Veterans' Benefits: Further Changes in VBA's Field Office Structure Could Help Improve Disability Claims Processing

In February 2006, VBA chartered a workgroup to recommend compensation activities that could be realigned more efficiently and effectively. The group made three short-term recommendations and VBA has begun to implement them. VBA has almost completed consolidating all general inquiry telephone calls to National Call Centers (NCCs)in Cleveland, Philadelphia, Columbia, Nashville, Muskogee, St. Louis, Phoenix and Salt Lake City. VBA plans to consolidate calls to two more offices, St. Petersburg and Indianapolis, by the end of fiscal year 2009. VBA centralized all Western Area fiduciary activities to the Salt Lake City fiduciary hub, and will make a determination on further implementation of the fiduciary hub concept in fiscal year 2010. VBA established a work group to recommend an implementation strategy for consolidating survivor benefit claims, and plans to complete the consolidation of survivor benefit claims processing to the three Pension Management Centers in August 2009. VBA plans to continue to look for opportunities to consolidate functions to achieve greater processing efficiencies.