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VA Health Care: Retargeting Needed to Better Meet Veterans' Changing Needs

HEHS-95-39 Published: Apr 21, 1995. Publicly Released: Apr 21, 1995.
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Highlights

Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO provided information on veterans' health care, focusing on: (1) whether the Department of Veterans Affairs' (VA) health care system is meeting veterans' health care needs; (2) why most veterans never use VA health care services; and (3) options available for reconfiguring the VA health care system to better meet veterans' needs.

Recommendations

Recommendations for Executive Action

Agency Affected Recommendation Status
Department of Veterans Affairs The Secretary of Veterans Affairs should, in concert with veterans service organizations and other federal and state agencies with jurisdiction over health benefits programs, identify and evaluate options to better target VA resources to meet the health care needs of veterans.
Closed – Not Implemented
VA does not agree with the recommendation and does not plan to implement it. VA is, however, developing plans to restructure its health care system through its Veterans Integrated Service Network. These actions include establishment of community-based clinics which should include access to outpatient care for some veterans. GAO's recent testimonies, however, continue to show that VA is placing inadequate emphasis on service uninsured veterans.
Department of Veterans Affairs The Secretary of Veterans Affairs should, in concert with veterans service organizations and other federal and state agencies with jurisdiction over health benefits programs, develop legislative proposals to restructure the veterans health benefits program.
Closed – Not Implemented
VA disagreed with the recommendation and does not plan to develop legislative proposals. With enactment of eligibility expansion and contracting reforms in October 1996, VA has the basic authority it would need to restructure the program to better meet veterans' needs.
Department of Veterans Affairs In considering options, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs should, to the extent feasible, retarget VA resources toward supplementing rather than duplicating health care services available under other public and private health benefits programs.
Closed – Not Implemented
VA disagreed with the recommendation and has no plans to retarget VA resources toward supplemental services available under other health benefits programs. VA is, however, planning to revise which services it provides directly and which it provides through contracts.
Department of Veterans Affairs The Secretary of Veterans Affairs should assess the costs associated with any expansion of VA eligibility and identify and evaluate options for paying for any such expansions.
Closed – Not Implemented
VA eligibility was expanded by legislation enacted in October 1996.
Department of Veterans Affairs The Secretary of Veterans Affairs should reevaluate the VA role in meeting the long-term care needs of an aging veteran population and explore options, such as estate recoveries and cost sharing, for paying for any expanded role.
Closed – Not Implemented
VA disagreed with the recommendation and identified no plans to reevaluate VA's role in meeting the long-term care needs of veterans. In a recent proposal, however, the Undersecretary for Health did suggest greater use of community nursing homes.

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Topics

Access to health careDisadvantaged personsEligibility criteriaHealth care planningHealth care servicesHealth insuranceHealth services administrationHomelessnessLong-term careMedicaidMedically uninsuredMedicareVeterans benefitsVeterans hospitalsVeterans' medical care