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AS THE VA LEANS ON AUTOMATION, ERRORS IN VETERANS' CLAIMS SOAR
A Beam investigation — republication package
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By Phineas Hogan
Originally published by The Beam, November 3, 2026
Canonical URL: [CANONICAL URL — TO COME]

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WHAT'S IN THIS PACKAGE
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1. 01_README-va_automation_errors_20261103.txt
   This file.

2. va_automation_errors_20261103-article.rtf
   The full article text. Open in Microsoft Word, Apple Pages, or Google Docs. Copy and paste the body into your CMS as you would any wire story. Keep the headline, byline, and excerpt intact. Bracketed markers like [CHART EMBED 1 — ... — goes here] and [LEAD PHOTO — ... — goes here] show where each chart and the photo belong; delete the markers whether or not you use the embeds.

3. va_automation_errors_20261103-data_embed.txt
   Embed codes for two interactive charts hosted by The Beam:
   - Chart 1: Share of higher-level reviews the VA sent back for more evidence, fiscal years 2020-2026 (line chart; rose from about 23% to 35% after Automated Decision Support launched).
   - Chart 2: Duty-to-assist errors caught in higher-level reviews, fiscal years 2021-2026 (stacked bar chart; from 66,423 to 329,653).

4. va_automation_errors_20261103-lead_photo.png
   Lead photo, with caption and credit:
   Veterans gather under the American flag at a war memorial in Lake Pleasant, Arizona on April 11, 2024. (File photo by Kayla Mae Jackson/Cronkite News)
   Please run the credit as written.

   Note: The original story also included two stock images (Adobe Stock and Storyblocks). They are licensed to The Beam only and are NOT included in this package. Do not copy them from our site.


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HOW TO PUT IT TOGETHER
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A typical republished version looks like this, top to bottom:

  Headline:    As the VA leans on automation, errors in veterans' claims soar
  Dek:         Veterans Affairs employees said an automated tool designed to
               speed claims review makes mistakes that can cause errors, delay
               or deny benefits.
  Byline:      Phineas Hogan / The Beam
  Lead photo:  va_automation_errors_20261103-lead_photo.png, with the caption
               and credit above.
  Body:        Article text from the .rtf
  Embedded 1:  Chart — share of higher-level reviews sent back for more
               evidence. Placed in the "More automation, more errors" section,
               right after the paragraph ending "...help veterans obtain
               evidence needed to substantiate their claims."
  Embedded 2:  Chart — duty-to-assist errors caught in higher-level reviews.
               Placed right after the paragraph that begins "If a claim is sent
               to review without a necessary exam, that is a 'duty-to-assist'
               error..."
  Footer:      Required attribution line — see below.


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REQUIRED ATTRIBUTION
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Use this credit line at the top of the byline area, the bottom of the article, or both:

   This story was originally published by The Beam on November 3, 2026. Reused with permission.

Please link "The Beam" to https://thebeam.org/ and, where space allows, the canonical article URL above.


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EMBED NOTES
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- For each chart, paste the iframe AND its script as a single block. Do not split them across two CMS blocks.
- The script self-deduplicates: if you embed both charts on the same page, only one resize listener is installed.
- Most modern CMSs handle the embed code cleanly via their HTML / Embed / Code block.
- WordPress.com (free tier) and some locked-down corporate CMSs strip <script> tags. On those sites the iframes will still display correctly but will not auto-resize. The fixed heights in the iframe attributes are sized to fit on most screens — no manual adjustment is required.
- Each chart's title, explanatory note and source line are built into the embed, so no separate caption is needed.
- The charts are hosted by The Beam; you do not need to host any files.


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QUESTIONS / SOURCE DATA
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Mark Greenblatt - mark.greenblatt@asu.edu
Lauren Mucciolo - lauren.mucciolo@asu.edu

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