How Long Does VA Take?

December 1, 2008

AVERAGE TIME TO PROCESS DISABILITY CLAIMS

                                                                 Boise             Nation

       Original Claims (7 issues or less):         142 days         192 days

       Original Claims (8 issues or more):       164 days         171 days

       Reopened and Claims for Increase:      108 days         163 days

       Service Connected Death Claims:          80days          106 days

GWOT (Global War On Terror) SERVICE

          As of December 2008, the Boise VARO has 235 GWOT claims pending.  On average, these claims had been pending 88 days, compared to a national average of 99 days. 

          We have identified 24 severely injured GWOT veterans in Idaho.  In November, there were 3 active claims pending an average of 118 days.

PENDING DISABILITY CLAIMS     

          Boise has 1,342 disability claims pending.  Of those, 109 (8.1%) have been pending more than six months, and 4 (0.3%) are pending more than one year.

HOME LOAN GUARANTY     

          The VA Regional Office in Winston-Salem, NC, manually prepares and issues Certificates of Eligibility (COE).  Veterans receive their certificate 3 to 4 weeks after mailing an application.

          Most veterans, however, receive their COEs from a VA approved lender, and most lenders can generate the COE in a matter of seconds over the Internet.

SERVICES TO THE PUBLIC

          The average time on hold for calls coming to the Boise Regional Office in March was less than 3 minutes, with 1,809 calls taken.  The worst time to call?  The 1st three days of the month and any Monday.

          We also conducted 367 personal interviews with an average wait time of less than 4 minutes.  The worst time to visit?  The 1st three days of the month and any Monday.

VOCATIONAL REHABILITATION

          In November 2008, it took 14 days from receipt of an application for rehabilitation (VAF 28-1900), to the date we notified the veteran of our decision on eligibility.

ABOUT  IDAHO VETERANS

          There are approximately 136,600 veterans currently residing in Idaho, and 18,579 of them are in receipt of disability benefits. 

          In September 2008, VA issued benefits amounting to $15,239,259 to Idaho’s veterans. 

          In in  September 2008, VA issued $1,803,362 to 1,791 to widows, orphans, and dependent parents of Idaho’s veterans.

          That totals over $17 million in September and equals over $200 million per year to support Idaho’s disabled veterans, their dependents, and survivors.

    “To care for him who shall have borne the battle,

                   and for his widow, and his orphan…”