You may have seen a headline from Stars and Stripes suggesting the Department of Veterans Affairs plans to scan a million disability claims for fraud using artificial intelligence. Headlines like that can understandably raise concern among Veterans. After all, nobody likes the idea that their benefits might suddenly be scrutinized by a computer.
As with many headlines, however, the full story is a bit more nuanced.
According to information shared by the VA Office of VSO Engagement with Veterans Service Organizations nationwide, the effort currently under discussion is not an artificial intelligence system scanning old claims. In fact, the tool being discussed has not yet been deployed and remains under development.
The goal of the project is to address a growing concern within the VA and the VA Office of Inspector General: predatory companies submitting questionable Disability Benefits Questionnaires (DBQs) on behalf of Veterans.
A DBQ is a standardized medical form used to document a Veteran’s condition for disability compensation claims. DBQs are typically completed by VA-contracted medical providers. Investigators have found that some organizations have begun exploiting this process.
In 2023, the VA Office of Inspector General issued a fraud alert warning about companies that may charge Veterans significant fees while submitting questionable or fabricated medical evidence. Some organizations present themselves as legitimate providers while operating as part of organized fraud schemes.
The tool being developed by VA aims to help identify patterns that could signal this type of activity. Importantly, the system described by VA relies on manual data entry and analysis by staff, not automated artificial intelligence decision-making.
Just as important for Veterans to understand:
• The tool is forward-looking only.
• VA states it will not be used to revisit previously finalized claims or DBQs.
• It does not change how VA evaluates or decides disability claims.
• No Veteran’s benefits will be reduced or denied because of the tool itself.
In other words, the stated intention is not to target Veterans, but rather to identify organizations that may be exploiting Veterans during the claims process.
It is also understandable why some Veterans feel uneasy when hearing about large-scale fraud detection efforts. Trust in the benefits process is important, and transparency from VA will remain essential as this project develops.
For now, the best advice remains the same: work with accredited Veterans Service Officers, claims agents, or attorneys when filing a VA claim. Accredited representatives provide assistance at no cost to the Veteran and operate under strict standards established by the VA.
Brad Anderson and Melissa Crandall, Lake County Veterans Service Officers, 218.834.8326 or cvso@co.lake.mn.us
Karen Christianson, Cook County Veterans Service Officer, 218.387.3639, or karen.christianson@co.cook.mn.us
