United States Government Publishing Office publisher pbl distributor dst United States Government Accountability Office Health, Education, and Human Services Division author aut Government Organization text government publication eng GAOREPORTS Legislative Agency Publications gao legislative 2010-08-12 U.S. Government Printing Office 1996-07-25 monographic deposited born digital 68 p. GA 1.13:HEHS-96-121 https://www.govinfo.gov/app/details/GAOREPORTS-HEHS-96-121 P0b002ee180375977 f:he96121 DGPO 2010-08-12 2011-03-24 GAOREPORTS-HEHS-96-121 machine generated eng fdlp REPORT GAOREPORTS-HEHS-96-121 HEHS-96-121 Health care cost control Cost effectiveness analysis Federal agency reorganization Veterans hospitals Future budget projections Health services administration Hospital care services Health resources utilization Veterans benefits Patient care services VA Veterans Integrated Service Network Medicare Program VA Resource Planning and Management System Federal Employees Health Benefits Program VA Decision Support System VA Income Verification Program Letter Report HEHS Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO provided information on the Department of Veterans Affairs' (VA) health care system, focusing on ways that VA could: (1) operate more efficiently; (2) reduce the resources needed to meet veterans' health care needs; and (3) reorganize its health care system and create efficiency incentives.<p/>GAO found that: (1) the VA health care system should be able to respond to deficit reduction within the next 7 years; (2) VA has overstated the level of resources that it would need to satisfy veterans health care requirements in the next 7 to 10 years; (3) VA did not adequately consider the impact of the declining veteran population on the future demand for inpatient hospital care; (4) a significant portion of VA resources is used to provide services to veterans in the discretionary care category; (5) VA could reduce its operating costs by billions of dollars in the next 7 years by completing actions on a wide range of efficiency improvements; (6) the success of these efforts depends on how VA health care facilities spend appropriated funds; (7) VA managers often find ways to operate more efficiently when they need resources to implement new services or expand existing services; (8) VA is holding network directors accountable for the Veterans Integrated Service Network's (VISN) performance; (9) the Under Secretary for Health distributed criteria to help VISN directors develop efficiency initiatives and gave VISN and facility directors authority to realign VA medical centers to achieve efficiencies; (10) VA plans to develop a capitation funding process that provides greater efficiency incentives for VA facilities; and (11) VA must implement clear mechanisms and verify management data to achieve its workload, efficiency, and other performance targets. https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/GAOREPORTS-HEHS-96-121/html/GAOREPORTS-HEHS-96-121.htm https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/GAOREPORTS-HEHS-96-121/pdf/GAOREPORTS-HEHS-96-121.pdf GAO/HEHS-96-121 https://www.govinfo.gov/app/details/GAOREPORTS-HEHS-96-121 Letter Report GAO/HEHS-96-121; VA Health Care: Opportunities for Service Delivery Efficiencies Within Existing Resources; Health care cost control Cost effectiveness analysis Federal agency reorganization Veterans hospitals Future budget projections Health services administration Hospital care services Health resources utilization Veterans benefits Patient care services VA Veterans Integrated Service Network Medicare Program VA Resource Planning and Management System Federal Employees Health Benefits Program VA Decision Support System VA Income Verification Program Public Law 99-272 Public Law 100-322 Public Law 102-585