VA hits multiple milestones in claims, care delivery and administration

By Morgan Sweeney
The Center Square

The Department of Veterans Affairs says it has reached several operational milestones this year, from opening new clinics and reducing the benefits claims backlog to investing a record $4.8 billion in facility repairs and improvements.

The department also helped place nearly 52,000 homeless veterans in permanent housing in fiscal year 2025 – its highest total in seven years.

The VA has opened 38 new health care clinics since January 2025, according to the department.

At the same time, the VA has been able to reduce the backlog for disability compensation and pension claims by 74% after it increased 24% during the previous administration, according to a press release from the department.

A claim becomes part of the backlog if it has not been decided by the VA for more than 125 days, or a little over four months. In 2013, the backlog had ballooned to more than 611,000 undecided claims, with 70% older than 125 days. That number improved dramatically over time but spiked at the start of the pandemic and surged to over 400,000 in 2024.

Now, more than 88% of claims are decided before reaching the backlog, according to the department.

The nearly $5 billion it’s spending to modernize and repair its health care facilities is the largest non-recurring maintenance investment in the VA’s history. It will go toward infrastructure maintenance or upgrades that are not part of regular, recurring maintenance.

In May 2025, the department launched a nationwide initiative focused on getting homeless veterans into housing programs, health care, behavioral health services, and VA benefits. That initiative helped move over 25,000 homeless veterans to interim or permanent housing.

This summer, in an effort to boost enrollment in VA benefits, facilities across the country are holding Freedom 250 events, which aim to connect unenrolled veterans with the benefits that may be available to them.

“America couldn’t celebrate its 250th anniversary without help from the Veterans who sacrificed to protect her,” said VA Secretary Doug Collins.