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 1996-03-08 monographic deposited born digital 28 p. GA 1.13:T-HEHS-96-99 https://www.govinfo.gov/app/details/GAOREPORTS-T-HEHS-96-99 P0b002ee1803a1d12 f:he96099t DGPO 2010-08-12 2011-03-28 GAOREPORTS-T-HEHS-96-99 machine generated eng fdlp REPORT GAOREPORTS-T-HEHS-96-99 T-HEHS-96-99 Veterans benefits Veterans hospitals Health care cost control Federal downsizing Projections Hospital care services Accountability Health care programs Health services administration VA Veterans Integrated Service Network Medicare Program VA Resource Planning and Management System VA Decision Support System Testimony HEHS GAO discussed ways in which the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) could operate more efficiently and reduce resources needed to meet its mandatory care obligations. GAO noted that: (1) VA has overstated its resource needs to meet its mandatory care obligations because its projections do not reflect the expected decline in the veteran population or the amount of discretionary care it provides, overstate workloads, and include uncovered services, service expansions, and services to nonveterans; (2) VA could save billions of dollars by completing its planned efficiency improvements, which include using lower-cost methods, consolidation of underused or duplicate processes, reducing VA hospitals' nonacute admissions and days of care, closing or converting underused hospitals, and enhancing VA revenues from veteran and nonveteran care; (3) traditionally, VA has not given managers incentives to improve operating efficiency; (4) veterans may be denied care because VA facilities bear little risk when they provide inappropriate care and do not guarantee the availability of covered services; and (5) VA is implementing efficiency incentives, such as performance accountability, authority to realign services, and capitation funding, and its reorganization of its health care facilities into service networks could reduce overall costs. https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/GAOREPORTS-T-HEHS-96-99/html/GAOREPORTS-T-HEHS-96-99.htm https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/GAOREPORTS-T-HEHS-96-99/pdf/GAOREPORTS-T-HEHS-96-99.pdf GAO/T-HEHS-96-99 https://www.govinfo.gov/app/details/GAOREPORTS-T-HEHS-96-99 Testimony GAO/T-HEHS-96-99; VA Health Care: Opportunities to Increase Efficiency and Reduce Resource Needs; Veterans benefits Veterans hospitals Health care cost control Federal downsizing Projections Hospital care services Accountability Health care programs Health services administration VA Veterans Integrated Service Network Medicare Program VA Resource Planning and Management System VA Decision Support System Public Law 100-322