VA Officials Knew About Death Benefit Profits

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VA Officials Knew About Death Benefit

(CBS) Revelations that the country's second largest life insurer was profiting from the death benefits of fallen soldiers was news to almost everyone.

"I was stunned to find out that yea, I had been duped," said Cindy Lohman, whose son Ryan was killed in Afghanistan.

Secretary of Defense Robert Gates said, "I actually believed that the families of our fallen heroes got a check for the full amount."

But, as CBS Evening News anchor Katie Couric reports, it wasn't news to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. In fact, in September of 2009, the VA amended its contract with Prudential - ratifying what had been a 10-year long verbal agreement: to allow the insurance company to retain lump sum death benefits of soldiers and deposit that money in its own account.

VA Officials Knew About Death Benefit Profits - CBS Evening News - CBS News