WORLD Radio - Legal Docket: Veterans benefits and whistleblower protections
Justices hear pivotal cases on VA disability claims and fraud under the False Claims Act
United States Department of Veterans Affairs Kiyoshi Tanno / iStock / Getty Images Plus via Getty Images
NICK EICHER, HOST: It’s The World and Everything in It for this 18th day of November, 2024. We’re so glad you’ve joined us today. Good morning! I’m Nick Eicher.
MARY REICHARD, HOST: And I’m Mary Reichard. It’s time now for Legal Docket.
Two Supreme Court cases today.
The first involves the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. The VA is the federal agency that among other things fields millions of disability claims each year from veterans.
VA fields the claims, evaluating them is the job of the Veterans Benefits Administration. Last year alone, the VBA completed nearly 2 million claims—an all-time high.
Recently, VA Secretary Denis McDonough praised the agency’s performance:
MCDONOUGH: It's better, world class care, and it's better health outcomes for veterans than in the private sector. It's not just more benefits, it's faster, more accessible benefits we're delivering by meeting vets where they are, rather than expecting them to come to us.
EICHER: It can’t be surprising that the VA secretary evaluates himself so highly. But the new boss in town doesn’t really think so.
President-elect Donald Trump recently criticized the VA.
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