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VA Health Care: Medical Centers Need to Improve Collection of Veterans' Copayments

HRD-90-77 Published: Mar 28, 1990. Publicly Released: May 04, 1990.
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Highlights

Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO assessed whether the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) implemented a cost-effective copayment billing and collection process.

Recommendations

Recommendations for Executive Action

Agency Affected Recommendation Status
Department of Veterans Affairs The Secretary of Veterans Affairs should require VA medical centers to collect copayments from veterans or make payment arrangements while veterans are still at the centers.
Closed – Implemented
VA has mandated that medical centers collect copayments for outpatient care provided to veterans, has developed a manual of procedures, and is training all relevant staff on identifying and billing veterans. Billing procedure software was shipped to each VA facility in August and September 1992.

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Topics

Billing proceduresCollection proceduresCost effectiveness analysisDebt collectionHealth care costsHealth care servicesPaymentsVeteransVeterans hospitalsDeductibles and Coinsurance