VBA Has Opportunities to Further Incorporate I CARE Values When Planning, Implementing, or Overseeing Programs

This management advisory memorandum has been issued to raise awareness among Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA) leaders and personnel about VA Office of Inspector General (OIG) concerns with decision-making on specific issues (highlighted in four prior reports) that adversely affect some veterans and beneficiaries. It is meant to strengthen VA’s efforts to advance VA’s I CARE principles codified in 2012 that emphasize veteran-centric experiences and high standards in services and care. The OIG recognizes VBA personnel’s commitment to veterans and their progress on addressing recommendations for improvement but believes more can be done to improve efficiencies while minimizing negative consequences for affected veterans. In looking across four prior reports, the OIG found VBA’s focus on addressing issues such as long wait times, backlogs, and processing errors came at the cost of poor outcomes for some beneficiaries. When the reports were issued, this included thousands of exempt veterans not receiving refunds of home loan funding fees; due process deficiencies in pension-reduction cases; increased risk of disclosure of personal information; and unnecessary disability medical examinations. VBA executive directors interviewed acknowledged they should always promote I CARE values but that sometimes VBA focused narrowly on a specific problem, resulting in adverse outcomes for veterans. This OIG advisory suggests VBA could better institutionalize I CARE values by ensuring these regulatory requirements are fully considered when making program decisions. VBA was asked to provide information on actions taken in response to the memorandum. VBA commented on the memorandum that although VBA concurred, or concurred in principle, with the four prior OIG reports and recommendations, it “strongly oppose[s] the implication that VBA did not always fully consider the effect organizational decisions would have on Veterans, beneficiaries, and their families.” VBA comments are included in full in an appendix to the memorandum.