What this means
This is an internal quality-management section. It explains that VA uses supervision, training, spot checks, focused reviews, and the national STAR program to measure and improve compensation-claim accuracy. It also says quality observations should continue across the listed claims-processing operations rather than being a one-time check.
How this may help with a claim
A veteran cannot demand a STAR review, but the section helps explain what VA itself treats as quality-sensitive work. Use that perspective to audit whether the claim was completely processed and to describe a suspected error precisely—for example, a missed issue, incomplete development, or incorrect outcome—when choosing an available review lane or working with an accredited representative.
What to review in your file
- Identify the exact processing action that appears incomplete or inconsistent with the governing claim procedure.
- Separate an outcome-changing defect from a preference about how an employee could have handled the file.
- Use the underlying M21-1 rule or regulation for the claim issue, not the quality-program label alone.
Important limits
STAR and local quality reviews are management tools, not claimant appeal rights or independent grounds for benefits. Their existence does not prove that a particular file was sampled, and the underlying statute, regulation, evidence, and review deadline control a veteran's case.
Search terms when useful
Phrases that may help when searching your claim file or this library.
- STAR quality review
- VA accuracy
- national quality review
- quality control
- compensation claim review
Original VA guidance
The official VA text of this section
1. Purpose
Introduction
This topic describes the purpose of national quality reviews, including
- methods to determine and improve quality
- Systematic Technical Accuracy Review (STAR), and
- quality review and the Veterans Service Center (VSC)/Benefit Eligibility Support Team (BEST). Military Sexual Trauma Operations Center (MST-OC), and Decision Review Operations Center (DROC).
Change Date
August 17, 2026
3.1.a. Methods to Determine and Improve Quality
Effective quality reviews and positive action to improve quality levels are required for all compensation claims. Methods used to determine quality levels and improve quality on an organized technical basis vary and are described in the following subchapter. The methods may consist of
- regular supervision and training
- mandatory or optional reviews and spot checks
- controls of various kinds including cost controls or formal control procedures such as the Systematic Technical Accuracy Review (STAR) program, and
- special focused quality improvement reviews.
3.1.b. STAR
STAR is the Veterans Benefits Administration’s (VBA) national method for measuring compensation claims processing accuracy in the national quality review program. STAR includes review of work in two areas
- claims that usually require a rating decision, and
- claims that generally do not require a rating decision.
Note: STAR results are generated for all of VBA’s regional offices (ROs) and are included in the RO Director’s Performance Plan.
3.1.c. Quality Review and the VSC/DRAS/BEST/MST OC/DROC
The quality review system is intended to assist managers in monitoring the level of service to claimants. This system requires that quality observations and reviews be performed on a continuing basis in all areas of Veterans Service Center (VSC), Disability Rating Activity Site (DRAS), Benefit Eligibility Support Team (BEST) operations, and the Military Sexual Trauma - Operations Center (MST-OC), and the Decision Review Operations Center (DROC).
Note: The quality review system does not require that evaluations encompass every work team within the division.