Content of SOARs

4. VSC/DRAS SOAR Topic Requirements

Introduction

This topic contains information on areas that must be covered in the VSC SOARs, including

• content of SOARs, and
• SOAR for
• priority and special claims processing
• local quality of RVSR work
• local quality of Veterans Service Representative (VSR) work
• SOAR for Overdevelopment in Claims Processing
• unclaimed Veteran remains (UVR), and
• Public Contact and Outreach.

Change Date

June 6, 2025

5.4.a. Content of SOARs

The review must cover all related factors outlined in each SOAR below.

Notes:

• The areas for review listed below indicate the minimum areas to be included.
• RO or Division management may expand the areas of consideration to ensure a thorough analysis is conducted in each process reviewed.

Important: Each analysis must identify any potential problem areas drawn from assumptions and predictions based on the findings and analysis. All assumptions and predictions must be explained and supported with rationale that is clearly outlined and supported by quantitative and/or qualitative data (for example, include sample reviews with results where applicable).

5.4.b. SOAR for Priority and Specialty Claims Processing

The biannual SOAR for Priority and Specialty Claims Processing must include analysis of

• homeless claims processing, to include
• claims management for claims within station of zip
• average days pending/average days to complete, to include outliers
• percent flashed prior to current claim
• internal controls to verify claim is flashed properly to include a sample review of claims flashed homeless prior to establishment, and
• effectiveness of local Veterans Benefits Managements System (VBMS) rules for priority claims to include timely routing of homeless claims to proper claims processors, and
• specialty claims training requirements for military sexual trauma (MST) (if applicable), traumatic brain injury (TBI), and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) to include a review of the 2nd signature process, to include
• review of specialized claims processors for MST (if applicable), TBI, and ALS to include all training requirements and quality performance standards are met
• process and effectiveness of 2nd signatures for MST (if applicable), TBI, and ALS (if applicable), and
• appropriate signatures applied to MST, TBI, and ALS (if applicable) rating decisions, to include a sample review of rating decisions to ensure ratings are completed by authorized specialized claims processors who have met all training requirements and quality performance standards.

References: For more information on

• homeless Veteran claims dashboard, see Tableau
• priority processing of claims from homeless Veterans, see
• M21-1, Part X, Subpart i, 1.2, and
• M27-1, Part II, 3
• training and signature requirements for TBI decisions, see
• M21-1, Part V, Subpart iii, 12.B.1.o,
• M21-1, Part V, Subpart iv, 1.B.7.d,
• M21-5, Chapter 1, Section A.3.h, and
• M21-3, Part 1, Section A.3.l
• Authority to decide ALS claims, see M21-1, Part V, Subpart iii, 12.C.2.f
• ALS specialized RVSR claims processors training requirements, see
• M21-5, Chapter 1, Section A, 3.i, and
• M21-3, Part 1, Section A.3.m
• MST claims processing requirements, see M21-1, Part VIII, Subpart iv,1.B.1.d, and
• training and signature requirements for MST decisions, see
• M21-1, Part VIII, Subpart iv, 1.E.1.g
• M21-1, Part V, Subpart iv, 1.B.7.d
• M21-5, Chapter 1, Section A, 3.g, and
• M21-3, Part 1, Section A.3.k.

5.4.c. SOAR for Local Quality of RVSR Work

The annual SOAR for Local Quality of RVSR Work must include analysis of

• clear and unmistakable errors (CUEs) citing your RO as RO in error, including
• analysis of highest CUE category citing RO in error
• analysis of trends and/or outliers in highest CUE category, to include who is causing highest CUEs, and
• actions taken to reduce CUEs in this area
• created by deferrals (RFD to Open), including
• analysis of highest category of deferrals created by RO
• analysis of quality on created deferrals (was action requested accurate and necessary, most appropriate deferral reason selected, manual reference provided, and bookmarks identified), and
• analysis of trends/outliers in highest category, to include who is creating most deferrals in this category
• actions taken to reduce deferrals in this area and validation to show improvement
• in process review (IPR) use, including
• analysis of local IPR process to include selecting IPR categories, how and when corrective actions are taken and validation of such actions
• analysis of error trends and outliers identified by IPRs
• actions taken to reduce error trends and outliers identified by IPRs and validation to show improvement, and
• analysis of IPR effectiveness to reduce errors within the claims process locally and nationally, and
• RO hearings, including
• local procedures (how are requests placed under control and managed)
• timeliness of scheduling, and
• show rates.

References: For more information on

• tracking compensation CUE decisions in the CUE log, see M21-1, Part X, Subpart ii, 5.A.3.f
• CUE data, see CUE Microsoft SharePoint site
• created by deferral data, see Tableau
• VBMS deferrals, see M21-4, Chapter 6, Topic 8.e
• IPRs, see M21-4, Chapter 6, Topic 7,and
• RO hearings, see

5.4.d. SOAR for Local Quality of VSR Work

The annual SOAR for Local Quality of Veterans Service Representative (VSR) Work must include analysis of

• accuracy of systems compliance, to include analysis of trends/outlier in highest category
• local quality and error trends of Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) exams requested, including
• analysis on whether exams/opinions were timely requested during development, and
• analysis on whether exams/opinions request were sufficient (provided proper language/opinion request(s) to include proper acceptable clinical evidence language, requested correct disability benefits questionnaire, etc.)
• created by deferrals (AWD back to RVSR), including
• analysis of highest category of deferrals created by RO (AWD back to RVSR)
• analysis of quality on created deferrals (was action requested accurate and necessary, most appropriate deferral reason selected, manual reference provided, and bookmarks identified)
• analysis of trends/outliers in highest category, to include who is creating and causing most deferrals in this category, and
• actions taken to reduce deferrals in this area and validation to show improvement, and
• IPR use, including
• analysis of local IPR process to include selecting IPR categories, how and when corrective actions are taken and validation of such actions
• analysis of error trends and outliers identified by IPRs
• actions taken to reduce error trends and outliers identified by IPRs and validation to show improvement, and
• analysis of IPR effectiveness to reduce errors within the claims process locally and nationally.

References: For more information on

• examination requests in support of claims, see M21-1, Part IV, Subpart i
• examination request transactions, see Compensation Service Site Visits – Exam Requests Tableau Report
• created by deferral data, see VBMS Deferrals Tableau Report
• VBMS deferrals, see M21-4, Chapter 6, Topic 8.e, and
• IPRs, see M21-4, Chapter 6, Topic 7.

5.4.e. SOAR for Overdevelopment in Claims Processing

The biannual SOAR for Overdevelopment in Claims Processing must include analysis of

• initial and supplemental development actions resulting in claim delays, including
• whether procedural guidance for requesting federal or non-federal records was followed,
• whether development for federal records was completed but not needed, and
• whether development for non-federal records was completed but not needed.
• examination/opinion-related development actions resulting in claim delays, including
• instances where both an examination and opinion were requested but not needed,
• instances where only an examination was requested but not needed,
• instances where only a medical opinion was requested but not needed,
• whether examinations/opinions returned as insufficient were truly insufficient, and
• whether examinations/opinions returned for clarification truly required clarification.
• other unnecessary development actions resulting in claim delays identified during the course of the review, including instances where a private Disability Benefits Questionnaire (DBQ) was of record and a VA examination was requested without merit.

References: For more information on

• duty to assist with obtaining records, see M21-1, Part III, Subpart i, 2.C,
• principles of reviewing and weighing evidence, see M21-1, Part V, Subpart ii, 1.A,
• examination requirements and sufficiency, see M21-1, Part IV, Subpart i, 3, and
• use and acceptance of DBQs for VA examination and opinion purposes, see M21-1, Part IV, Subpart i, 2.A.3.b.

5.4.f. SOAR for UVR

The SOAR for Unclaimed Veteran Remains (UVR) must include an annual review and analysis of

• compliance with established targets (local, if applicable, and national)
• compliance with proper clearing/canceling of end products (EPs), including a review of a sample of EP 500s
• quality of completed claims using a sample review of completed work to include a root cause analysis of each error found
• accuracy of systems compliance
• local UVR standard operating procedures (SOPs) to ensure that all information is pertinent, current, and correct (if applicable), and
• local outreach efforts to ensure compliance with outreach requirements (M21-7) to include
• a determination if the outreach hours are properly recorded and if the minimum number of required outreach hours per quarter is met
• an assessment of the number and types of outreach engagements, and
• quality of outreach activities.

The SOAR must also document that

• all Indigent Veterans and Unclaimed Remains Coordinators (IVURCs)
• reviewed and acknowledged the UVR processing guidance in M21-1 annually
• completed all UVR related Talent Management System (TMS) courses, and
• are listed on the IVURC Contact List, and
• the RO
• annually updates the point of contact (POC) sheet with designated VBA, Veterans Health Administration (VHA), and National Cemetery Administration (NCA) contacts, and
• met quarterly with POCs from each site to discuss any personnel changes, challenges, metrics, and goals and review process flows to confirm the role of each administration.

Note: The IVURC POC for each RO is determined by the RO Executive Director or designee. This position is not limited to the VSC and may be an employee in the PMC or in the office of the RO Director. There also may be multiple IVURCs at an RO. Coordination of SOAR responsibility should be outlined when multiple IVURCs exist, to not duplicate efforts.

5.4.g. Public Contact and Outreach

Public Contact and Outreach requirements can be found in the M27-4, Part I, Chapter 03.