Digital GI bill delays are a reflection of VA's IT management problem, lawmakers say

"The Department of Veterans Affairs "has made tremendous advancements" in processing claims through its new digital GI Bill system, a VA official said on Wednesday, even as House lawmakers said issues with the project were symptomatic of the department's larger challenges with undertaking major IT modernization efforts. VA awarded a $453 million contract to Accenture Federal Services in March 2021 to develop and implement a new system that could enhance claims processing for its education benefits programs."

"He added that the modernization project also had to make adjustments as a result of legislative provisions and court cases, which resulted in additional costs. "Since 2021, VA has processed 37% more claims," he said. "And as of December 2025, VA is automating and delivering 65% of all claims without any human action in a day, reducing costs and improving service delivery.""

"Lawmakers on the panel, however, said the project's delays were indicative of VA's overall issues with major IT modernization projects. In one notable case, VA paused most deployments of its new electronic health record system in April 2023 to address technical and usability challenges at the medical facilities where it had been deployed. The department is planning to restart site go-lives of the new EHR in April."

VA awarded a $453 million contract to Accenture Federal Services in March 2021 to develop a digital system for education benefits claims processing. The project experienced deployment delays and an August 2024 Office of Inspector General report found insufficient planning contributed to about $479 million in additional costs. The project underestimated complexity and required adjustments due to legislative provisions and court cases, increasing costs. Since 2021, VA processed 37% more claims. As of December 2025, 65% of claims are automated and delivered without human action in a day, lowering costs and improving service. Lawmakers view the delays as symptomatic of broader VA IT modernization challenges, citing an April 2023 pause in electronic health record deployments and a planned restart of site go-lives in April.

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