Perspective Matters: The Truth About “Veteran Fraud”
Every time a news outlet or social media thread mentions “VA fraud”, it seems to spread faster than facts ever do. The reality? According to the VA Office of Inspector General (OIG), the Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA) fraud rate is about 4%.
That’s right—four percent.
Now let’s add some context. The VA system serves nearly 9 million enrolled veterans, with 9.2 million veterans using at least one VA benefit or service in Fiscal Year 2023. Of those:
6.1 million used VA health care.
7.6 million used at least one VBA benefit or service.
And after the PACT Act, applications surged—with over 700,000 new health care enrollees and record-breaking benefit claims in FY 2024.
That’s millions of veterans—each navigating complex systems to receive care, compensation, or support they earned.
So let’s ask the obvious: Is 4% really the scandal? Or is it the headline bait?
The Real Fraud Comparison: Veterans vs. Welfare Programs
When critics throw shade at veterans for “abusing the system,” it’s worth taking a look at the broader landscape of federal benefits. According to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and other federal data sources, improper payment rates across major welfare programs look like this:
Program Improper Payment
RateMedicaid5.09%= 29.4Billion
SNAP (Food Stamps)11.68%= 9.0 Billion
TANF (Cash Aid) 9.3% (could not find specific $ amount)
SSI (Supplemental Security Income)10.62%= 5.6 Billion
EITC (Earned Income Tax Credit)27.28% =15.9 Billion
Child Tax Credit 10.73%= 3.4 Billion
School Lunch Program 7.37%(could not find specific $ amount)
School Breakfast Program7.61% (could not find specific $ amount)
Lifeline (Telecom)5.98% 0.0469 Billion
Add those up and we’re talking tens of billions in improper payments across civilian welfare programs—every single year.
Meanwhile, the entire VA system serves millions of veterans with a lower improper payment rate than most other federal benefit programs.
So if fraud outrage is based on numbers, the outrage is misplaced. These figures do not include housing assistance or other state based programs
Earning It vs. Receiving It
Let’s also not ignore the moral distinction here.
Most welfare programs are designed as temporary safety nets—short-term help for citizens in need. Veterans’ benefits, on the other hand, are earned entitlements, compensation for service and sacrifice. Veterans didn’t “sign up for free benefits.” They signed up to serve, to deploy, to risk their lives. The benefits are the government’s legal and moral obligation in return.
And let’s be clear: military personnel are not protected like civilian workers. They are not covered by OSHA, cannot form unions, and cannot sue for injuries or medical malpractice—even when the harm is caused by negligence or toxic exposure. They are routinely exposed to hazards that go far beyond combat, from burn pits and chemical exposure to radiation, noise, and industrial toxins. Not to mention the obvious injuries caused by engaging an enemy actively trying to kill you!
In short, they face every occupational risk with none of the civilian legal protections—and still show up to serve. That’s why the term “earned benefits” isn’t just rhetoric. It’s literal.
Perspective, Not Prejudice
The VA system isn’t perfect—no one’s claiming it is. But fraud is not the epidemic some make it out to be. Most veterans are too busy fighting through red tape, not gaming it.
If anything, the system errs in the opposite direction—denying legitimate claims and delaying care for years.
Before anyone starts pointing fingers at the veteran community, they might want to review who’s actually milking the federal budget dry—and it’s not the people who wore the uniform.
Final Thought
If a veteran’s 4% error rate warrants outrage, then Medicaid’s 5%, SNAP’s 11%, and the EITC’s 27% deserve congressional hearings on repeat.
Instead of vilifying veterans for accessing benefits they earned, maybe we should be studying how the VA manages to keep its fraud rate lower than most civilian programs while serving millions who’ve already sacrificed more than enough.
Accountability should always matter—but so should context.
