Veterans Post

How are your computer skills?

By Freddy Groves
| 11:02 a.m. July 31, 2013

Winter Park - Maitland Observer
Neighborhood

To help with the claims backlog, the Department of Veterans Affairs wants you to file your claims online, so says a new release. The claims will be decided faster, officials say.

The VA’s eBenefits portal online has been merged with the Veterans Benefits Management System (VBMS) at all the regional offices.

On a computer you’ll be able to walk through the “interview-style application” with drop-down menus and prepopulated data fields. You can, they say, file your claims online just like you do your taxes. You’ll be able to upload digital images of records and evidence.

And if you’re like many older veterans, you have no idea what all that means.

Hint: If you’re going to file a claim and want help with the computer end of things, get a local Veterans Service Organization to go online and open your file (you file an electronic power of attorney.) Since the benefits will date from whenever your file was started, that should be your first step. Once you open your online file and start plugging in information, you have one year to finish it up. Your original date of claim will be kept in your file.

Study up on the Fully Developed Claim (where you state that you have no other information to add), because those receive priority in processing. Be sure to get all your information in hand.

In my opinion, if the VA wants to help the backlog of claims, it needs to hire more people to scan the documents into VBMS that come in the traditional way. Still, if you’re up for online filing, you’ll need an eBenefits account, which means you need to complete a remote verification process or visit a VA regional office. Call 1-800-827-1000, option 7, if you already receive benefits by direct deposit.