NEVADA - SEN DEAN HELLER HAS BEEN SPEARHEADING THIS VA ACTION

Heller Responds to VA Announcement to Expedite Claims Backlogged 1+ Years

(Washington, DC) – Friday, the Department of Veterans Affairs announced plans to expedite benefits claims decisions for veterans who have waited one year or longer. U.S. Senator Dean Heller (R-NV) welcomed the news, saying: 

“I am pleased the VA has taken a step forward to help ease veterans’ financial burden until their claims are fully processed. Of the 10,000 Nevada veterans facing backlog, 4,200 will benefit from this announcement. Still, much more needs to be done, and I am ready to help in any way I can. Our nation’s heroes have set themselves apart and boldly stepped forward to serve in uniform. No question, they should not have to wait years to receive their benefits,” said Senator Dean Heller.

Effective Friday, VA claims raters will make provisional decisions on the oldest claims in inventory, which will allow veterans to begin collecting compensation benefits more quickly, if eligible. This announcement comes one day after U.S. Senators Dean Heller (R-NV) and Harry Reid (D-NV) joined Representatives Joe Heck (NV-03), Dina Titus (NV-01), and Steven Horsford (NV-04) in sending a letter to VA Under Secretary for Benefits Allison Hickey and Reno VA Regional Office (VARO) Director Edward Russell, offering help in addressing Nevada’s backlog of VA claims.

Since joining the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee in the 113 ^th Congress, Senator Heller has been vocal about the need to reduce the backlog in benefits claims. Most recently, Senator Heller introduced theAccountability for Veterans Act, legislation to help increase the rate at which the VA obtains the records it needs from other federal agencies in order to process benefits claims. In March, Heller questioned the VA Under Secretary for Benefits Hickey about the backlog of claims facing Nevada veterans and then followed up with a letter to the Western Area Office about staffing levels at regional offices.

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