Veterans Affairs officials aren’t saying how 24,000 veterans were diagnosed with traumatic brain injury by VA\u00a0physicians considered unqualified to make such a determination, but on Wednesday, told Congress the department is working to resolve related disability claims problems.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Some veterans diagnosed with TBI from\u00a02007 to 2015 were denied disability benefits because they were examined by a VA health provider\u00a0considered to be unqualified under\u00a0VA policy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
After a\u00a0media investigation by KARE 11 in\u00a0Minneapolis found that as many as 300 veterans at the Minneapolis VA Medical Center were denied benefits as a result, the department announced it would review all cases involving veterans with improper exams.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In June, VA announced it would send letters to more than 24,000 affected veterans offering new exams.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Dave\u00a0McLenachen, deputy undersecretary for disability assistance at the\u00a0Veterans Benefits Administration,\u00a0told a House Veterans’ Affairs panel Wednesday he was unable to “find a reason” why the exams were conducted in violation of VA\u00a0policy at a number of VA facilities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“I don’t know if it was a lack of capacity, whether that was an issue at the particular time, or to the extent\u00a0whether\u00a0there were enough of those specific specialists available at the time. I don’t know the answer to that question,” McLenachen said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The KARE 11 investigation found that at the Minneapolis VA\u00a0only one of the 21 medical professionals who conducted initial TBI exams was a qualified specialist, defined as\u00a0either <\/span>a physiatrist, psychiatrist, neurosurgeon or neurologist.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Rep. Dina Titus, D-Nev., questioned whether sending a letter to an affected veteran was a\u00a0sufficient response and she urged VA officials to conduct more outreach.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n “Don’t\u00a0we need a public information campaign or work with the veterans service organization to ensure this is adequate?”\u00a0Titus asked.<\/p>\n\n\n\n McLenachen said VA officials decided to send letters rather than simply reschedule exams\u00a0because some veterans may have received a higher\u00a0disability rating\u00a0for TBI from their initial exam than they would have gotten from a specialist.<\/p>\n\n\n\n According to McLenachen, more than 14,000 affected\u00a0veterans already are receiving disability compensation for\u00a0service-connected TBI, “many at higher rates of evaluation.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n