Veterans plagued by errors in health benefit system due to computer mishap

An automated Veterans Affairs system meant to help accelerate claims decisions actually helped contribute to inaccurate ratings on 27% of high blood pressure claims. A VA Office of the Inspector General (OIG) report published last week found that more than a quarter of the 60 reviewed high blood pressure claims that were handled by the Automated Benefits Delivery System resulted in wrongful claims decisions for veterans, according to a report from Military.com. The system was introduced in December 2021, ahead of what the VA believed was going to be a "flood" of disability applications as a result of the PACT Act, with Vietnam-era veterans filing high blood pressure claims under the act after their exposure to Agent Orange, an exposure linked to hypertension. 'WE'RE HUMAN': DELTA FORCE VETERAN REFLECTS ON BATTLE OF MOGADISHU 30 YEARS LATER The automated system was designed to pull blood pressure readings and other high blood pressure data from VA treatment recons and create a summary that is reviewed by VA staff, who make the final decision on the claim. But incomplete data compiled by the system led to several incorrect decisions, the IG's office found in its review, which recommended that the VA make improvements to the technology and the quality assurance process.