JUNEAU — A government watchdog says the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs regional office in Anchorage has made strides in processing claims but has work to do in other areas.
The VA’s inspector general said the accuracy of the claims processing it reviewed earlier this year was significantly better than a prior inspection in 2013.
But it found delays in processing benefit reductions or discontinuations, resulting in about $16,800 in overpayments for care, and inaccuracies in how staff entered claim information.
The inspector general said such overpayments due to administrative errors aren’t recoverable.
The watchdog recommended that the office prioritize the processing of benefit changes and improve oversight to ensure information is accurate when claims are established.
The VA, in responses included with the report, agreed with the findings and recommendations.
