VA Health Care: Offsetting Long-Term Care Costs by Adopting State Copayment Practices
HRD-92-96
Published: Aug 12, 1992. Publicly Released: Aug 12, 1992.
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Highlights
Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO provided information on Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) efforts to offset the costs of providing nursing home and domiciliary care by increasing charges to veterans, focusing on the recovery of some costs from the estates of veterans or their survivors.
Recommendations
Matter for Congressional Consideration
| Matter | Status | Comments |
|---|---|---|
| Congress may wish to consider changing the current policy for charging veterans for care in VA and community facilities to help offset increased operating costs, fund care for more veterans, or both. | Congress expanded eligibility for VA health care without increasing cost-sharing for long-term care benefits. There are no indications that further consideration will be given to expanded cost sharing. | |
| Congress may wish to consider changing the copayment requirements by discontinuing automatic exemptions for certain types of veterans. | Congress expanded eligibility for VA health care without increasing cost-sharing for long-term care benefits. There are no indications that further consideration will be given to expanded cost sharing. | |
| Congress may wish to consider increasing the amount of the copayment by instituting a higher fixed-rate copayment or a variable-rate copayment based on the veteran's ability to pay. Any change in the law should be accompanied by adequate safeguards to help prevent placing an undue financial hardship on the veterans or their families. | Congress expanded eligibility for VA health care without increasing cost-sharing for long-term care benefits. There are no indications that further consideration will be given to expanded cost sharing. |
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Topics
Cost controlCost sharing (finance)Elderly personsEntitlement programsFinancial managementHousing for the elderlyLong-term careMedicaidPatient care servicesVeterans benefitsDeductibles and Coinsurance