Lifestage Benefits Optimization

In 2017, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Office of the Chief Technology Officer (OCTO) partnered with VA Central Office and all three VA Administrations to identify a vision statement for enhancing VA’s digital presence for Veterans. That vision is known as the Digital Modernization Vision and is supported by a group of VA executives known as the Digital Modernization Council. This council is chaired by the CTO.

VA Digital Modernization Vision defined in July 2017:

VA will deliver self-service tools on par with top private sector companies and will have the best online experience in the Federal Government. Every digital service will be customized to the individual using it. Interacting with VA digital services will feel like navigating TurboTax, not filling out a form.

The work directly supports benefits claims and data intake on Veteran-facing digital platforms. The overarching goals of this work are:

1. Reduce the average time to completion of benefits claims

2. Increase customer satisfaction

3. Increase the quality and reliability of VA services

VA's Benefits Portfolio encompasses a complex ecosystem of digital products that serve Veterans, Caregivers, Service members, their dependents, and survivors throughout the entirety of their benefits lifecycle—from initial application, through claim status tracking, to decision review and ongoing benefits management. While VA has made significant progress in digitizing these experiences, VA seeks to make substantial improvements in three areas: (1) forms updates and usability improvements, (2) benefits data intake and automation, and (3) document services (real-time data validation and third-party routing). The work encompassed in this requirement covers existing products and potential new modernization initiatives.