May 16, 2014
By Jennifer Emert
COLUMBIA, SC (WIS)
South Carolina's Congressional (click here) representatives talked with Dorn VA Administrators about face to face audits, among prolonged delays in care at Veterans Affairs facilities nationwide.
After meeting with Dorn administrators about issues of delays both Sen. Lindsey Graham and Rep. Joe Wilson told us they don't believe the issues seen in Phoenix with the secret wait lists are an issue here at Dorn, but they both believe there are issues to address.
Both have continued to hear complaints about delays in care, but they attributed some of that today to a lack of physicians not only here in Columbia but at clinics in Florence. They talked some about the pay rate for physicians. Wilson told us he believes Dorn has already made improvements from when he was here in January, but there needs to be accountability for the VA's medical directors....
There have been changes implemented that cost real money. The computer network of the VA has yet to be completed and it's link to the US DOD is still in the works. When the VA has an internet system that actually works there may be far more efficiency.
Audits by computer will be far easier and can be performed more quickly. If there is standardized software throughout the VA there cannot be manipulation of the waiting time for treatment. A centralized processing of treatment to be sure the more acute cases are receiving priority.
November 13, 2013
Far fewer veterans (click here) are facing long waits for disability compensation after the Department of Veterans Affairs spent the past six months focusing on the backlog, including mandating case worker overtime and rolling out a new computer system.
The progress came amid a torrent of public pressure that followed a March report from The Center for Investigative Reporting.
Internal VA documents, obtained by CIR, revealed the agency’s ability to provide earned benefits quickly had virtually collapsed under President Barack Obama, with the number of veterans waiting more than a year for compensation increasing by more than 2,000 percent, to 256,000 in March....
There are a lot of ideas circulating around, but, the idea there has to be more money spent is not prudent. This isn't about a general problem that is systematic. This is about a few individuals that disregarded the law. There isn't any amount of money able to fix that.
I heard the suggestion Tricare should be the only veterans insurance. Tricare is very different than the services provided by the Veterans' Administration. There is more care and coverage though the VA. When veterans reach age 62 they are also eligible for Medicare.
Tricare is through the DOD. There is the ability to have Tricare for Life, but, it doesn't simply translate into benefits as if it were a private healthcare insurance provider.
Tricare for Life Benefits: (click here)
By Jennifer Emert
COLUMBIA, SC (WIS)
South Carolina's Congressional (click here) representatives talked with Dorn VA Administrators about face to face audits, among prolonged delays in care at Veterans Affairs facilities nationwide.
After meeting with Dorn administrators about issues of delays both Sen. Lindsey Graham and Rep. Joe Wilson told us they don't believe the issues seen in Phoenix with the secret wait lists are an issue here at Dorn, but they both believe there are issues to address.
Both have continued to hear complaints about delays in care, but they attributed some of that today to a lack of physicians not only here in Columbia but at clinics in Florence. They talked some about the pay rate for physicians. Wilson told us he believes Dorn has already made improvements from when he was here in January, but there needs to be accountability for the VA's medical directors....
There have been changes implemented that cost real money. The computer network of the VA has yet to be completed and it's link to the US DOD is still in the works. When the VA has an internet system that actually works there may be far more efficiency.
Audits by computer will be far easier and can be performed more quickly. If there is standardized software throughout the VA there cannot be manipulation of the waiting time for treatment. A centralized processing of treatment to be sure the more acute cases are receiving priority.
November 13, 2013
Far fewer veterans (click here) are facing long waits for disability compensation after the Department of Veterans Affairs spent the past six months focusing on the backlog, including mandating case worker overtime and rolling out a new computer system.
The progress came amid a torrent of public pressure that followed a March report from The Center for Investigative Reporting.
Internal VA documents, obtained by CIR, revealed the agency’s ability to provide earned benefits quickly had virtually collapsed under President Barack Obama, with the number of veterans waiting more than a year for compensation increasing by more than 2,000 percent, to 256,000 in March....
There are a lot of ideas circulating around, but, the idea there has to be more money spent is not prudent. This isn't about a general problem that is systematic. This is about a few individuals that disregarded the law. There isn't any amount of money able to fix that.
I heard the suggestion Tricare should be the only veterans insurance. Tricare is very different than the services provided by the Veterans' Administration. There is more care and coverage though the VA. When veterans reach age 62 they are also eligible for Medicare.
Tricare is through the DOD. There is the ability to have Tricare for Life, but, it doesn't simply translate into benefits as if it were a private healthcare insurance provider.
Tricare for Life Benefits: (click here)
- For services payable by both Medicare and TFL, Medicare pays first, any other health insurance pays second, and the remaining beneficiary liability may be paid by TFL.
- For services received from a civilian provider, the provider first files claims with Medicare. Medicare pays its portion and electronically forwards the claim to TFL for processing. TFL sends its payment for the remaining beneficiary liability directly to the provider, and beneficiaries receive a Medicare summary notice (from Medicare) and a TFL explanation of benefits (EOB) that indicates the amount paid to the provider.
