Veteran medical care delays, issues exposed by gov’t watchdog

The U.S. Government Accountability Office recently released a report that explained how U.S. military veterans pursuing health care at various military bases face issues accessing medical records, delays at security gates, and delays with billing and reimbursements.

In a Tuesday press release, the Government Accountability Office said, “The Departments of Veterans Affairs and Defense operate two of the nation’s largest health care systems. Together, they provide care to more than 18 million veterans, military retirees, service members, and their families each year. To improve access to this care, VA and DOD have agreements to share health services and other resources.”

The Government Accountability Office explained that the goal of the agreements between the Department of Veterans Affairs and the Department of Defense is to improve veterans’ access to healthcare, save money, and share resources.

A report submitted on June 30 to the House Veterans Affairs Committee by the Government Accountability Office stated, “While sharing agreements can improve access in many cases, that hasn’t been true for all. Some issues include veterans’ inability to access some military bases, incompatible electronic health records systems and differing billing practices.”

The recent Government Accountability Office report explained that U.S. veterans often face delays accessing medical clinics at different military bases due to requirements such as background checks and pre-approvals. The report also showed that veterans face difficulties sharing digital Veterans Affairs health charts with military doctors.

READ MORE: New benefits for military members, Gold Star families unveiled by TSA

Additionally, the report found that the Department of Veterans Affairs and the Defense Department have “incompatible” health records systems and billing practices.

“VA and DOD have different systems to manage patient health records, and their billing processes differ—making the exchange of information difficult,” the Government Accountability Office stated. “For example, officials at one site told us that staff often have to document patients’ medical records separately in the two departments’ electronic medical records systems. This has increased the risk of errors and frustrations for staff.”

The report noted that the “incompatible” systems between the Defense Department and the Department of Veterans Affairs have also led to payment delays for medical claims.

“One official told us that DOD limited the number of VA referrals accepted because it wasn’t being reimbursed for the services provided,” the Government Accountability Office said.

The Government Accountability Office concluded that while the Defense Department and the Department of Veterans Affairs have taken multiple steps to improve medical access for veterans at U.S. military bases and to improve the communication of data between the two agencies, there is “more the departments could do.”