REPORT: VA BENEFITS CENTER RIFE WITH MISMANAGEMENT

A Department of Veterans Affairs benefits office in Philadelphia that processes more than $4 billion in veteran pension payments each year has been rife with mismanagement and data manipulation that potentially cheats tens of thousands of for- mer servicemembers out of timely and accurate payments.

An inspector general’s report released Wednesday called for immediate action to correct problems at the regional center.

Months or years of delay in processing compensation claims for veterans with service-related injuries or wounds are one of two systemwide scandals plaguing the VA in recent years. The other crisis involves veterans waiting too long for medical treatment and hospital staff manipulating appointment records to cover the delays.