“Why GAO Did This Study
In June 2018, Congress passed the VA MISSION Act of 2018, which requires VA to establish a permanent community care program. VA plans to consolidate the Choice Program and its other VA community care programs into one community care program—the VCCP. This legislation helps address some of the challenges faced by the Choice Program and VA’s other community care programs. VA’s implementation of the VCCP can benefit from the lessons learned under the Choice Program. Ignoring these lessons learned increases VA’s risk for not being able to ensure that all veterans receive timely access to care in the community and that community providers are reimbursed in a timely manner…”
“What GAO Found
The Department of Veterans Affairs’ (VA) Veterans Choice Program (Choice Program) allows eligible veterans to obtain health care services from providers not directly employed by VA (community providers). The program is largely managed by third party administrators (TPA), who are responsible for establishing provider networks, scheduling veterans’ appointments, and paying providers. GAO has identified the following challenges to the Choice Program that VA needs to address as it implements its new Veterans Community Care Program (VCCP)…”
“What GAO Recommends
GAO has made 12 recommendations to VA to improve its management and oversight of the Choice Program and the VCCP. VA generally agreed with all but one of GAO’s recommendations. GAO continues to believe that all of the recommendations are warranted. As of April 2019, these recommendations have not been implemented…”
Read the full 20-page report here.
Source: VA Needs to Address Challenges as It Implements the Veterans Community Care Program – April 10, 2019. GAO.
