Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Rhode Island veterans groups urge ban on unaccredited 'claims consultants'; for-profit firms press alternatives
Summary
Veterans service organizations, union leaders and VFW officials urged the House Corporations Committee to pass House Bill 5043 banning unaccredited, for‑profit claims consultants; for-profit firms and some industry groups urged adoption of alternative safeguards that would allow fee‑for‑service companies to operate under limits.
On March 25 the House Committee on Corporations heard more than two hours of testimony on competing bills about private firms that assist veterans with Department of Veterans Affairs disability claims.
Supporters of House Bill 5043 — chiefly state and national Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) leaders, county service officers and the Rhode Island AFL‑CIO — told the committee that unaccredited “claims consultants” charge veterans large fees, make misleading promises and sometimes encourage veterans to skip free VA‑accredited representation. Mark Turner, state commander of the VFW of Rhode Island, said the state’s 2,162 accredited veteran service officers produce trained, accountable assistance and that $32 million in benefits flowed…
Already have an account? Log in
Subscribe to keep reading
Unlock the rest of this article — and every article on Citizen Portal.
- Unlimited articles
- AI-powered breakdowns of topics, speakers, decisions, and budgets
- Instant alerts when your location has a new meeting
- Follow topics and more locations
- 1,000 AI Insights / month, plus AI Chat
