Clarify request for medical evidence if under 65 and not collecting SS Disability Benefits

[Allexelaw]

Learnings research

Most participants (P1,P3,P4,P5,P8,P10,P15) didn't notice the alert stating that they would need to provide medical evidence. This alert appears after selecting ‘NO’ to the question of whether they receive social security disability benefits. For those who were explicitly prompted to read the alert, none of them understood why they would need to provide medical evidence in this situation, and some even assumed it was an error on the part of the application and continued. These assumptions may result in incomplete application submissions.

P3: Doesn't understand the pop-up box. Thinks if he responded yes that he would need to provide some medical history. P4: "It says you'll need to provide medical evidence with this application but I'm not requesting anything so that seems like kind of a stupid pop up" P5: [after selecting no to receiving SS disability payments] "I said no but then I get a notice saying I need to provide medical evidence. I'd think that's a goof because I don't have any evidence that I'm not receiving it." P10: Assumed that the pop-up meant that "No, I would not need to provide medical evidence”

Veteran who respond that they are under 65 and that they do not receive SS disability receive the conditional alert "You'll need to provide medical evidence with this application". Medical evidence is only required if they are under 65 and requesting (SMP) Special Monthly Payments. The what, when and how is missing from the alert and left Veterans confused.

How might we clarify to Veterans at this point that the medical evidence would be required if they indicate later in the form that they would be applying for (SMP) Special Monthly Payments? SMP: If you have certain health needs or disabilities, you may be eligible for additional pension. We call this special monthly pension (SMP). You may be eligible for SMP if you need the regular assistance of another person, have severe visual impairment, or are generally confined to your immediate premises.

See slack thread from Gretchen

Additional context: When we asked VBA about what instances a medical exam may be required, Dan said this (from weekly VBA meeting (4/2)): "This is very rarely asked for on pension, and when it is it's mainly younger Veterans. We rarely ask for a C&P exam, because the vast majority of our claimants are old enough that we can grant the PNT element for pension just based on age or they're in receipt of disability through Social Security. And so we're normally able to just grant without having to get further evidence for that initial disability level. However, if they are young enough and we don't have sufficient medical evidence, we're supposed to ask for an exam, that general medical exam, to kind of get their current state. So it does happen that we may ask about it, but it's generally only dealing with our younger Veterans who actually go for the exam."

To do

• Consider adding copy to the alert to let the Veteran know that the form will specify what kind of medical evidence is needed later in the application
• Provide clarity and update behavior at this step to reduce confusion and promote user to read and understand what's needed

AC

• Document user flow changes
• Document suggested content changes
• Get sign off from stakeholders
• Work with product to trigger collab cycle review

[aplatt-coforma]

@djones2113 - a ticket to consider for the HCD approach to help prioritize the recommendation. cc @Allexelaw @matt4su

[djones2113]

FYI this ticket has been added to the holistic 527 usability improvements Mural board to be incorporated into the prioritized recs as relevant

[mtri]

Big overlap with Clarify medical evidence request #79210 but this one has Special Monthly Pension specific questions that have not yet been considered. Is this still work that needs to be done? @Allexelaw, do you know?

[Allexelaw]

@maddiefritz noted "Hey @Allexe Law-Flood - at present I don’t have that alert in the wireframes. There’s instead been an addition of some heft hint text as the user progresses through the questions clarifying why they’re being asked that question and how their answer will be used in the determination of their pension eligibility."