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The Audit of the Veterans Independence Program (VIP) was approved by the Departmental Audit Committee in 2009. The objectives of the audit were to determine if:

1. up-to-date policies and procedures were in place to support program delivery;

2. program payments were accurately calculated and paid to eligible clients and approved providers;

3. regulatory and policy requirements were complied with; and

4. the quality assurance function provides an ongoing assessment of compliance requirements and identifies opportunities for improvement.

Vocational Rehabilitation Services is a component of the Veterans Affairs Rehabilitation Program. It provides vocational assistance services and benefits to eligible Veterans who have a health problem, and their families, to assist them in their re-establishment to civilian life. Vocational services and benefits include vocational assessments, employability skills, training, career exploration, job placement and follow-up support. The purpose of the audit was to provide assurance that financial controls were working as intended, to deliver results in accordance with related authorities.

In the approved 2008-2011 Audit and Evaluation Plan, Veterans Affairs Canada (VAC) identified the Residential Care Program at Camp Hill Veterans Memorial Building (CHVMB) for audit. The Chief Audit Executive of VAC engaged Audit Services Canada (ASC) to plan and conduct the audit. CHVMB is a part of the Queen Elizabeth II Health Sciences Centre under the Capital District Health Authority (CDHA) of the Province of Nova Scotia. It is the largest Veterans facility in the Atlantic Region providing, under contract with VAC, long-term beds on a priority access basis to eligible Veterans under VACs Residential Care Program.

Veterans Affairs Canada (VAC) provides a wide range of health care benefits and services to eligible program recipients as specified under the authority of the Veterans Health Care Regulations. These entitlements are made available under the Treatment Benefits Program and Veterans Independence Program (VIP). The objective of these programs is to ensure program recipients are provided, according to their treatment eligibility, with reasonable and timely services that the Department considers to be an appropriate response to their assessed health needs. This audit was recommended for Deputy Minister approval by VAC’s Departmental Audit Committee on September 17, 2010.

The Ex Gratia Payments Audit was recommended for inclusion in the Veterans Affairs Canada (VAC) Multi-Year Risk-Based Internal Audit Plan 2010-2013 by VAC’s Departmental Audit Committee (DAC) on March 18, 2010. The purpose of the audit was to examine the adequacy of controls put in place for the processing of applications for ex gratia payments. The audit fieldwork was substantially completed on December 15, 2010. Ex gratia payments are one-time payments for a fixed duration of time and stringent pre-set eligibility and entitlement criteria are applied.

The Earnings Loss benefit is one of the supports available through Veterans Affairs Canada’s Financial Benefits Program. Earnings Loss is payable in recognition of the economic impact a military career-ending or service-related disability may have on the Veteran’s ability to earn income following release from the Canadian Armed Forces. This income replacement ensures that the eligible Veteran's income does not fall below 75% of their gross pre-release military salary. The guaranteed minimum rate for fiscal year 2012-2013 was $41,598.

The audit of health related travel began in May 2009. The objectives of the audit were to assess compliance with governing regulations and policy; to assess the adequacy and accuracy of management information; and, to assess the control framework and test controls and verification processes.

The scope of the audit included all aspects of processing health related travel claims, including remuneration of an escort, to ensure that control frameworks are in place, the process complies with governing authorities and required management reporting is accessible and useful.

In the fall 2012, some family members raised concerns related to: the quality of care provided, complaints being ignored, room changes without notice, and staffing levels. All areas of concern were investigated; however, family dissatisfaction persisted. The Department’s expectation is that all Veterans will be treated with respect by any and all who serve them and will receive quality care in provincial long term care facilities. The seriousness of the concerns prompted the Minister to announce that Veterans Affairs Canada (VAC) would conduct an audit of the Sunnybrook Veterans Centre (SBVC).

The purpose of this audit is to provide assurance that departmental activities with respect to the processing of overpayments are in compliance with policies, procedures, and regulations. The audit reviewed the overpayments of four programs: Disability Award, Disability Pension, War Veterans Allowance, and Earnings Loss.

An overpayment is any amount paid to a beneficiary to which there is no entitlement, or which exceeds entitlement and are "debts to the Crown". Veterans Affairs Canada is required to pursue and collect any outstanding amounts of overpayments.

An overpayment occurs when benefits are paid to a beneficiary who has no entitlement or when benefits have been paid in excess of entitlement. Once an overpayment has been detected, Finance Division can collect, write-off, forgive or remit the overpayment. A remission is the cancellation of or release from an otherwise enforceable debt, tax, fee or penalty. A remission may occur under the following circumstances:

• the overpayment cannot be recovered within the reasonably foreseeable future;

• the administrative costs of recovering the overpayment are likely to equal or exceed the amount to be recovered;

• the repayment of the overpayment would cause undue hardship to the person or a beneficiary; or

• the overpayment is the result of an administrative error, a delay or an oversight on the part of an officer or employee of the federal public administration.