| Description |
ii, 40 p. : digital, PDF file |
| System Details |
System requirements: Adobe Acrobat Reader. |
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Mode of access via the GAO web site. |
| Note |
Title from PDF title screen (viewed on Feb. 1, 2009). |
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"January 2009." |
| Summary |
In 2005, Congress created a traumatic injury insurance benefit program, known as TSGLI, to help servicemembers with traumatic brain injury and other serious injuries with the financial burdens that they and their families face. The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) administers the program, in collaboration with the Department of Defense (DOD), while the branches of service are responsible for deciding servicemembers' claims. GAO examined (1) the TSGLI approval rate for traumatic brain injury claimants, and whether DOD and VA have assurance that claims are processed accurately, consistently, and in a timely manner and (2) any challenges servicemembers with traumatic brain injury may have faced in accessing TSGLI benefits, and the extent to which DOD and VA have taken steps to address such challenges. GAO analyzed program data and interviewed DOD and VA officials, servicemembers, and medical professionals. GAO recommends that DOD and VA (1) implement a quality assurance review process to help ensure that decisions are accurate and consistent within and across the services and (2) take steps to ensure the data required to assess the approval rate for traumatic brain injury and timeliness of the claims process are reliable and comprehensive. |
| Bibliography |
Includes bibliographical references. |
| Note |
"GAO-09-108." |
| Subject |
United States. Department of Defense -- Rules and practice.
|
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United States. Department of Veterans Affairs -- Rules and practice.
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Brain -- Wounds and injuries.
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Disability evaluation -- United States.
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Disabled veterans -- Services for -- United States.
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Interagency coordination -- United States.
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| Added Author |
United States. Congress. House. Committee on Oversight and Government Reform.
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| Added Title |
Traumatic brain injury : better Department of Defense and Department of Veterans Affairs oversight can help ensure more accurate, consistent, and timely decisions for the Traumatic Injury Insurance program |
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Better DOD and VA oversight can help ensure more accurate, consistent, and timely decisions for the Traumatic Injury Insurance program |
| Gpo Item No. |
0546-D (online) |
| Sudoc No. |
GA 1.13:GAO-09-108 |
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