United States Government Publishing Office publisher pbl distributor dst United States Government Accountability Office Health, Education, and Human Services Division author aut Government Organization text government publication eng GAOREPORTS Legislative Agency Publications gao legislative 2010-08-12 U.S. Government Printing Office 1994-09-20 monographic deposited born digital GA 1.13:HEHS-94-179 https://www.govinfo.gov/app/details/GAOREPORTS-HEHS-94-179 P0b002ee180397dca f:he94179 DGPO 2010-08-12 2011-03-28 GAOREPORTS-HEHS-94-179 machine generated eng fdlp REPORT GAOREPORTS-HEHS-94-179 HEHS-94-179 Veterans benefits Claims processing Eligibility determinations Quality control Information processing operations Claims settlement Public relations Surveys Operations analysis Entitlement programs Letter Report HEHS In fiscal year 1993, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) provided nearly $19 billion in nonmedical benefits to veterans and their families. In 1993, GAO surveyed 1,400 recent applicants for VA nonmedical benefits nationwide. Although most applicants were satisfied with VA's services, more than one-third were unhappy with VA's handling of their claims. The time it takes VA to process claims was by far the greatest source of applicants' dissatisfaction. Communication with VA was another major concern for applicants. Many customers said that they were dissatisfied, whether the communications were by mail, by phone, or in person. For example, 40 percent of those who visited a VA office said that they did not get the information they needed. The need to resubmit documents to VA also inconvenienced applicants. GAO's study pointed out two other factors that may hold significant implication for VA's efforts to improve customer satisfaction. First, applicants whose claims were denied represented a significant portion--36 percent--of VA's customers. VA knows very little about who those applicants are, why their claims were denied, or what it could do to help these people. Second, 60 percent of VA customers received service from sources over which VA has no authority, such as state and county veterans offices and veterans service organizations. https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/GAOREPORTS-HEHS-94-179/html/GAOREPORTS-HEHS-94-179.htm GAO/HEHS-94-179 https://www.govinfo.gov/app/details/GAOREPORTS-HEHS-94-179 Letter Report GAO/HEHS-94-179; Veterans' Benefits: Lack of Timeliness, Poor Communication Cause Customer Dissatisfaction; Veterans benefits Claims processing Eligibility determinations Quality control Information processing operations Claims settlement Public relations Surveys Operations analysis Entitlement programs