Posted on 11/18/2025 11:17:14 AM PST by Red Badger
Department processed an all-time high of 3M claims in FY25
WASHINGTON — The Department of Veterans Affairs today announced that the backlog of Veterans waiting for VA compensation and pension benefits has dropped by more than 57% since the start of the second Trump Administration.
A VA claim for compensation or pension is considered backlogged once it has been pending for more than 125 days. Since President Trump was inaugurated Jan. 20, the backlog has dropped from 264,717 to 112,353, a 57% reduction.
The backlog reduction VA announced today was made possible through a series of record-breaking production milestones, including:
VA processed an all-time high of 3,001,734 disability compensation and pension claims in fiscal year 2025 — shattering the previous record of 2.49 million set in FY 2024.
VA processed one million disability claims by Feb. 20 — faster than ever before in a given fiscal year.
VA had its single most productive claims processing day, May 29, with 15,364 claims processed.
In July, VA processed the highest number of claims in a month in history, with 300,799 claims processed.
12-month claims processing accuracy also improved to 93.5% in September 2025, up from 91.6% in October 2024.
VA’s record-breaking FY 2025 performance also included distributing $195 billion in compensation and pension benefit payments to more than 6.9 million Veterans and survivors.
“Under President Trump, VA is constantly raising the bar for customer service and convenience,” said VA Secretary Doug Collins. “Our record claims processing productivity is proof these efforts are working. Veterans deserve fast and accurate claims decisions, and we look forward to continuing to deliver amazing results to those who have worn the uniform.”
Backlog Background Info
The Biden Administration oversaw a 24% increase in the backlog of Veterans waiting for VA benefits, from 213,189 on Jan. 20, 2021, to 264,717 on Jan. 20, 2025.
VA’s backlog reached its highest point ever of 611,000 in March of 2013.
VA achieved its lowest backlog ever of 64,738 in December of 2019.
Would use that system if hey had it. My dad worked for the VA and back when said nothing good about it.
When I finally went in for the VA hearing test, the guy claimed that my record showed they did a pre-separation hearing (whisper) test.
That is an absolute lie, but what can you do?
The back pay only applies from the time of the current application for VA benefits. So, an open, un-closed claim application.
They do hearing loss and tinnitus mostly based on MOS now. I was field artillery so tinnitus is assumed for that MOS at 10%.
My niece is an emergency room doctor at the local VA hospital and the majority of her patients are simply family members of vets.
As a vet myself, only veterans with permanent service related injuries should be eligible for benefits. I know several guys who are vets that have VA medical benefits for the sole reason that they are vets.
My niece is an emergency room doctor at the local VA hospital and the majority of her patients are simply family members of vets.
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No, you have this slightly wrong. You know several guys who are vets that have VA medical benefits for the sole reason that they are vets . . . not quite.
What a permanent injury does is adjust the Priority Group. There is a household income limit for veteran healthcare. This is NOT the IRS type of income. It is a VA definition of income.
If there is a service connected injury, that income restriction goes away. If there is not, then the veteran must be under the income limit or VA healthcare is gradually reduced (as income rises) to totally disappearing.
The income difference IRS vs VA is like this — Roth IRA withdraw is a non-taxable event. The IRS does not declare that income. The VA does. The VA ignores all non medical deductions like mortgage interest or state income tax. Those do not reduce household income in the VA’s world. The VA’s idea of household income is “money came into the veteran’s hands and could be used for healthcare even if it meant not making car payments etc.”
This really only works past retirement. Most salary levels are likely to break the limit.
Starting about (and I have not looked up the numbers recently, approx these) $44K a veteran can still have VA healthcare but must start paying copays for things (under $44ishK no copays other than for meds, most vets not rated over 50% copay meds), the steepest of which is a hospital stay that can elevate to hundreds of dollars per day. Then there is another threshold around $58K that sharply increases the copays and finally about $68K the veteran is not allowed to enroll at all for healthcare. That is the top end of allowable income.
As for your nurse friend who sees family members of a veteran, I am no expert on this but I think this is CHAMPVA, which is awarded to guys with a 100% disabled rating (their family can get healthcare), or a child of a veteran who actually died from a service connected injury, even if rated < 100%.
I think a lot folks bog down the “system” with fraudulent claims... Or should I say “embellished” claims...
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The VA does not just hand out money. There is extensive screening. Up higher in the thread some guy asked how many claims were denied.
About 40% of all claims are denied (per what I just said, they do not just hand money out) and more to the point, 60-70% of initial claims are denied. The difference is that someone may have a 10% rating and applied to increase it to 50% via several different injuries. Some of those denied, and those, added to that 60% initial refusal means overall about 40% denial.
There are lawfirms whose primary practice is helping veterans navigate the process. These would not exist if the VA was all that generous because they would not be needed.
Slight elaboration. It is HOUSEHOLD INCOME.
If a guy is 45 yrs old and making $38K/yr he would be under the $44K number and dodge most copays. But if his wife is working and makes $38K/yr, they blow through the $68K limit and he is not eligible for VA healthcare.
This is why it mostly restricts to retirees with Soc Sec and some small pension under $44K (and a divorce haha to erase the ex’s Soc Sec).
Most vets who are retired have both VA and Medicare Advantage (or just Medicare Part B). They choose which program is best for them for a given treatment.
Was replying about the reason for “backlog”... You reaffirmed the reason...
Give us the stats after two maybe three years. Vets have been screwed over for so long we will take a wait and see stance.
It does sound like good news tho.
So here’s hoping!
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