HOUSE COMMITTEE ON VETERANS' AFFAIRS DEMOCRATIC NEWS from Larry Scott at VA Watchdog dot Org -- 06-22-2005

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: June 22, 2005

EVANS DISSATISFIED WITH VA PLAN TO REVIEW GRANTS, BUT NOT DENIALS OF CLAIMS FOR VETERANS WITH PTSD
Fundamental fairness requires that both grants and denials be included in any review

Washington, D.C. -- Congressman Lane Evans (D-IL), the senior Democratic member of the House Committee on Veterans Affairs, and other Democratic Members of the Committee have expressed “serious concerns” with a Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) decision to require a second review of certain grants of service-connection but not review denials.  “A decision to require special review of grants but not denials of service-connection for Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) tells our Nation’s disabled veterans that this Administration is more concerned about the integrity of the public fisc than the health and well-being of those who have borne the battle,” wrote Evans in a letter to Secretary of Veterans Affairs Jim Nicholson.

“Veterans know when they are being treated unfairly.  There is nothing more unfair than a policy to scrutinize claims which have been granted, but not providing similar scrutiny to claims of veterans who have had their claims denied,” said Evans.  The VA policy was developed in response to an investigation by VA’s Inspector General which criticized the information needed to establish a “stressor” for purposes of diagnosing PTSD.  According to Evans, “Many veterans, including combat veterans, have had claims for PTSD denied because the VA has failed to properly develop their claim for combat or other stressors.”

Evans had previously expressed concern that, as a result of the VA Inspector General’s review, veterans with mental health disabilities might have greater difficulty establishing that their conditions are service-connected and being properly compensated.  Putting forth a policy to afford special review of grants, but not denials of claims “suggests that my earlier concerns were warranted,” said Evans.

Evans and other Committee Democrats urged Secretary Nicholson “to restore the trust of our Nation’s disabled veterans by assuring that any review of service-connected compensation claims pays equal attention to grants and denials of such benefits.” 

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Larry Scott