Congress last year passed legislation designed to simplify the process for veterans seeking medical help outside the VA health care system.
Department leaders shifted about $340 million in budget savings to outside health care accounts without lawmakers' OK.
The number of overdue disability claims rose to more than 400,000 cases after COVID-19 office closures and toxic exposure benefits expansion.
Recurring errors in VA benefits processing amounted to hundreds of millions in losses for U.S. taxpayers in fiscal 2024.
