VA Wrongly Declared 4,200 Veterans Dead, Benefits Restored

A Florida congressman says the Veterans Administration cut off the benefits of more 4,200 people nationwide after they were wrongly declared dead.

Rep. David Jolly says the people were "very much alive" and their benefits were resumed after the VA looked into their cases, which happened between 2011 and 2015.

Jolly, of Florida, raised the issue with the VA in November on behalf of a group of veterans in the Tampa Bay area.

He told The Associated Press early Wednesday that agency has since acknowledged mistakes in 4,200 cases, and that it has changed its protocols for confirming deaths. He plans to ask the VA for a new report on the issue at year's end.

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