Veterans are facing incorrect payment dates for PACT Act claims, with the VA Inspector General finding errors in roughly one quarter of the claims examined, resulting in $6.8 million in improper payments and shortchanging an estimated 2,300 veterans.

• VA has received 2.44 million PACT Act-related claims since August 2022, approving 1.59 million and awarding $5.7 billion in benefits
• Inspector General estimated VA will make $20.4 million in improper payments in first three years of the PACT Act
• Veterans diagnosed with conditions prior to PACT Act passage qualify for benefits backdated to diagnosis date
• Mistakes occurred because claims processors weren't prepared to determine correct effective dates and automated tools were unreliable
• Current VA claims system has a 96% initial denial rate
• The "benefit of doubt" rule means if evidence is equal, the decision should favor the veteran
• VA doctors are often not allowed to make statements connecting conditions to military service
• Outside medical specialists can provide crucial opinions connecting conditions to service
• Veterans facing appeals may benefit from hiring accredited agents rather than relying solely on VSOs
• The Traveling Vietnam Wall will be in Winchester, Tennessee in August for veterans and families to visit

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