VA Health Care: Verifying Veterans' Reported Income Could Generate Millions in Copayment Revenues
HRD-92-159
Published: Sep 15, 1992. Publicly Released: Sep 15, 1992.
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Highlights
Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO reviewed the Department of Veterans Affairs' (VA) policies and procedures for making copayment decisions, focusing on: (1) whether VA accurately classified veterans who should copay for VA health care; (2) the potential lost copayments from misclassified veterans; and (3) VA use of tax records in determining veterans' copayment status.
Recommendations
Matter for Congressional Consideration
| Matter | Status | Comments |
|---|---|---|
| Congress should extend VA authority to use tax records to verify veterans' self-reported incomes for determining copayment liability. | On October 29, 1992, Congress passed P.L. 102-568, which extended VA's authority through September 30, 1997. | |
| As part of this reauthorization, Congress should require VA to notify veterans, as soon as possible, that VA intends to verify veteran-reported income information using federal tax records. | This was made a requirement by P.L. 102-568. | |
| As part of this reauthorization, Congress should require VA to use federal tax records to identify veterans who should make copayments for VA health care. | This was made a requirement by P.L. 102-568. | |
| As part of this reauthorization, Congress should require VA to take appropriate steps to charge these veterans for all copayments owed for health care that VA provides. | Congress gave VA discretionary authority to use tax records to identify veterans who should make copayments. |
Recommendations for Executive Action
| Agency Affected | Recommendation | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Department of Veterans Affairs | The Secretary of Veterans Affairs should direct the Chief Medical Director to ensure that sufficient policies, procedures, and resources are available to implement an income-verification system as soon as possible after VA tax records access authority is extended. |
On May 28, 1993, VA issued VHA Directive 10-93-063. This directive provides initial policy and an overview of the income verification match program. The directive will be incorporated into a permanent issue.
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Topics
Comparative analysisEligibility determinationsGovernment collectionsHealth care costsHealth insurance cost controlInformation systemsReporting requirementsTax information confidentialityTax returnsVeterans benefits