How Long Does VA Take?

March 1, 2008

AVERAGE TIME TO PROCESS DISABILITY CLAIMS

                                                                 Boise             Nation

       Original Claims (7 issues or less):         155 days         210 days

       Original Claims (8 issues or more):       199 days         197 days

       Reopened and Claims for Increase:      127 days         202 days

       Service Connected Death Claims:         100 days         124 days

GWOT (Global War On Terror) SERVICE

          As of March 2008, the Boise VARO had 316 GWOT claims pending.  On average, these claims had been pending 87 days, compared to a national average of 109 days. 

          We have identified 20 severely injured GWOT veterans in Idaho.  We have 1 active claim whisch has been pending an average of 13 days.

PENDING DISABILITY CLAIMS     

          Boise has 1,590 disability claims pending.  Of those, 114 (7.18%) have been pending more than six months, and 4 (0.25%) 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 February was less than 3 minutes, with 2,021 calls taken.  The worst time to call?  The 1st three days of the month and any Monday.

          We also conducted 425 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 February 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 136,000 veterans currently residing in Idaho, and 17,127 of them are in receipt of disability benefits. 

          In February 2008, VA issued benefits amounting to $14,184,049 to Idaho’s veterans. 

          In in  February 2008, VA issued $1,760,426 to 1,759 to widows, orphans, and dependent parents of Idaho’s veterans.

          That totals over $15.9 million in February and equals almost $191 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…”