Modernizing All Veterans and Survivors
H.R. 3854, the Modernizing All Veterans and Survivors Claims Processing Act, seeks to upgrade how the Department of Veterans Affairs handles claims and data, while also expanding data collection on veterans’ deaths. Key elements require: (1) an annual, Congress-targeted report on causes of death among veterans (with details on service-connected status, primary/secondary causes, and manner of death) and a sunset after five years; (2) a plan within one year to deploy an automation tool to VA claims processing, including its capabilities (e.g., retrieving records, compiling evidence, automated decision support, interagency sharing, and generating correspondence) and a structured analysis of feasibility, necessary modifications, and timelines; and (3) prioritized deployment of the automation tool to specific VA units (Pension and Fiduciary Service, Education Service, VBA program offices, Debt Management Center, and the Board of Veterans’ Appeals). The bill also adds requirements to improve technology operations: automatic notices for certain children-related benefits and a plan to ensure documents uploaded to the Veterans Benefits Management System are correctly labeled, including when labeling is automated.
Key Points
- 1Adds an annual “Annual report on causes of death among veterans” (Sec. 534) with per-veteran data (service-connected status, primary/secondary causes, and manner of death) and totals by primary cause and by manner of death; the section sunsets five years after enactment.
- 2Requires a plan within one year to implement an automation tool for processing VA claims, defining capabilities such as record retrieval, evidence compilation, automated decision support, interagency information sharing, and generating correspondence.
- 3Mandates an analysis to assess feasibility, potential benefits, necessary modifications, any gaps that automation cannot address, collaboration needs among VA technology offices, and a timeline for implementation.
- 4Establishes deployment priority for automation tools to specific VA units: Pension and Fiduciary Service, Education Service, VBA program offices, Debt Management Center, and the Board of Veterans’ Appeals.
- 5Adds requirements to automatic notifications for certain children-related benefits (dependency compensation and educational assistance) and obligates a plan to ensure documents in the Veterans Benefits Management System are correctly labeled, including when labeling is automated.