Current legislation does not permit VAC to pay disability benefits to an estate in these circumstances. Veterans and their families are treated unfairly when the Veteran dies while an application is in progress and they do not have a surviving spouse or dependent child.Delays mean some Veterans must pay for their own treatment while they wait or forego it altogether. For example, health care expenses incurred while waiting for a decision are reimbursable going back 90 days prior to the date of application, while those who fall under the Veterans Well-being Act only receive coverage on the date of decision. Disability benefit decisions made under the Pension Act provide better access to treatment benefits.Because of discrepancies with how the Service Standard Start Date – or the date the “clock starts ticking” – is determined, Veterans with less need may see their applications move forward in the queue before others.Delays were longer for women compared to men.Francophone applicants waited longer than Anglophone applicants, on average.Inconsistencies in how certain groups of Veterans were treated:.

When files were reviewed for trends, three patterns emerged: The majority of all other disability benefit first decisions, however, took longer than the established 16-week service standard – sometimes much longer. The analysis suggested that VAC quickly processes applications submitted by Veterans with World War II or Korean War service, as well as applications prioritized due to medical risk or financial distress. To study this issue, 1,000 disability benefit first applications were analyzed, on-site visits with VAC staff were conducted, and all available internal and external documents that provide staff with instructions on processing and adjudicating applications – everything from legislation to business processes – were reviewed. Furthermore, delays can mean unmet service-related health and financial needs and frustration for those waiting without any idea of when a decision can be expected. It is unfair to make Veterans and their families wait unreasonably for compensation to which they are entitled, especially when a favourable decision can also provide access to needed health care benefits. Media has repeatedly covered the backlog of files, yet Veterans continue to voice their frustration about unreasonable delays.Įliminating these delays is important. The most common complaint the Office of the Veterans Ombudsman (OVO) hears from Veterans is the length of time it takes to get a decision from Veterans Affairs Canada (VAC). They are supported by evidence-based findings and will enable VAC to better meet the needs of all Veterans and their families in a more timely manner. That is why I encourage the Government of Canada to act on the seven recommendations in my report. As well, if a Veteran dies while an application is in process, their application may be withdrawn because VAC does not have the authority to allow such payments if there is not a spouse or dependent child.Ĭompounding these inequities is a growing backlog. Discrepancies also exist in the way the Service Standard Start Date, or the date the “clock starts ticking”, is established, and under what conditions health care expenses incurred while waiting for a decision are reimbursable.

All Veterans deserve timely decisions, regardless of factors such as language and gender. Any differences in wait times for decisions should be based on need. Women wait longer than men Francophone applicants wait longer than Anglophone applicants. What is especially worrisome to me is that our review suggests that not all groups of Veterans are treated equitably. Both their mental and physical health care needs often depend on it. If it will take longer than VAC’s 16-week service standard, they deserve to know why it will take longer and when their revised decision date will be. They deserve to know when a decision can be reasonably expected. The frustration and increased stress that this causes Veterans and their families must be eliminated. It focuses on the most common complaint my Office hears from Veterans: the length of time it takes to get a disability benefit decision from Veterans Affairs Canada (VAC). I am pleased to publish my report Meeting Expectations: Timely and Transparent Decisions for Canada’s Ill and Injured Veterans. Findings: Communication and Transparency.Fairness for those who pass away while application is in progress.Equitable access to health care under the Veterans Well-being Act.Findings: Opportunities for Needs-Based Triage.

Service Standard Start Date inconsistencies.CAF Still-Serving and CAF Veterans – not Red Zone.

Timelier or more timely