February 2024 marked five years of VA’s implementation of the Veterans Appeals Improvement and Modernization Act (AMA). Signed into law on Feb. 19, 2019, it was among the most significant statutory changes in decades to benefit Veterans because it restructured the way VA processes appeals of disability compensation claims.
Improving the appeals process
AMA allows Veterans three decision review options to disagree with a benefit decision. It also delivers timely resolutions and provides a streamlined process, regardless of the route selected.
The three options available under AMA are:
Higher-Level Review, which is a new review of the completed claim by a higher-level reviewer based on the prior evidence.
Supplemental Claim, which allows new and relevant evidence to be submitted for a new decision.
Appeal to the Board of Veterans’ Appeals for a review by a Veterans Law Judge (VLJ), either through a direct review (no additional evidence or hearing), evidence submission (additional evidence but no hearing), or a hearing (a hearing with a VLJ and the opportunity to submit additional evidence).
With these updated changes, AMA allows Veterans to decide which method of review is best for them, depending on the circumstances of their claim. Prior to the implementation of AMA, the average time to resolve a legacy appeal was anywhere from 16 to 35 months. Over the past five years, VA has processed over 2.1 million AMA decisions, in an average of 102 days.
Improving customer service
“The Appeals Modernization Act provides our Veterans with options when they disagree with a VA benefits decision. It gives them choice and control,” said Timothy Sirhal, the executive director for VA’s Office of Administrative Review. “Over the last five years, we’ve talked to Veterans and representatives about their customer experience with the decision review options. Our goal is to deliver the highest quality decision as quickly as possible, and Veterans and beneficiaries are experiencing that change.”
For more information on the three decision review options available under AMA, or to begin your appeal, please visit our AMA website.
