Letter to the Hon. Robert McDonald, Secretary of the Department of Veterans Affairs - Implement Reforms to Improve NH Veterans Care

Letter

Dear Secretary McDonald:

As we have expressed in numerous correspondences, the Veterans Choice Program (VCP) is essential to protect New Hampshire veterans' access-to-care needs. We appreciate the efforts the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has made to improve the program. However, we understand that there are several important reforms proposed by VCP third party administrator (TPA) Health Net Federal Services that the VA has not implemented, and we therefore urge you to prioritize these contract modifications.

As you should be aware, veterans and participating healthcare providers across our state continue to encounter problems participating in the VCP. Whether through difficulties in communication, customer service shortcomings, or insufficient education about the program's operation, these barriers diminish the level of care delivered to our veterans-an unacceptable result, and antithetical to the goals of the creating statute, the Veterans Access, Choice, and Accountability Act of 2014 (VACAA).

Health Net, the TPA that covers New Hampshire, submitted contract modification requests to improve the program at the beginning of May, but thus far VA has not acted to implement the reforms. One proposed contract modification would be to embed Health Net employees at VA medical centers to work directly with VA staff and veterans. We understand that a six-site pilot program has been ongoing, but believe that embedding TPA employees with all due haste would improve the speed and customer service delivered to veterans and providers alike.

Another frustration we frequently hear from veterans concerns the number of available healthcare providers. Access-to-care, the core principle at the heart of the VACAA, demands sufficient participation by community providers, and VA must continually seek out ways to reduce barriers to entry. Acknowledging that the number of providers has been growing, there are opportunities to accelerate the process. Health Net has proposed a contract modification making eligible any healthcare provider participating in a state Medicaid plan. This appears to further the goals of the VACAA, and would expand options available to veterans.

Finally, we too-regularly hear about healthcare providers' difficulties dealing with bureaucratic hurdles that impose unnecessary costs. These costs impact providers' willingness and ability to participate in the VCP. Again, this has a direct and negative impact on veterans. Health Net has proposed additional reforms to further streamline the VCP or bring it into closer alignment with industry standards or provider expectations. We request your prompt consideration and action on these reforms in order to expeditiously mold the VCP to veterans' needs, not bureaucratic convenience.

As this program is an essential access-to-care alternative for New Hampshire veterans, we reiterate our call for your immediate attention to these issues and the need to continually seek improvements to the VCP.

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