Inspection of VA Regional Office Fargo, North Dakota

We evaluated the Fargo VA Regional Office (VARO) to see how well its staff processes disability claims and provides a range of services to veterans. We sampled 3 types of disability claims that we considered at increased risk of processing errors, temporary 100 percent disability evaluations, traumatic brain injury (TBI), and special monthly compensation (SMC) and ancillary benefits. These results do not represent the overall accuracy of disability claims processing at this VARO. However, VARO staff did not accurately process 12 of 49 disability claims (24 percent) reviewed. In our previous report, Inspection of the VA Regional Office, Fargo, North Dakota (Report No. 11-03724-73, January 25, 2012) we identified the most frequent processing errors associated with temporary 100 percent disability evaluations resulted from staff not establishing electronic controls needed to request medical reexaminations to reevaluate the severity of disabilities. During our October 2014 inspection, we did not identify similar errors. Therefore, we determined the VSC’s actions in response to the national review plan have been effective. VARO staff established correct dates of claim in the electronic record for 29 of the 30 claims we reviewed. However, staff did not timely or accurately complete 4 of 30 proposed benefits reduction cases. We recommended the Fargo VARO Director ensure staff review the 40 temporary 100 percent disability evaluations within the universe of claims that were pending at the VARO as of August 21, 2014, ensure staff receive training regarding proper procedures for establishing permanent disability evaluations and implement a plan to ensure staff address all pending issues related to SMC and ancillary benefits. The Director of the Fargo VARO concurred with all recommendations. Management’s planned actions are responsive and we will follow up as required.