VA Announces Major Change to Veteran Benefits
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The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has announced a major three-part initiative to simplify and speed up how survivors and dependents of deceased veterans and service members access VA benefits.
The reforms include relocating the Office of Survivors Assistance (OSA), launching a personalized "White-Glove" Survivor Outreach Team, and expanding automation in the benefits system.
Newsweek contacted the VA and the Veterans Association of America for comment via email on Tuesday, outside working hours.
Why It Matters
Starting this month, the VA will move OSA from the Veterans Benefits Administration back to the Office of the VA Secretary. This reverses a 2021 Biden-era decision that, according to the VA, buried the office under layers of bureaucracy and limited its effectiveness.
As stated by the VA, in 2021, the Biden administration moved OSA from the Office of the VA Secretary to the Veterans Benefits Administration, "creating a siloed system at odds with the intent of the Veterans' Benefits Improvement Act of 2008."
The relocation is intended to restore OSA's original role as a central advisory body, giving it direct access to VA leadership. A five-person team will now advise the Secretary on survivor-related policies, programs, and legislation.
The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs logo marks the entrance to their headquarters building on April 24, 2025, in Washington, D.C. The VA has announced major survivor benefits reforms.
The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs logo marks the entrance to their headquarters building on April 24, 2025, in Washington, D.C. The VA has announced major survivor benefits reforms.
J.What To Know
Also beginning this month, the VA will launch its "White-Glove" Survivor Outreach Team. Based at the Philadelphia VA Regional Benefit Office, the team will consist of trained experts who will guide survivors through the Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC) claims process.
According to the VA, these experts will receive specialized training and guide and assist eligible survivors throughout every step of the DIC claims process with the goal of getting to "yes" on DIC claims decisions for eligible survivors.
The overall objective is to close long-standing gaps in communication and ensure eligible families receive personalized assistance from start to finish.
To further streamline access, the VA is expanding its use of automation in processing DIC claims. Currently, the department automates over 1,000 DIC payments or adjustments each day.
Officials say new automation efforts will speed up claims, reduce delays, and make it easier for survivors to receive the benefits they deserve. The VA is also exploring additional ways automation can improve the overall delivery of survivor-related services.
What People Are Saying
VA Secretary Doug Collins in the VA press release announcing the reforms: "The last thing survivors need in their time of grief is frustrating red tape and bureaucracy. That's why we are creating a better system to more quickly and effectively provide survivors the services, support, and compassion they've earned."
What Happens Next
The new measures are part of an overall effort by the VA to modernize and improve the way it delivers support to families of fallen service members. All three reforms are set to begin immediately or within the month, with full implementation expected to continue throughout 2025.
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