VA secretary touts recent progress to reduce veteran waiting times

http://www.mcclatchydc.com/2013/11/07/207874/va-secretary-touts-recent-progress.html



VA secretary touts recent progress to reduce veteran waiting times
By Chris Adams — McClatchy Washington Bureau
Published: November 7, 2013

WASHINGTON — The Department of Veterans Affairs said it is making substantial progress reducing the backlog of disability claims that has bedeviled it for years, and VA Secretary Eric Shinseki is confident of reaching his goal to eliminate the long waits by 2015.

“No veteran should have to wait for the benefits and services they’ve earned through their service in uniform,” Shinseki said at a roundtable discussion with reporters. “So here in VA, we’ve committed to eliminating the claims backlog – and as I say, not just reducing it, not just better managing it, but going after eliminating it.”

Overall, the backlog – defined as disability claims pending for more than 125 days – dropped from 611,000 this spring to 401,000 today, a 34 percent reduction highlighted by the secretary.

But despite the big drop, the department still has a long way to go to reach the secretary’s oft-stated goal to eliminate the backlog by 2015.