Audit Claims Atlanta VA Medical Center Incorrectly Processed Claims

The Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General reports that a recent audit of the Atlanta VA Medical Center revealed that 38 percent of audited claims were processed incorrectly by the staff.

CBS 46 Atlanta reports that the office looked at 90 claims that were at a high risk of processing errors, and discovered several such errors. The inspector general’s office says that the 90 cases that were audited were not a representative makeup of all claims the facility processes.

For example, of 30 audited claims for a temporary disability rating of 100 percent, 17 were inaccurate because staff did not remind veterans about medical re-examinations on time. Eight out of 30 traumatic brain injury claims were in error because the second signature policy was not followed.

The inspector general’s office recommended that VA Atlanta Regional Office (VARO) Director Al Bocchicchio develop and implement a plan that will encourage staff to send mail notices on time, examine 776 temporary 100 percent disability claims the audit did not examine, and ensuring the second signature policy for traumatic brain injury claims is followed.

According to the audit report, “The VARO Director concurred with all recommendations and the planned corrective actions are responsive. We will follow up on these actions, as deemed appropriate.”

The website for the Atlanta Regional Benefits Office says that there are currently 773,000 veterans, service members, family members of veterans or service members, and survivors of veterans or service members living in Georgia.

The full audit can be read below:

Atlanta Va Audit