Governor Announces New Initiative To Ease Backlog In Veterans' Claims
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Governor Announces New Initiative To Ease Backlog In Veterans' Claims
The state of Texas will fund a new team that will work alongside Federal VA regional offices in expediting Veterans' applications for benefits.
Reporter: Stephanie Franks
Email Address: stephanie.franks@kwtx.com
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HEWITT (November 23, 2009) - Governor Rick Perry announced a new initiative to help ease the backlog in veterans' applications for benefits.

Monday, in a press conference held at the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 6008 in Hewitt, Perry talked about a new Claims Processing Assistance Team that will be funded out of the Governor's office by about $400,000.

The VA offices in Houston and Waco have been suffering a backlog of more than 39,000 pending disability and health benefit claims in Texas, 38% of which them have been pending for more than four months.

The Texas Veterans Commission estimates those delays add up to about $37 million in payments Texas veterans aren't receiving.

According to Perry, CPAT, which will be made up of about 12 new employees, will work alongside the federal office in identifying applications that are complete with no discrepancies and expediting them.

The program, CPAT, started as a pilot in 2008 and cut down on Veterans' wait times for claims by about 120 days. The U.S Department of Veterans Affairs is looking at starting such a program in other regional offices.


Latest Comments

Posted by: Wait Location: Texas on Nov 23, 2009 at 05:17 PM

This story ran last week, why is it back?
Posted by: earl Location: Marlin on Nov 23, 2009 at 04:05 PM

election coming up Gov?
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