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 1999-07-01 monographic deposited born digital GA 1.13:T-HEHS/GGD-99-159 https://www.govinfo.gov/app/details/GAOREPORTS-T-HEHS-GGD-99-159 P0b002ee18039501f f:h299159t DGPO 2010-08-12 2011-03-24 GAOREPORTS-T-HEHS-GGD-99-159 machine generated eng fdlp REPORT GAOREPORTS-T-HEHS-GGD-99-159 T-HEHS/GGD-99-159 Veterans benefits Health insurance cost control Health care programs Managed health care Veterans Comparative analysis Health insurance Proposed legislation Medicare Program VA TRICARE Program DOD TRICARE Prime Program DOD Senior Prime Program VA Uniform Benefits Package VA Medicare Subvention Demonstration Program DOD Medicare Subvention Demonstration Program Testimony HEHS GGD A Medicare subvention under the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) would have the goal of providing an alternative for delivering accessible and quality care to certain veterans eligible for Medicare without increasing the cost to Medicare or VA. Subvention would allow VA to supplement its funds with Medicare payments. In principle, by paying VA a discounted rate, the Medicare program might save money, so long as it does not pay for services that VA would have previously covered. A three-year Department of Defense (DOD) subvention demonstration program involves about 30,000 retirees and limits Medicare payments to DOD to $65 million a year. However, a nationwide DOD subvention program could potentially involve Medicare payments of several hundred million dollars or more. The potential size of a nationwide VA program may be even greater, with nearly all the nine million veterans aged 65 and older covered by Medicare. Proposed legislation before the House and the Senate would authorize VA subvention demonstrations. Under either bill, VA will (1) be challenged to attract veterans who currently enjoy a generous VA benefits package, (2) need to strengthen its billing systems, and (3) need to ensure that access to services is not reduced. VA will need sufficient time to implement a demonstration, and it must carefully design and implement its payment methods to protect Medicare trust funds and to promote cost consciousness and efficiencies at the demonstration sites. Finally, sound data systems are essential for managing and evaluating a subvention demonstration. https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/GAOREPORTS-T-HEHS-GGD-99-159/html/GAOREPORTS-T-HEHS-GGD-99-159.htm https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/GAOREPORTS-T-HEHS-GGD-99-159/pdf/GAOREPORTS-T-HEHS-GGD-99-159.pdf GAO/T-HEHS/GGD-99-159 https://www.govinfo.gov/app/details/GAOREPORTS-T-HEHS-GGD-99-159 Testimony GAO/T-HEHS/GGD-99-159; Medicare Subvention: Challenges and Opportunities Facing a; Veterans benefits Health insurance cost control Health care programs Managed health care Veterans Comparative analysis Health insurance Proposed legislation Medicare Program VA TRICARE Program DOD TRICARE Prime Program DOD Senior Prime Program VA Uniform Benefits Package VA Medicare Subvention Demonstration Program DOD Medicare Subvention Demonstration Program H.R. 3828 105