Veterans and "ebenefits"

There just aren't a lot of guarantees in this world, however I think we can all agree that we will all eventually leave this world, we'll probably never see Leonardo Wilhelm DiCaprio win an award, yes that is his middle name. BUT there is a guarantee if you're a veteran. All veterans know that if you call the VA 1 (800) 827-1000, you are in for a long wait! Sometimes upwards of 2 hours It’s a reality too many Veterans are aware of in our modern time.

     I find that a lot of the Veterans that I interact with are often not aware of the VA website “eBenefits.” So, what is eBenefits? Essentially the eBenefits website is a web portal in which Veterans can access information about their disability benefits, healthcare records, and even enroll in programs for education and housing. I am a cynic, especially when it comes to the VA, and even I was impressed by everything you can do on this site. I was also surprised to learn that it has been around since 2007. I’m going to stop here and applaud the VA for making online access a priority. As someone who works with veterans and is active on social media, I will also say that the VA does a really great job with their social media presence. However, if you’re waiting months to see a doctor for your PTSD claim, a nicely worded Tweet isn’t going to do you much good. Maybe the social media team can share some of their efficiency with disability administrators.

You might be wondering why you, as a Veteran, should use eBenefits. That’s actually a simple answer. It offers a great alternative to calling the 1-800 number. Further, you have quicker access to your medical records. With eBenefits you can see what is going on with your VA Disability Claim, and you can even file for benefits by way of the site.  Honestly, from my personal experience, it is better than it used to be. It’s not flawless, but it works well enough for what most people need it to do. When I first started using ebenefits, my biggest complaint was that it was not very accurate and the status of a case was rarely updated. Now it’s not as much of an issue. It’s not completely without issue, but it’s getting there.

So, why am I telling you about eBenefits? Honestly, I have a vested interest in this site because it is helpful for what I do for clients and it has helped me also. Too often I encounter Veterans who aren’t aware of the status of their case. Well, with eBenefits a Veteran can get all of the up to date information needed to determine eligibility for their claim. This includes the status of their claim, their percentages, and what disabilities they have applied for in the past. So, if you want to get some answers a little quicker from the VA, check out the VA eBenefits site. It’s free, works pretty well, and can be pretty helpful.