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Veterans-fee proposal capped at five-times monthly increase draws scrutiny and is tabled
Summary
Major Ben Tipton testified for a bill that would cap contingent fees by private veteran-service companies at five times a veteran—s monthly benefit increase, ban upfront fees and aggressive solicitation, and require referrals to VSOs; the committee tabled the measure pending more industry information.
The Senate Banking and Financial Institutions Committee heard Major Ben Tipton, U.S. Army (ret.), present a substitute to Senate Bill 451 that would impose consumer-protection rules on private companies that assist veterans with Department of Veterans Affairs benefit claims.
Tipton said the proposal—framed as the “Preserving Lawful Utilization for Services for Veterans” act—responds to a large backlog in VA disability claims and to what he described as variable industry practices among private companies that assist veterans for contingent fees. He described the bill as preserving veterans— choice to use private firms while protecting veterans from bad actors.
Tipton outlined…
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