>>Views Divided on Whether For-Profit Companies Should Charge Veterans for Helping them File Disability Claims with the VAHeadline Goes Here
(Undated) -- As military veterans navigate filing a disability claim, some lawmakers are being asked to get involved. Rebecca Hughes explains.Preview: Voicer Script:
For-profit consultants are making millions by charging military veterans for help with filing disability claims with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, exploiting a legal loophole that allows them to charge fees despite federal law prohibiting it. Attempts to regulate this industry have stalled in Congress, but the Virginia Mercury reports some states have passed laws to crack down on these practices. The issue has divided veterans, with some arguing that the government should do a better job of helping them access benefits directly. The industry argues that veterans should have the freedom to hire consultants to navigate the VA's slow application process, while critics call for more oversight to protect veterans from exploitation.