Brown bill aims to fast-track benefits to disabled vets
Proposed legislation would streamline process of applying for compensation.
Dayton Daily News – Just in time for Veterans Day, U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, introduced legislation that would streamline the process for veterans with disabilities to receive Social Security Disabililty Insurance.
At a press conference Tuesday, Nov. 10, Brown unveiled legislation that would require the Social Security Administration to accept for SSDI any vet who qualifies for disability compensation under Veterans Administration guidelines.
Brown said the Benefit Rating Acceleration for Veteran Entitlements, or BRAVE, Act would eliminate redundancy and put many vets on a “fast track” for acceptance.
“Honoring our nation’s veterans means fulfilling our promise to them,” Brown said. “Veterans in Ohio and across the country must receive benefits in a manner befitting their service.”
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Brown said the VA is getting 1,000 new employees to process disability claims, regardless of whether his bill passes. Meanwhile, he said, Social Security has lagged in handling claims. In Ohio, processing time for SSDI averages 621 days, well above the national average of 495 days.
“The VA does that (screening) now,” Brown said. “There’s no reason you should have to go through the same thing again.”
