VETERAN’S DISABILITY BENEFITS COMMISSION |
Report |
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Honoring the Call to Duty: Veterans’ Disability |
Benefits in the 21st Century |
(Prepublication Version) |
October 2007 |
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Full Report (in PDF, 562-pages) |
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Executive Summary (in PDF, 18 pages) |
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To access specific information in the report, please use the chapter-links below: |
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Table of Contents |
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COVER PAGE and Front Matter: |
Transmittal Letter to President & Congress |
Commission Member List/Signature Page |
Commission Photo
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Staff List |
Table of Contents
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Acknowledgements
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Preface
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Abbreviations
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Executive Summary |
Guiding Principles |
Results of the Commission’s Analysis |
Priority Recommendations |
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Chapter 1: Introduction |
I. Commission’s Charter and Scope of Work |
II. Methodology |
III. Definition of Disability |
IV. Definition of Quality of Life |
V. Other Government Program Comparisons |
VI. References |
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Chapter 2: Guiding Principles |
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Chapter 3: Veterans’ Past, Present, and Future |
I. History of Veteran's Benefits |
II. Demographics of Today’s Veteran Population |
III. Demographics of Tomorrow’s Veteran Population |
IV. Summary |
V. References |
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Chapter 4: Rating Process and System |
I. VA Schedule for Rating Disabilities |
- Introduction
- Historical Origins and Development
- History of Revisions of the 1945 Rating Schedule
- Currency of the Rating Schedule
- Commission Findings and Recommendations on the
Medical Adequacy of the VA Schedule for Rating Disabilities
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II. Evaluation and Rating Process |
- Introduction
- Medical Evaluation
- Rating Process
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III. References |
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Chapter 5: Policies for Determining Eligibility for Benefits |
I. Program Policies and Issues |
- Character of Discharge
- Line of Duty
- Reasonable Doubt
- Age as a Factor
- Time Limit to File
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II. Presumption Decisions |
- Overview
- A New Framework for Presumptions
- Causation as a Basis for Presumptions
- Categorization of Evidence
- Scope of Scientific Reviews
- Inventory Research Related to the Health of Veterans
- Conclusion
- Environmental/Occupational Hazards
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III. PTSD and Other Mental Health Disorders |
- Diagnosis and Assessment of PTSD
- Compensation for PTSD
- Center for Naval Analyses Corporation (CNAC) Findings
Pertaining to Mental Disorders and PTSD
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IV. References |
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Chapter 6: Appropriateness of Benefits |
I. Veterans’ Disability Compensation |
II. Appropriateness of Ancillary and Special-Purpose Benefits |
- Special monthly compensation
- Aid and Attendance or Housebound
- Clothing Allowance
- Automotive and Adaptive Equipment
- Specially adapted housing
- Health care
- VHA Priority Workload
- Insurance
- Veterans’ Preference for Federal Employment
- Burial and Memorial Benefits
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III. Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment |
- VR&E History
- VR&E Program Description
- VR&E Program Reviews and Evaluations
- VR&E Staffing Issues
- Employers Training & Hiring VR&E Veterans
- Satisfaction Reporting
- Findings
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IV. Concurrent Receipt |
- Issue
- Historical Context
- The Debate over Concurrent Receipt
- The Present Status of Concurrent Receipt
- Findings
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VI. References |
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Chapter 7: Appropriateness of the Level of Benefits |
I. Impairments of Earning Capacity |
II. Compensation for Individual Unemployability |
III. Compensation for Loss of Quality of Life |
IV. DoD Disability Evaluation System |
V. Consistency of Disability Ratings between DoD and VA. |
VI. Cost of Living Adjustments |
VII. State Court Spousal Support Obligation |
VIII. Lump Sum Payments |
IX. Social Security Disability Insurance |
X. References |
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Chapter 8: Survivors and Dependents |
I. Definitions of Survivors and Dependents |
II. Appropriateness of the Benefits |
- Survivors
- Dependents’ and Other Survivors’ Benefits
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III. Appropriateness of Level of Benefits |
IV. Determination Standards for Benefits |
V. Pending Claims Ends with Death |
VI. References |
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Chapter 9: Program Administration |
I. Overview |
II. Filing a Claim or Appeal |
- Filing a Claim
- Volume of Claims
- Filing an Appeal
- Reports that have evaluated the claims and appeal process
- Perspectives on Claims and Appeals from Commission Site Visits
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III. Duty to Assist |
- Issue
- Findings
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IV. Delayed Payments |
V. Program Operations Comparison |
- GAO highlights
- CNAC Highlights
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VI. References |
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Chapter 10: Transition |
I. Transition Philosophy |
II. Coordination |
III. Case Management |
IV. Transition Assistance Programs |
V. Benefits Delivery at Discharge (BDD) and Separation |
VI. Information Technology (IT) and Records Management |
VII. Family Support Services |
VIII. Military Severely Injured |
- Severely Injured Marines and Sailors (SIMS) Pilot Study
- Army Wounded Warrior Survey
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IX. Health Care |
X. Conclusion |
XI. References |
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Chapter 11: The Way Forward: Findings and Recommendations |
Chapter 4: Rating Process and System |
Chapter 5: Policies for Determining Eligibility for Benefits |
Chapter 6: Appropriateness of the Benefits |
Chapter 7: Appropriateness of the Level of Benefits |
Chapter 8: Survivors and Dependents |
Chapter 9: Disability Claims Administration |
Chapter 10: Transition |
Conclusion |
Statement of Alternate Views |
The Commission’s Recommendations |
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Appendix A – Laws and Charter Governing the Commission |
Appendix B – Biographical Sketches of the Commissioners |
Appendix C – Research Questions |
Appendix D – Summary of Site Visits |
Appendix E – Summary of Legal Analyses |
Appendix F – Executive Summary of the CNA Corporation’s
Final Report to the
Commission
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Appendix G – Comparison of DoD Disability Ratings with VA Disability Ratings
for the Same Conditions
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Appendix H – Summary of A 21st Century System for Evaluating Veterans for
Disability Benefits
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Appendix I – Summary of Improving the Presumptive Disability Decision-Making
Process for Veterans
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Appendix J – Summary of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder: Diagnosis and Assessment |
Appendix K – Summary of PTSD Compensation and Military Service |
Appendix L – Statement of Separate Views by Commissioner John Holland Grady |
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