Va Billing Accountability Act

Floor Speech

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Mr. DUNN. 1972, as amended.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 1972, as amended, the VA Billing Accountability Act.

This bill would authorize the Department of Veterans Affairs to waive copayment requirements if veterans are not notified of their need to pay a copayment for a given service in a timely manner.

VA's untimely processing of claims is well-documented. The negative impact those challenges have on recruiting and retaining community providers is also well-documented. However, those challenges also have a negative impact on our veterans.

Three years ago this June, the VA Medical Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota, initiated a review of past processes on veteran inpatient copayment charges for the years 2011 to 2015. Following that review, thousands of veterans in Minnesota and Wisconsin were charged copayments for services that they had received as much as 4 years earlier.

Receiving a large bill out of the blue for care that was received, in some cases years ago, understandably caused great concern and upset among veterans. The VA Billing Accountability Act would prevent that.

The VA MISSION Act that the House passed last week included several provisions that would make it easier for the VA to process and pay claims accurately and on time. This bill would protect veterans by setting specific notification procedures that the VA must abide by when a veteran is going to be charged a copayment for a VA service and by authorizing the VA to waive a copayment if an error committed by the VA caused a delayed notification.

I am grateful to my colleague from Pennsylvania, Representative Lloyd Smucker, for introducing this bill.

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Mr. DUNN. He is also the gentleman who introduced this bill.

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Mr. DUNN. Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank Ranking Member Walz. I once again encourage all Members to support H.R. 1972, as amended, and I yield back the balance of my time.

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