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Updated Nov 06, 2024

In This Section
 
This section contains the following topics:
 
Topic
Topic Name
1
2
3 Handling Mail Showing Potential Under/Overpayment
4 Handling Waiver Requests
5 Screening and Handling Restricted-Access Mail From Employees and Their Relatives
6 Processing Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) and Privacy Act (PA) Requests
7
Routing Mail to Other Business Lines
 

1.  Handling Claims for Ancillary Benefits


Change Date

  July 10, 2015

II.i.2.D.1.a.  Handling Claims for Ancillary Benefits

 
Upon receipt of an application form for the ancillary benefits listed below, follow normal procedures in M21-1, Part II, Subpart i, 2.A for reviewing mail.
 
Ancillary benefit application forms include
Note:  An end product (EP) 290 is normally established for ancillary benefits unless received as part of an original claim for other benefits, in which case an EP 110 or 010 series would be used.
 
References:  For more information on

2.  Handling Survivor’s Benefit Claims


Change Date

 
December 1, 2022

II.i.2.D.2.a.  Handling Claims for Survivor Benefits  

 
Receipt of one of the forms listed below indicates a claim for survivor’s benefits.  Use the centralized mail (CM) portal to route the claim to the appropriate pension management center (PMC), upon receipt of
Exception:  Only non-original in-service death claims, generally received on VA Form 21P-534a, are routed to the PMC.  For original in-service death claims see M21-1, Part II, Subpart ii, 3.1.b.
 
References:  For more information on

3.  Handling Mail Showing Potential Under/Overpayment


Introduction

 
This topic contains instructions for handling mail showing potential under/overpayment, including

Change Date

  July 17, 2023

II.i.2.D.3.a.  Establishing Timeliness Controls on Potential Under/Overpayments

 
When information is received that suggests a potential under/overpayment may exist, add the Potential Under/Overpayment special issue to allow for monitoring of timeliness in completing action on potential under/overpayments.
 
Exception:  The use of the Potential Under/Overpayment special issue is not required while processing pension and survivor claims.

II.i.2.D.3.b.  When to Establish Timeliness Controls on Potential Overpayments

 
Add the Potential Under/Overpayment special issue when information is received from one of the following sources indicating potential overpayment:
  • the beneficiary or a third party
  • a message generated as a result of a matching program as described in M21-1, Part XIV, or
  • an 800 series work item.
Examples of mail that could result in a reduction or discontinuation of benefits include
  • mail related to one of the matching programs discussed in M21-1, Part XIV, or
  • a notice of
    • drill pay
    • return to active duty
    • fugitive felon
    • death
    • incarceration
    • a change in the status of a beneficiary’s dependent(s), or
    • hospitalization that requires adjustment of a beneficiary’s award under
References:  For more information on
 

II.i.2.D.3.c.  When to Establish Timeliness Controls on Potential Underpayments

 
Add the Potential Under/Overpayment special issue when information is received from one of the following sources indicating potential underpayment:
  • a message generated as a result of a matching program as described in M21-1, Part XIV, or
  • an 800 series work item.
Example:  An Audit Error Worksheet (AEW) for entitlement to Concurrent Retirement and Disability Pay or Combat Related Special Compensation.
 
Note:  Do not apply the Potential Under/Overpayment special issue to claims received from the beneficiary, to include requests for reinstatement of compensation.
 
References:  For more information on

4.  Handling Waiver Requests


Change Date

 
September 27, 2022

II.i.2.D.4.a.  Handling Waiver Requests

 
Upon receipt of a request for a waiver of debt, determine if a Receivables Balance is shown on the AWARD INFORMATION tab on the CORPORATE INQUIRY AWARD/RATING screen in Share.
 
Example:Screenshot of AWARD INFORMATION tab on the CORPORATE INQUIRY AWARD/RATING screen in Share
 
Use the table below to determine the actions to take when handling waiver requests.
 
If …
Then …
  • receivables balance information is shown in the AWARD INFORMATION tab, and
  • all documents in the mail packet are intended for the Debt Management Center (DMC)
reassign the mail packet to the DMC Assignment Queue in the CM portal.
  • receivables balance information is shown in the AWARD INFORMATION tab, and
  • at least one document needs to be uploaded into the VBMS electronic claims folder (eFolder).
  • utilize the download functionality within the CM portal to download the mail image(s)
  • process the remaining documents in the packet as appropriate
  • upload the packet into the Veterans Benefits Management System (VBMS), and
  • start a new Found Waiver request at the DMC General Correspondence Request Page and follow the prompts on the form to advise the waiver was received and where it can be located.
Notes:
  • Do not attach the mail document to the Found Waiver request.  The DMC will access the document in VBMS based on the information provided in the request.
  • Upon receipt of an e-mail response stating the request is not valid
    • follow the link in the e-mail to review the notes explaining why DMC has rejected the request, and
    • update or cancel the request as appropriate.
no receivables balance information is shown in the AWARD INFORMATION tab
further review of the request is needed to determine the actual issue requested, with appropriate action to follow.
 
References:  For more information on

5.  Screening and Handling Restricted-Access Mail From Employees and Their Relatives


Introduction

 
This topic contains information on screening and handling restricted-access mail from employees and their relatives, including

Change Date

  October 20, 2021

II.i.2.D.5.a.  Identifying Restricted- Access Mail

 
Mail from the following claimants requires restricted-access handling:
  • Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA) employees
  • designated family members of VBA employees
  • Veterans service organization employees
  • VA interns
  • participants in VA work-study programs, and
  • high-ranking government officials.
Reference:  For more information on identifying individuals whose claims require restricted-access handling, see M21-1, Part II, Subpart ii, 2.B.

II.i.2.D.5.b.  Who Has Jurisdiction Over Restricted-Access Mail

 
With few exceptions, mail related to claims filed by VBA employees and their relatives require restricted-access handling by the St. Paul Restricted Access Claims Center (RACC) for compensation claims, and by the St. Paul PMC RACC for pension and survivor claims.
 
Reference:  For more information on claims handled by RACCs, see M21-1, Part II, Subpart ii, 2.B.

II.i.2.D.5.c.  NWQ Routing of Claims to RACCs 

 
Follow the instructions in the National Work Queue (NWQ) Playbook, under the heading Restricted Access Claims Center (RACC) Claims Routing, upon receipt of a claim or legacy appeal that
  • falls under the jurisdiction of a RACC, and
  • is subject to NWQ routing.

II.i.2.D.5.d.  Use of the RACC Cover Sheet for Proper Mail Routing

 
Mail routing within the CM portals is normally based upon the zip code from which correspondence originated.
 
RACC employees attach cover sheets to all outgoing correspondence.  Additionally, Public Contact teams at all regional offices (ROs) provide these cover sheets to employee/family member claimants upon request.  The cover sheets override zip codes and automatically route the incoming mail to the appropriate RACC CM queue.
 
In cases where non-RACC ROs receive RACC mail, the RO employee will reassign the mail within their CM queues to the appropriate RACC CM queue per M21-1, Part II, Subpart i, 2.A.5.c, Steps 3-5.
 
References:  For more information on

II.i.2.D.5.e.  RACC Mail Handling Responsibilities

 
When a RACC receives mail from a VBA employee or a VBA employee’s relative as listed in M21-1, Part II, Subpart ii, 2.B from another RO, it must
  • review the claims folder to determine whether a claim is pending, and (if necessary)
  • continue any claims processing activities initiated by the other RO.

6.  Processing FOIA and PA Requests


Introduction

 
This topic provides information on processing FOIA/PA requests, including

Change Date

 
November 16, 2020

II.i.2.D.6.a.  Processing FOIA and PA Requests

 
During initial screening, the intake processing center (IPC) routes Freedom of Information Act (FOIA)/Privacy Act (PA) requests through the CM portal to the Record Management Center’s (RMC’s) mail queue without taking any system actions.
 
Exception:  There are some situations where system actions are required.  Use the table below to determine the actions to take when exceptions to the process described in the preceding paragraph apply.
 
If a …
Then the IPC …
FOIA/PA request is received in the same mail packet as other mail requiring RO action
  • establishes end product
    • 510, Privacy Act Request, or
    • 511, FOIA
  • leaves the suspense reason as Initial Review Pending, and
  • brokers the corresponding work item to RMC in VBMS only.
Notes:
  • The IPC leaves a permanent note under the brokered work item indicating a FOIA/PA request was received with other RO action mail.
  • After establishing EP 510 or 511, the RO
    • processes the action mail, and
    • uploads the mail packet into the appropriate eFolder in VBMS.
Reference:  For more information on establishing EPs in VBMS, see M21-1, Part II, Subpart iii, 3.A.1.d.
congressional FOIA/PA request is received through the CM portal
  • downloads the request from the portal and saves it in the portable document format (PDF)
  • e-mails the request to VAVBASTL/RMC/CONGRESSIONAL, and
  • uploads the request into the appropriate eFolder in VBMS.
Note:  The CM portal does not normally contain congressional FOIA/PA requests.  RO Congressional Liaisons may refer congressional staff to RMC for qualifying requests.
 

II.i.2.D.6.b.  Use of VA Form 20-10206

 
VA Form 20-10206, Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) or Privacy Act (PA) Request, is available for a claimant, a claimant’s authorized third-party representative, a claimant’s authorized POA, or other individual to use to request records.
 
Important:  Use of this form is not a requirement but is encouraged as the preferred method to request records under FOIA or PA.

7.  Routing Mail to Other Business Lines


Change Date

 
November 6, 2024

II.i.2.D.7.a.  Procedures for Routing Mail to Other Business Lines

 
Use the table below to determine the proper procedure for routing mail to other business lines.
 
Business Line
Routing Procedures
Education Service
Use Education Service’s jurisdiction map to determine which regional processing office (RPO) has jurisdiction, based on the claimant’s address; then reassign the mail to that RPO’s queue in the CM portal.
Insurance Service
Reassign mail to the Insurance Mail queue in the CM portal.
Loan Guaranty Service
  • Use functionality within the CM portal to
    • download the mail, and
    • save the mail as a PDF file.
  • E-mail the PDF file (using appropriate encryption) to LGY.LPNATIONAL@va.gov.
Veteran Readiness and Employment (VR&E) Service
Reassign mail to the appropriate VR&E mail queue in the CM portal.
Support Services Division (SSD)/finance activity
Reassign all SSD/finance activity-related mail to the appropriate SSD mail queue in the CM portal.
Veterans Health Administration (VHA)
Handle mail received for a VHA facility in accordance with local policy.
National Cemetery Administration
Fax claims, such as a VA Form 40-1330Claim for Standard Government Headstone or Marker, and supporting documentation to 1-800-455-7143 or mail them to
 
Memorial Programs Service (41B)
Department of Veterans Affairs
5109 Russell Road
Quantico, VA 22134-3903.
 
Important:  When faxing more than one claim, fax each claim package (claim plus supporting documentation) individually (disconnect the call and redial for each submission).