Disability Assistance & Memorial Affairs Chairman Luttrell Opens Hearing on VA’s Contract Disability Compensation Examination Program

Disability Assistance & Memorial Affairs Chairman Luttrell Opens Hearing on VA's Contract Disability Compensation Examination Program

Today, Rep. Morgan Luttrell (R-Texas), the Chairman of the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs Subcommittee on Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs, delivered the following opening remarks, as prepared, at the start of the subcommittee's oversight hearing entitled, "Examining VA's Challenges with Ensuring Quality Contracted Disability Compensation Examinations:"

The subcommittee will come to order.

Good morning, everyone.

Thank you to all of our witnesses for being here.

We are here today to take a closer look at the Department of Veterans Affairs' management of its contract disability compensation examination program.

The decision by a V.A. employee to grant or deny a veteran's claim for disability compensation often depends on the results of a disability compensation exam.

Over time, V.A. has become increasingly reliant on the four companies who currently hold those contracts with V.A. to perform these exams.

Currently, over 90 percent of disability compensation exams are performed by contracted exam vendors.

It is V.A.'s job to implement contract requirements and processes to ensure that all four vendors are appropriately scheduling veterans for exams, and that veterans are not being forced to attend the same exam more than once.

Veterans deserve the best customer service and quality exams performed by competent medical professionals.

I know that is it not easy for V.A.'s Medical Disability Examination Office to maintain strong oversight over four large companies with networks of tens of thousands of exam facilities and even more medical professionals.

But we must ensure that V.A. is keeping these private companies in line with V.A.'s mission and providing veterans with the level of service they have earned.

This is a competitive industry with contracts worth more than 10 billion dollars.

But ultimately, the disability compensation exam program directly impacts whether veterans can access the V.A. benefits they have earned.

I appreciate that over time V.A. has modified the contracts and implemented new processes, resulting in meaningful improvements for veterans going through the disability exam process.

Some V.A. efforts have been in response to oversight hearings we have held this Congress, and I'm glad that V.A. has been listening.

However, we still hear concerns from veterans and V.S.O.s about issues with scheduling and rescheduling, exam rework due to mistakes, and varying degrees of customer service depending on the vendor. Ultimately, these issues only further delay veterans receiving their benefits.

For example, some veterans have been automatically scheduled for exams without any prior notice, while others have received calls and texts providing them the opportunity to respond with their preferences, including information regarding any wheelchair accommodations they may require.

Veterans have reported difficulty traveling upwards of 100 miles for an exam. V.S.O.s have reported exams being held in hotels, spas, and in run-down buildings in the rough parts of town. These real-life stories are unacceptable.

And we continue to hear stories about contract exams being reworked again and again, though we understand that reworked exams make up a small percentage of the total number of exams completed.

Given the increase in exam workloads following the passage of the PACT Act, it is more important than ever for us to know how V.A. can continue to improve its oversight over the contracted disability compensation exam vendors, whether through contract modifications or implementing new processes within the confines of the current contracts.

I look forward to the discussion with our witnesses today.

I yield to Ranking Member Pappas for his opening statement.

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