The Department of Veterans Affairs will recommence in-person disability exams at various department medical centers across the country in an attempt to reduce the backlog of cases caused by the coronavirus pandemic.
According to an article published by Military Times, “The exams backlog currently sits at 114,000 cases, up from 65,000 in November 2019. The news came just a day after lawmakers and veterans advocates expressed concern that department leadership hasn’t done enough to inform veterans about their plans to handle benefits cases stalled in recent months, as in-person exams were banned in almost all cases. The 20 sites are the same ones that earlier this month began offering non-emergency services to patients as part of the department implementing their first phase of re-opening hospitals.”
VA Secretary Robert Wilkie stated that this was an integral step in moving VA operations forward following months of restrictions caused by the pandemic lockdown.
