VA claims take about 6 months

[babylonsister]

http://www.washingtontimes.com/national/20070508-122145-5910r.htm

VA claims take about 6 months

By Sean Lengell
THE WASHINGTON TIMES
May 8, 2007

Veterans filing disability claims with the Veterans Affairs Department wait for an average of almost six months for a response -- about six times longer than is typical in the private sector.
Pending disability claims with the VA take an average of 177 days to process, according to VA records. For some, the wait time is almost a year.
And for veterans appealing a decision on a claim, the average wait time is 657 days.
For people filing disability claims with insurance companies, about 75 percent to 80 percent of claims are handled within 30 days, said America's Health Insurance Plans, a trade organization. Federal law requires disability claims with private insurers to be settled within 45 days, although extensions of 30 days or longer are possible.
"The backlog issue is not going to go away until the federal government rolls up its sleeves and takes a serious look at expediting the resolution of claims," said Luz Rebollar, a national service officer with AMVETS who guides veterans through the VA claims process.

more...

[Monkeyman]

1. 6 Months Two Years more like it

There is now a back log of 600,000 veterans claims that has 151,000 returning vets in that number

[babylonsister]

4. The WA Times wrote this; they are full of 'sunny optimism'. nt

[proud2BlibKansan]

2. 18 months

It took 18 months for a kid I know who was suicidal to FINALLY get to see a psychiatrist.

[Monkeyman]

3. One of the lucky ones had a good VSO and family behind him or her

PTSD claims are the worse most take years. That was good to hear it only took 18 months. I hope he or she is well soon