By Patricia Kime
Some veterans are seeing their credit ruined by using the Veterans Choice health program because the Veterans Affairs Department is not reimbursing participating physicians promptly, forcing them to bill their veteran patients who often can’t pay.
Veterans advocates and House lawmakers said Thursday that veterans using the community care program face long delays in treatment and bad credit because physicians are waiting up to six months for reimbursements from VA and are demanding payment from patients, often forwarding the bills to collection agencies.
Rep. Raul Ruiz, D-Calif., said one of his constituents sought care for pain and orthopedic problems through the Veterans Choice program, but VA did not reimburse the specialists in a timely manner, forcing the veteran to reschedule needed surgeries and deal with aggressive collection agents.
“Now this veteran has damaged health and damaged credit due to the VA,” Ruiz said during a House Veterans’ Affairs subcommittee hearing. “This damage that veterans suffer due to the VA’s reimbursement system is irreparable and unacceptable.”
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