Service Officer
Some New Information on benefits. Covers the COLA raise(s) for this year and more. The Letters referenced are available for download using the hyperlink or download tab to the left.
·Fast Letter (FL) 11-32, December 1, 2011, Compensation and DIC Cost-of-Living Adjustment. FL 11-32 included the charts showing the cost-of-living adjustments for disability compensation, DIC, auto and clothing allowances, Medal of Honor pension, burial, plot and headstone/markers, Spina Bifida and children of women Vietnam veterans with birth defects.
·Fast Letter (FL) 11-26, October 1, 2011 Increase in Certain Burial and Funeral Benefits and Plot Allowances for Veterans. On October 17, 2011, Fast Letter (FL) 11-26 advised that Public Law (PL) 111-275 had amended 38 USC 2303(a), which provides for eligibility to the burial allowance when a veteran dies while properly hospitalized by VA, and 38 USC 2303 (b), which provides for eligibility to the plot allowance effective 10-1-2011. PL 111-275 did not amend 38 USC 2302, which provides for payment of funeral expenses for veterans in receipt of compensation or pension (as well as certain other eligibility criteria). If a veteran's death occurs in a VA facility, a VA contracted nursing home or State Veterans? nursing home, or while traveling at VA expense, on or after October 1, 2011, a $700 burial and funeral allowance is payable. The increased burial reimbursement applies only when a veteran was hospitalized by VA. When a veteran who is eligible for burial in a national cemetery is not buried in a national cemetery or other cemetery under U.S. government jurisdiction, a $700 plot allowance may be paid to the State for the cost of a plot or interment in a State-owned cemetery reserved solely for veteran?s burials if the veteran is buried without charge.
·Fast Letter (FL) 11-05 (amended), Amended procedures for handling Loan Guaranty specially adapted housing and special home adapted (SAH/SHA) claims. FL 11-05 (amended) provides amended procedures for processing specially adapted housing and special home adapted claims. First, VA updated the ?What the Evidence Must Show? attachment to reflect the inclusion of residuals of inhalation injury. Second, the Manchester Regional Loan Center (RLC) has been rolled into the Cleveland RLC. Lastly, VA has set up an electronic application process, SAHSHA. The Service Center point of contact will maintain the SAH/SHA mailbox and correspond with the RLC.
The following apply to the VBA claims processing procedures and system "upgrades." Also procedure(s) protocol
·Training Letter (TL) 11-04, Processing Virtual VA Electronic VA Form 21-592, Request for Appointment of a Fiduciary, Custodian, or Guardian TL 11-04, provides guidance on the use of the Virtual VA electronic PDF fillable form, VA Form 21-592, Request for Appointment of a Fiduciary, Custodian, or Guardian. The creation of the PDF fillable form in Virtual VA is now required. ROs may use paper VA Form 21-592 until January 3, 2012. On or after January 3, 2012, when you are checking on the status of an appointment of a fiduciary or guardian for your veteran or widow, only look in Virtual VA. Veterans Benefits Management System-Rating (VBMS-R) Release Veterans Benefits Management System-Rating (VBMS-R) is the rating component of the VBMS claims processing technology solution. VBMS-R will ultimately replace RBA2000 and provide raters with a variety of new tools. The goals of VBMS-R include: integrate disability rating capabilities, provide raters web accessible rules-based tools and automated decision recommendations, and replace outdated software applications. Veterans Benefits Management Assistance Program (VBMAP) VBA developed Veterans Benefits Management Assistance Program (VBMAP) to reduce the pending backlog, augment the existing work force, and expedite evidence gathering to increase the number of claims ready for decision. ACS Federal Solution LLC (ACS) will be working with VBA on this twelve-month project to provide claims that have completed the development process. ACS will provide assistance on claims involving: increased evaluation, initial compensation, initial nonservice-connected pension, and dependency. Implementation is expected in mid-December 2011. Each RO and PMC will be given a specific monthly allotment of the types and numbers of claims they are to forward to ACS. With VBMAP no claims folders will be referred to the contractor, only claims and supporting documentation. ACS will then develop the claim utilizing Modern Awards Processing-Development (MAP-D), CAPRI, etc. Once the claim has been completely developed, ACS will upload the documents into Virtual VA. Once the RO or PMC determines the claim was completely developed, the claims will be rated and promulgated locally in a paperless environment. VBA will provide more details on the implementation and expectations of the VBMAP project.
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Yours in Comradeship,
Pete Scalzo