Higher-level reviews | veterans affairs

HOW LONG DOES A HIGHER-LEVEL REVIEW TAKE? Our goal for completing claims that aren't related to health care benefits is an average of 125 days (4 to 5 months).  NOTE: If you ask for an

informal conference as part of your Higher-Level Review, it may take us longer to complete. Instead, you may want to consider submitting a written statement with your application to tell us

about the errors you’ve identified. This will help us make a decision faster. WHAT’S AN INFORMAL CONFERENCE? An informal conference is a call with the higher-level reviewer for your case. If

you choose to have an informal conference, the reviewer will call to schedule a time to discuss your case with you. They’ll call the phone number that you provided on the Higher-Level

Review form. During the call, you or your representative can identify errors and discuss why you think the decision should change. You can’t submit new evidence. If no one answers when the

higher-level reviewer calls, they’ll leave a voicemail. If they can’t leave a message or make contact after 2 attempts, they’ll review and decide your case without an informal conference. 

HOW DO I ASK FOR AN INFORMAL CONFERENCE? If you want a call with a higher-level reviewer, you’ll need to choose the informal conference option when you request a Higher-Level Review. You’ll

need to choose either a morning or afternoon time frame for your call. You’ll also need to choose whether you want us to call you or your representative. If you’d like us to call your

representative, fill in their name and phone number. IF YOU REQUEST A HIGHER-LEVEL REVIEW ONLINE, you can ask for an informal conference in step 3 of the online form. IF YOU REQUEST A

HIGHER-LEVEL REVIEW BY MAIL OR IN PERSON, you can ask for an informal conference by marking the circle in item 16A on VA Form 20-0996.  NOTE: You can have only one informal conference for

each Higher-Level Review. Make sure you have the information ready that you want to talk about with the reviewer. Prepare to explain any errors in your case.