Package Manager is part of the Centralized Benefits Communication Management Program introduced in 2018 to modernize VBA mailing. The application bundles documents from veterans’ electronic claims folders and standard enclosures into virtual packages for printing and mailing. Employees then must click a “send” button to move the package to a centralized print vendor. If a send button is not clicked, the package for that recipient remains unsent.
The review team found that, due to a lack of oversight, about 2.1 million packages created from January 2018 through October 2022 were still unsent as of November 10, 2022. After reviewing statistical samples of unsent packages, the OIG team estimated about 801,000 of the 2.1 million packages lacked evidence of the letters being sent to one or more of the intended recipients.
VBA leaders did not establish controls for unsent packages because they did not anticipate that employees would create packages but not send them. Furthermore, quality reviews by VBA had not identified a trend of employees failing to send packages.
While some unsent packages did not affect veterans’ benefits, others might have, such as those requesting evidence for claims that were ultimately denied. In these cases, VBA did not fulfill its requirement to help veterans obtain evidence. The OIG team could not determine what would have happened had these letters been sent. Still other packages included required letters notifying veterans of decisions on their claims. These notices are critical so that veterans understand the decisions’ effects on their benefits and options for seeking further review.
The OIG recommended that the under secretary for benefits implement plans to provide oversight for unsent packages and to address packages the team identified in this review as unsent.
