This week the VA kept coming back to one word. Faster. It sped up how it buys prosthetic limbs, cleared two million disability claims ahead of schedule, and switched on a new health record system at four more hospitals. Each of those is real good news for veterans who have waited too long for care or a decision.

But speed was only half of the week’s story. The rest asked a harder question. Is the system fair? A report ordered by Congress found the VA denies sexual trauma claims more often than combat claims. A federal court agreed to weigh a deal that could reopen tens of thousands of appeals the VA closed years ago. And lawmakers moved to shut down companies that charge veterans for help that is already free.

The biggest fight of the week was over money. Congress packed more than 60 veterans bills into one giant package. Many of those bills would help veterans right away. The catch is the plan to pay for them, which would cut future ratings for tinnitus and sleep apnea. Major veterans groups are pushing back hard.

Closer to home, an Oregon lawmaker helped lead the push against the so-called claim sharks. Put it all together and the week showed a VA that is moving quicker on the basics, while Congress and the courts wrestle with who the system still leaves behind.

VA Says It Cleared 2 Million Disability Claims Faster Than Ever

The VA processed more than two million disability claims this fiscal year and hit that mark by June 1, earlier than ever before. The average wait to finish a claim dropped to about 79 days, down from more than 141 days in early 2025. The backlog has fallen below 75,000, the smallest it has been since 2020. Faster decisions do not change whether a claim is approved, and veterans in some busy states still wait longer than the national average.

Sources:

VA News: https://news.va.gov/press-room/va-processes-2m-disability-benefits-claims-in-record-time-again/

Stars and Stripes: https://www.stripes.com/veterans/2026-03-16/va-drops-plan-to-scan-old-claims-21089238.html

VA Cuts the Wait for Veterans Who Need Prosthetic Limbs

The VA changed how it buys prosthetic limbs, and it expects the average wait to fall from 94 days to 54 days. On April 22, Secretary Doug Collins exempted about 95 percent of limb orders from an extra contracting review. More than 45,000 veterans rely on the VA each year for limb loss care. Wait times have already dropped by 10 days under the new process.

Sources:

VA News: https://news.va.gov/press-room/va-speeds-up-delivery-of-prosthetic-limbs-to-veterans/

The American Legion: https://www.legion.org/information-center/news/veterans-healthcare/2026/june/va-speeds-up-delivery-of-prosthetic-limbs-to-veterans

VA Expands New Electronic Health Record to Four More Hospitals

On June 6 the VA turned on its new Federal Electronic Health Record at four hospitals in Ohio and Kentucky, reaching about 107,000 veterans. The system is built to share records across the VA, the Department of War, and private hospitals, so a veteran’s history can follow them from place to place. It also carries a record that tracks toxic exposures, which can help decide related disability claims. The project has a rocky past, and more sites in Indiana, Alaska, and Cleveland are due later this year.

Sources:

VA News: https://news.va.gov/press-room/va-deploys-new-electronic-health-record-system-to-four-more-sites-in-ohio-kentucky/

VA News: https://news.va.gov/147004/veteran-care-will-improve-federal-ehr-updates/

VA Expands a Drug-Free Virtual Reality Pain Program for Veterans

The VA added a virtual reality therapy for chronic pain, called RelieVRx, to its Federal Supply Schedule, so any VA provider can now prescribe it. The eight-week home program blends cognitive behavioral therapy, mindfulness, and pain education to help veterans manage pain without more medication. The VA has placed more than 4,700 VR headsets across over 170 sites, and nearly half of its medical centers have already used the program. It is not a cure, but it gives veterans one more option that does not start with a pill.

Sources:

DAV: https://www.dav.org/learn-more/news/2026/virtual-reality-pain-treatment-expands-for-veterans/

VA News: https://news.va.gov/144672/relievrx-offers-hope-veterans-chronic-pain/

Report Finds VA Denies Military Sexual Trauma Claims More Often Than Combat Claims

A report from the National Academies, ordered by Congress and released June 3, found the VA denies military sexual trauma claims more often than combat claims. One study it cited put the denial rate at 27.6 percent for sexual trauma claims and 18.2 percent for combat claims. The gap comes down to proof, because many survivors never filed a report at the time. The report urges Congress to let the VA accept a veteran’s own account as evidence.

Sources:

Task & Purpose: https://taskandpurpose.com/news/va-mst-claims-report/

National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine: https://www.nationalacademies.org/news/va-congress-urged-to-improve-process-for-evaluating-disabilities-related-to-military-sexual-trauma-in-new-report

Court Sets August Hearing on Deal That Could Reopen Thousands of Closed VA Appeals

A federal veterans court will hold a fairness hearing on August 13 in Freund v. Collins, a class action over appeals the VA closed as untimely. Under the proposed deal, the VA would hand-check 28,258 closed files and reopen any case with a timely appeal inside. It would also mail notices to as many as 64,599 other claimants, who can then ask for a review. Class members do not have to act right now, and the court plans to livestream the hearing.

Sources:

VA News: https://news.va.gov/147326/freund-v-collins-fairness-hearing-scheduled/

VA Office of General Counsel: https://news.va.gov/146172/notice-proposed-settlement-substantive-appeals/

Lawmakers Move to Stop ‘Claim Sharks’ From Charging Veterans for Free Help

A bipartisan group introduced the SAFEGUARD Veterans Act on June 2 to stop unaccredited companies from charging veterans for claims help that is free. Reps. Janelle Bynum of Oregon and Chris Pappas of New Hampshire led the House effort, with a matching Senate bill from Sen. Richard Blumenthal. The bill would restore criminal penalties, ban robocalls that pull claims data from VA call centers, and give veterans a way to report scammers. Five major veterans groups back it, and it now heads to committee in both chambers.

Sources:

Rep. Janelle Bynum press release: https://bynum.house.gov/media/press-releases/bynum-introduces-bipartisan-comprehensive-bill-crack-down-claim-sharks

WSAW (Gray Media): https://www.wsaw.com/2026/06/03/sen-baldwin-backs-bill-targeting-claims-sharks-who-scam-veterans-seeking-va-benefits/

Congress Bundles 60 Veterans Bills Into One Package, but the Funding Plan Splits Veteran Groups

House and Senate Republican leaders introduced the Take Care of America’s Veterans Act on June 11, a 554-page bill that bundles more than 60 separate measures. The headline item, the Major Richard Star Act, would let about 54,000 combat injured retirees collect both retirement pay and VA disability pay in full. The fight is over how to pay for it, since the plan would change future ratings for tinnitus and sleep apnea. Groups like the DAV and VFW say the cut could reach $57 billion over ten years and warn it would hurt future veterans.

Sources:

Stars and Stripes: https://www.stripes.com/veterans/2026-06-11/major-veterans-legislation-60-bills-21939097.html

Military.com: https://www.military.com/historic-veterans-package-rolls-60-bills-into-one-congressional-push-for-veterans-and-military-families

The VA spent the week pointing to shorter waits and smaller backlogs. The harder question, raised in Congress and the courts, is whether the system treats every veteran fairly.

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