Federal Daily - October 30, 2009

GI Bill Claims Swamp VA

The Department of Veterans Affairs is looking to hire a private contractor to augment processing of the education claims that have flooded the agency since implementation of the new Post-9/11 GI Bill, VA said on Oct. 28. VA issued the solicitation on Oct. 21 after being swamped with an unprecedented number of new applications for benefits under the bill, which went into effect on Aug. 1. The contractor will validate enrollment information provided by schools and provide recommendations on claim status to VA personnel, who then will finalize claims decisions and generate eligible payments. VA said it expected the contractor to focus on handling the least complex cases to help implement the program quickly. VA emphasized that all work will be reviewed by VA personnel, and that VA will provide contractor personnel with training on security and claims processing procedures. To see more, go to: http://www1.va.gov/opa/pressrel/pressrelease.cfm?id=1806.

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OPM to Open Administrative Judge Exam

The Office of Personnel Management on Oct. 28 said it soon will open the Administrative Law Judge Examination and post an opening notice on the USAJOBS (www.usajobs.gov) Web site. OPM said it will announce the number of applications it will accept when it opens the exam, and advised prospective applicants to keep a close eye on the USAJOBS site in coming weeks, because the openings will probably go fast. OPM will accept completed applications in the order they are received until the end of the day the limit has been reached. When OPM last opened the exam in July 2008, it hit its target of 600 completed applications within two days. The ALJE includes an assessment of qualifications, proof of specific legal experience, and submission of an accomplishment record. High scorers on the accomplishment record portion will be invited to take a written exam and participate in a structured interview. ALJs serve as arbiters at regulatory and benefits-granting agencies. As of March, there were 1,422 ALJs at 30 federal agencies and sub-agencies. To see more, go to: www.opm.gov/news/opm-to-announce-opening-of-administrative-law-judge-exam,1487.aspx.

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Bill Would Reimburse Vets for Academic Prep Classes

A bipartisan bill introduced in the House would—if passed into law—reimburse vets for the cost of taking test preparation classes. Under the Post 9/11 GI Bill, veterans can be reimbursed for the cost of licensing and certification tests, but they receive no reimbursement for preparatory classes, said Rep. Adam Putnam, R-Fla., one of the bill sponsors. The bill, the Test Prep for Heroes Act, would permit vets to be reimbursed for the cost of those classes. “By providing access to more tools to help our veterans prepare for entrance exams and licensing tests, we can level the playing field and ensure they do not miss a single opportunity,” said bill co-sponsor Ron Klein, D-Fla. According to figures provided by the Department of Veterans Affairs, the agency has provided certificates of eligibility to nearly 200,000 applicants for the new Post-9/11 GI Bill. More than 61,000 payments totaling over $50 million to schools and students have been issued so far, VA said. To see more, go to: http://klein.house.gov/index.cfm?sectionid=57&parentid
=23&sectiontree=23,57&itemid=961.

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