From the Akron Beacon Journal:
U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown hopes to improve access to benefits for more than 110,000 veterans in the region and 935,000 statewide.
Brown has introduced the Benefit Rating Acceleration for Veterans Entitlements (BRAVE) Act that would create a fast-track system for veterans with disabilities to quality for benefits from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and Social Security Administration. ...
Brown's BRAVE Act would eliminate the lengthy eligibility process disabled veterans must undergo to receive full benefits from the VA and Social Security offices.
The BRAVE Act, Brown said, would require Social Security to accept eligibility requirements for any veteran who meets VA guidelines.
Veterans who receive compensation from the VA also would be fast-tracked in disability benefits processing.
Another one of those great ideas that sounds good in a 30 second sound bite but which falls apart under review because the two systems are apples and oranges, with different criteria, regulation, and law governing their actions.
ReplyDeleteActually, they are not apples and oranges. When the VA takes the step of declaring a vet unemployable in any field, they are right on target with us. The criteria are so similar as to make no difference--unless, of course, you just want to mess over veterans.
ReplyDeleteWhy on earth, given our backlog, would we second guess the VA? SSA is smarter--not.
The way SSA and VA determine disability is quite different, but there are instances where those who are found 100% disabled by VA get denied when they apply for Social Security, which in theory shouldn't happen.
ReplyDeleteIt happens because there are quite a few people with chips on their shoulder making the DIB determinations (at all levels) and how dare their "discretion" be taken away by the VA. That is the ONLY real explanation for it. I see it all the time. If a vet has been found 100% disabled (even a lesser percentage) by the VA then they should get DIB automatically unless they otherwise technically don't qualify.
ReplyDeleteOnly in the Land of Alice.
The Wounded Warrior program at SSA provides expedited case processing already. http://www.socialsecurity.gov/woundedwarriors/
ReplyDeleteIsn't the Wounded Warrior program only for soldiers who become disabled while serving? Does it also work for veteran's whose disability may have occured years ago? Just a question.
ReplyDeleteI don't recall a single case I've seen where an ALJ didn't find a veteran disabled when VA issued a rating of 75% or greater disability.
ReplyDeleteNote I said ALJ. That means they made it through initial and recon without being found disabled.
But I also don't recall any of those being determined on the record either.