators.
About 3.5 million people could benefit, and spending on the program could approach $1 trillion as disability benefit claims grow.
Profits for private companies that promised to help people with claims increased as well.
This is despite federal law prohibiting companies from charging veterans for these types of services, The Washington Post reported.
A number of little-known, for-profit companies make hundreds of millions of dollars helping veterans file disability claims.
Patrick Murray is the legislative director for the Veterans of Foreign Wars and Patrick.
Let’s go back for a moment.
How do these companies make money working with veterans?
What they are doing is giving veterans false hope that their claims will be processed better and faster.
If you pay, it’s illegal as you say, but there are currently no penalties, and in fact the law was repealed in 2006.
This means that these companies operate within a legal loophole that allows them to charge exorbitant fees without being held accountable.
It is really strange to have a law that does not provide for any penalties or criminal sanctions whatsoever.
I’ve talked about this P behavior before.
But the idea is that the federal government is barring anyone from claiming these benefits.
However, we can see that the companies involved are advertising.
As if this service were legitimate, there is, for example, a company mentioned in the Washington Post article that may offer a free level of advice as an entry point, but then, as you will see on this page, they charge a fee and in some cases a percentage of the profits that users make.
How can they operate?
Even if no one monitors this and there are no penalties?
Is this about VA bureaucracy or what is going on?
So the VA actually sent out multiple demand letters to these companies asking them to cease and desist.
So it’s illegal and the competent authority, the Department of Veterans Affairs, is telling them that what you’re doing is illegal.
But criminal penalties were abolished in 2006, limiting the ability to send harshly worded letters.
I don’t know if everyone understands how big a deal this act of agreement is.
Is this behavior fraudulent or illegal?
Does it predate the Agreement Act?
Did you grow up because of the Agreement Act?
Can you please tell me what’s going on now?
That’s what happened.
Many of the larger companies have been operating for many years since the Agreement Act came into force.
This compact law really made it clear what they were trying to take away from our veterans.
Just recently, the VA announced it had achieved its 1 millionth contract.
Certainly, there is more money being put towards veterans and these companies.
Many unscrupulous businesses across the country are hoping for a chance to snatch a slice of that profit.
So that’s what happened.
This compact act really highlighted what you’ve been talking about with veterans and praying about this.
What was their experience like?
What if they felt they gained or lost from this, and how did they become involved with these companies?
Many of the veterans we spoke to didn’t know this was illegal and just thought it was a way to speed things up, like a passport.
You can also pay a company to do the process for you.
That’s how they advertise it.
But that’s not true.
It could be anyone, whether they are a VFW accounting services representative, a licensed agent, an attorney, or one of these billing scammers.
They will file a claim on your behalf.
It will be sent to the VA, who will review it on a first-come, first-served basis.
In other words, any company that tells you you can get it done faster if you pay more than $510 is lying.
now.
Of course, there is something to be said for these companies too.
Well, Veterans Guardian is one of the for-profit companies that provides these services, and the statement they sent us said that anyone who has ever filed for disability with the VA knows that the system is extremely cumbersome and time-consuming.
This has resulted in a backlog of around 300,000 claims.
We believe more options and expertise are needed to clear the backlog and provide veterans with the benefits they rightfully deserve as they navigate these many systems.
Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid can actually be a hassle, especially for seniors trying to understand the systems.
What’s wrong with having a service to help you navigate?
So the statement is addressing a real issue.
There is a claim called a backlog.
The entire process for a VA application takes about 150 days, but is anyone on the front end frankly misleading us into thinking this can be done faster?
Our certified service representatives help veterans every day.
But once filed, how the VA actually reviews these claims is up to them in the first place.
So, simply sending an invoice later won’t make the service faster, but it will help you understand what documentation is required.
How to submit those documents to the VA can be complicated, and we communicate that to all of the veterans we work with.
Whether you work with someone like the VFW or do it yourself, make sure you have all the paperwork ready.
Having all the information up front is the best way to ensure your claim is processed as efficiently as possible.
Are there signs that these institutions are pushing people whose claims are not legitimate?
Yes, we at the VA are denying some of these people’s claims.
A veteran in California asks to speak with a mental health professional in South Carolina, and 30 minutes later, they receive what’s called a PTSD Nexus Letter from someone they’ve never spoken to.
The VA is rejecting them.
That means they’re referring people to doctors in their own networks, often with whom they have financial ties, but the appointments aren’t even worth the paper they’re on because the VA flatly rejects them.
What advice would you give to veterans on how they should approach this issue?
Our advice to you is to do your homework first.
Whether you work with the VFW, other organizations like the DAV or county or state service representatives, or on your own, the resources are there.
Some of these companies even state in their contracts that their expertise is the same as publicly available information.
It is open to everyone.
There are many people who love the VFW and want to help veterans at no cost, regardless of membership status.
For free.
That’s what we want for people.
Arm yourself with as much information as possible in advance.
Thank you Patrick Murray.
And for your service.
thank you.