[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 53 (Wednesday, April 2, 2003)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E654]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


  INTRODUCTORY STATEMENT FOR H.R. 1562, THE VETERANS HEALTH CARE COST 
                          RECOVERY ACT OF 2003

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                           HON. BOB BEAUPREZ

                              of colorado

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, April 2, 2003

  Mr. BEAUPREZ. Mr. Speaker, along with Mr. Smith of New Jersey, 
Chairman of the Committee on Veterans' Affairs; Mr. Evans of Illinois, 
the Committee's Ranking Member; Mr. Simmons of Connecticut, Chairman of 
the Subcommittee on Health; and Mr. Rodriguez of Texas, the Health 
Subcommittee's Ranking Member, I am introducing a bill to improve 
health care cost recovery programs in the Department of Veterans 
Affairs (VA).
  The Veterans Health Care Cost Recovery Act of 2003 would strengthen 
VA's rights under law to collect third-party reimbursements from 
certain third parties for the costs the Department incurs in providing 
health care to veterans and others covered by a private or public 
health plan. It would specifically authorize reimbursement for services 
provided by VA to persons enrolled in and/or receiving treatment from 
VA health care facilities. The absence of a participating agreement or 
other contractual agreement would no longer serve as grounds for 
denying or reducing amounts the Department may collect from third party 
payers.
  With this legislation, the Department of Veterans Affairs would be 
deemed a ``preferred provider'' for purposes of collections when a 
payer might be a managed care or preferred provider organization or 
other non-traditional payer. This bill would authorize VA to receive 
full reimbursement for services provided to all persons with insurance, 
with the exception of service-disabled veterans for health care 
provided related to their service connected conditions. This bill would 
require health plans to reimburse VA for legitimate expenses associated 
with a covered beneficiary. A number of payers and plans that fully 
cover veterans have either refused to reimburse VA or have legally been 
unable to do so. This bill would eliminate such barriers to 
reimbursements to the VA system.
  The Veterans Affairs Committee is fully aware that the VA health care 
system is seriously under-funded and unable to meet the demands being 
placed on it by our nation's veterans. VA health care is under great 
stress, as increasing enrollment and rising health care costs have 
resulted in hundreds of thousands of veterans being forced to wait 
months, some even more than a year, to see a VA doctor for the first 
time. VA recently reported that over 200,000 veterans are waiting six 
months or more to be seen in VA primary care. These proud defenders of 
our freedom should not be told to wait because we lack the resources, 
or even more unthinkable--told to go away.

  Mr. Speaker, my bill would correct serious deficiencies in VA's 
ability to recover costs of care provided to patients covered by other 
health plans. Since 1986, VA has had statutory authority to collect 
from traditional insurers such as Blue Cross-Blue Shield, Aetna, Mutual 
of Omaha and many others. These funds are used by VA to supplement 
appropriated funds to maintain high quality health care.
  But currently, VA is unable to collect from the sizeable managed care 
and preferred provider sector, which accounts now for over two-thirds 
of all health plans in the United States. This segment of the health 
care industry also includes the managed care plans within the Federal 
Employee Health Benefits Plan. My legislation would require the private 
sector programs to pay VA for care it provides to covered 
beneficiaries. This would increase the amount of money VA could collect 
by hundreds of millions of dollars each year--providing funds that are 
desperately needed to reduce the waiting lists and promote better use 
of all available health care resources.
  Mr. Speaker, this is a sound proposal that would increase available 
health care dollars for veterans. I urge prompt House action on this 
important measure.

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