Congressman Cohen Seeks Answers from Veterans Affairs Secretary Collins

WASHINGTON - Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-9) today wrote to Veterans Affairs Secretary Doug Collins seeking information about claims backlogs and the department's accountability. He wrote that while getting claims below 100,000 was a "productive milestone," he is concerned about declining accuracy rates for the claims processed in recent months.

The letter reads in part:

"The enactment of the Sergeant First Class Heath Robinson Honoring Our Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxins (PACT) Act in 2022 led to an unprecedented number of claims, as more veterans were finally able to access the benefits earned through their service. This naturally led to a temporary increase in the claims backlog. As time has passed, it seems we have come to a natural decrease in the rate of submissions, allowing for a decrease in the backlog of claims.

"While veterans deserve to have their claims reviewed as quickly as possible, they also deserve accurate claims review, with processors given enough time to ensure that their claim is done properly. In the most recent status report on the detailed claims dashboard dated February 28, 2026, the claims backlog stood at 94,611. As previously stated, I am glad to see that number continuing to decrease. However, I am troubled by another statistic on the same dashboard: three-month claim-based accuracy appears to be trending down and now stands at a startling 81.73 percent."

The three-month claim-based accuracy represents the percent of claims that are processed without errors over the past three months. The accuracy rate indicates that nearly 1 in 5 claims being processed have errors, drastically exceeding a 10-year average of approximately 1in 9.

Congressman Cohen asked eight questions to clarify issues involving claims appeals, the use of artificial intelligence in claims reviews, and the impact of staffing reductions on the handling of veterans' claims, among other matters.

See the entire letter here.

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