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Veterans Affairs evidence errors rise after automated tool launch

Associated Press reports that VA evidence-collection errors rose sharply from fiscal 2021 to fiscal 2026. The VA says there is no evidence its automated tool causes them.

Published Nov 10, 2026 · 01:13 UTC1 reports

The short version

  • Associated Press reports VA evidence-collection errors rose from over 66,000 in fiscal 2021 to over 329,000 in fiscal 2026.[Associated Press]
  • Automated Decision Support launched in December 2021, and higher-level reviewers sent back about 23% of claims decisions for more evidence in fiscal 2021, rising to 35% in fiscal 2026.[Associated Press]
  • The VA says there is no evidence the tool causes errors and attributes the rise to a quadrupling of appealed denials.[Associated Press]
  • Margarita Devlin told a House committee errors have decreased, while the appeal-based error counts increased, leaving the causal link unresolved.[Associated Press]

Key facts

  • The VA introduced Automated Decision Support in December 2021.[Associated Press]
  • The VA counted more than 66,000 evidence-collection errors in fiscal 2021 and over 329,000 in fiscal 2026.[Associated Press]
  • Higher-level reviewers sent back about 23% of claims decisions to collect more evidence in fiscal 2021, just before the tool launched, and 35% in fiscal 2026.[Associated Press]
  • VA press secretary Quinn Slaven said there is no evidence the Automated Decision Support tool is causing errors.[Associated Press]
  • Slaven attributed the rise in identified errors to the number of denials appealed under higher-level review quadrupling from 2020 to 2026.[Associated Press]
  • Margarita Devlin, the VA's principal deputy under secretary for benefits, told the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs that errors have decreased and decision accuracy has improved.[Associated Press]

What remains uncertain

  • Whether the tool contributes to the rise in errors is disputed; the VA denies a causal link, and the reporting does not establish one.[Associated Press]
  • Devlin's testimony that errors decreased is presented alongside rising appeal-based error counts without reconciliation in the available reporting.[Associated Press]

Sources

Outlet counts describe coverage, not independent confirmation. Reports may share a wire service or original source.