Dual Compensation Is Paid When Military Reservists Do Not Waive VA Disability Benefits
HRD-84-13: Published: Nov 18, 1983. Publicly Released: Nov 18, 1983.
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GAO reviewed Department of Defense (DOD) and Veterans Administration (VA) efforts to prevent dual compensation from being paid to reservists who receive VA disability benefits.
Although the agencies have taken actions within recent years to better identify reservists who should be waiving VA benefits, about 65 percent of these reservists continue to receive dual compensation. GAO estimated that in fiscal year 1982, VA paid about $2.2 million in benefits that should have been waived. GAO suggests that increased coordination between DOD and VA is needed to prevent dual compensation payments.
Recommendations for Executive Action
Status: Closed - Implemented
Comments: The current matching operation should identify any missing waivers.
Recommendation: The Secretary of Defense and the Administrator of Veterans Affairs should direct that their respective agencies make arrangements to identify the extent to which waivers were not submitted, not processed, or improperly processed for prior years and take appropriate corrective action.
Agency Affected: Veterans Administration
Status: Closed - Implemented
Comments: An annual matching mechanism is in place and was rerun in September 1986. This will isolate inappropriate or missing areas so that appropriate action can be taken.
Recommendation: The Secretary of Defense and the Administrator of Veterans Affairs should direct that their respective agencies make arrangements to identify the extent to which waivers were not submitted, not processed, or improperly processed for prior years and take appropriate corrective action.
Agency Affected: Department of Defense
Status: Closed - Implemented
Comments: The Secretary completed the waiver form.
Recommendation: The Secretary of Defense and the Administrator of Veterans Affairs should direct that their respective agencies develop a uniform waiver form.
Agency Affected: Department of Defense
Status: Closed - Implemented
Comments: When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
Recommendation: The Secretary of Defense and the Administrator of Veterans Affairs should direct that their respective agencies develop a uniform waiver form.
Agency Affected: Veterans Administration
Status: Closed - Implemented
Comments: A reconciliation match occurred in September 1986. If waivers are not submitted, an indicator will be set up and appropriate action will be taken.
Recommendation: The Administrator of Veterans Affairs should direct that VA solicit waivers from reservists who have not already submitted them and advise DOD when reservists do not submit waivers.
Agency Affected: Veterans Administration
Status: Closed - Implemented
Comments: VA established a waiver indicator.
Recommendation: The Administrator of Veterans Affairs should direct that VA establish an annual reservist waiver indicator in its automated records when waiver actions are processed so that missing waivers can be identified in subsequent tape matches.
Agency Affected: Veterans Administration
Status: Closed - Implemented
Comments: VA established a reservist indicator to identify if a serviceman is a reservist.
Recommendation: The Administrator of Veterans Affairs should direct that VA, for the next match, review its records for all paid reservists identified as receiving compensation to identify missing, improperly processed, and unprocessed waivers.
Agency Affected: Veterans Administration
Status: Closed - Implemented
Comments: An annual reconciliation match between DOD and VA will take care of this problem.
Recommendation: The Secretary of Defense should direct DOD to provide the results of the tape matches to VA.
Agency Affected: Department of Defense
Status: Closed - Implemented
Comments: An annual matching mechanism is in place and was rerun in Spetember 1986. This will isolate inappropriate or missing areas so that appropriate action can be taken.
Recommendation: The Secretary of Defense should direct DOD to continue to make an annual tape match to identify reservists who should submit waivers. The data that are matched should include all reservists who could be subject to waiver, and the results of the match should be edited to reduce inaccurate data.
Agency Affected: Department of Defense
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