Speed VBA claims via Express 30 pilot, more private disability exams, and automation
Mandate pushes VBA to publish quarterly benefit metrics, pilot completing first fully developed disability claims in 30 days (“Express 30”), hire more private companies for disability medical exams, and expand automation rather than hiring alone.
Mandate
Mandate Ch. 20 (Veterans Affairs) — VBA Needed Reforms: identify performance targets and report quarterly; develop Express 30 commitment for a veteran’s first fully developed disability compensation claim; hire more private companies to perform disability medical examinations; increase automation because hiring alone is costly and mixed.
Undo plan
1) Keep timeliness goals but restore adequate federal claims staff and quality review—not automation/contractor substitution that raises error rates.
2) Reassert VBA final-decision accountability; contractors assist exams, not award determinations without oversight.
3) Require accuracy/appeal metrics alongside speed in public dashboards.
4) Codify due-process notice when AI/automation tools affect claim outcomes.
5) Verify: Board of Veterans’ Appeals remand rates and improper-payment audits.