Audit of VA’s Efforts To Provide Timely Compensation and Pension Medical Examinations

At the request of the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, the VA OIG conducted an audit to determine if VA commits sufficient resources to provide veterans with timely compensation and pension medical examinations (C&P medical exams). We determined that management at VA medical facilities does not always commit sufficient resources to ensure veterans receive timely C&P medical exams. This occurs because VA management has not given the C&P exam program the attention needed to ensure it is managed effectively. Decisions regarding the program are made at the local level with limited oversight from VA Central Office regarding resource allocation, utilization, or productivity. VA has not established procedures to identify and monitor resources needed to conduct C&P medical exams and to ensure resources are appropriately planned for, allocated, and strategically placed to meet demand. Veterans Health Administration and Veterans Benefits Administration managers have not effectively collaborated and shared information on issues affecting the timely delivery of exams. Additionally, VA lacks a performance standard that enables management to adequately measure whether exam requests are completed in a timely manner. As a result, many veterans do not receive timely exams which can delay the delivery of disability benefits. We made five recommendations to the Under Secretary for Health, four recommendations to the Acting Under Secretary for Benefits, and one joint recommendation to help VA improve its oversight of the C&P exam program and to provide greater assurance that veterans receive timely exams. The Under Secretary for Health and the Acting Under Secretary for Benefits agreed with our findings and recommendations. We consider the planned actions acceptable, and will follow up on their implementation.