|
Dr.
Michael J. Kussman, VA deputy under secretary for
health, responds to a question from Chairman Buyer at
the full committee hearing on enhanced access to
Department of Veterans Affairs health care, March 29. To
Dr. Kussman's right is C. Mark Loper, chief business
officer of VA's Veterans Health Administration. |
Committee learns details of VA Project HERO
Washington, DC –
Veterans, especially those living in rural areas, may benefit from a
demonstration project to be conducted by the Department of Veterans
Affairs (VA) as heard today by the House Committee on Veterans’
Affairs. The oversight hearing was held for members to learn about
Project Healthcare Effectiveness through Resource Optimization
(HERO), a series of demonstration projects seeking to improve and
enhance health care for veterans.
The initiative is VA’s response to direction from Congress that
required the department to examine and implement health care
management strategies that have proven valuable in the broader
public and private sectors. Currently, VA may use private health
care providers outside VA when its own facilities cannot provide
suitable care.
Rep. Tom Osborne (R-Neb.), emphasizing the importance of efficient,
high-quality contract care, told the committee of difficulties faced
by veterans seeking VA care among his constituency.
“At each stop I make in my district, veterans express to me their
concern about traveling hours for medical care,” Osborne said. “Many
travel one to two hours to receive primary medical care, while some
veterans who live in western Nebraska must travel at least four days
round-trip to have testing done in Omaha at the VA hospital.”
“This hearing is timely, so that the committee can acquire the most
current information on Project HERO and gives us an opportunity to
discuss, very publicly, what its realistic goals and objectives
are,” Buyer said. “Moreover, it will provide everyone here an
opportunity to share with VA what parameters should be set in order
to get the best results, enhancing VA health care benefits for
America’s veterans.”
In addition to testimony from VA, the committee heard from
representatives of The American Legion and the Independent Budget.
Also testifying were the CEO of Humana Military Healthcare Services,
which provides health care to military retires using the TRICARE
system, and Rep. Osborne.
“I am always interested in hearing about new and innovative ways to
enhance health care access for our nation’s veterans, while at the
same time making prudent use of the taxpayers’ dollars,” said
Subcommittee on Health Chairman Henry Brown (R-S.C.), who said that
testimony should allay some fears among veterans’ groups that VA
seeks through the project to outsource care on a large scale.
In their legislation that prompted Project HERO, Congress stated
that health care purchased for veterans from private sector
providers must be secured in a cost effective manner, in a way that
complements the larger Veterans Health Administration (VHA) system
of care, and sustains VA’s strong system of affiliations with
medical universities nationwide.
As stated by VA, Project HERO’s objectives are to:
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Increase the efficiency of VHA processes associated with
purchasing care from outside sources,
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Reduce the growth of costs associated with purchased care,
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Implement management systems and processes that foster quality and
patient safety, and make contracted providers virtual, high-quality
extensions of VHA,
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Control administrative costs and limit administrative growth,
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Increase net collections of medical care revenues where
applicable, and
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Increase enrollee satisfaction with VHA services.
The department plans to conduct Project HERO demonstrations at four
Veterans Integrated Service Networks (VISNs) by the end of this
year: VISN 8, VA Sunshine Healthcare Network; VISN 16, South Central
VA Health Care Network; VISN 20, Northwest Network; and VISN 23, VA
Midwest Health Care Network. Participation at each site would be
entirely voluntary for veterans.
“We must be open to the possibilities, but cognizant of the
importance of preserving the quality associated with VA health
care,” Buyer said. “This initiative is not intended to undermine our
affiliations, or lead to expanded outsourcing or the replacement of
existing VA facilities. It should instead help us learn how to
improve some of the contracted care we now provide, and the way we
provide it.”
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