Wichita Standard

U.S. Senators Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) and Angus King (I-Maine), members of the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee, introduced legislation aimed at improving health care coordination for veterans who receive services through both Medicare and the Department of Veteran Affairs (VA).

A significant number of veterans over age 65 and those with disabilities are dually enrolled in both Medicare and the VA health care system. This dual enrollment can lead to difficulties navigating between agencies, resulting in fragmented and more expensive care. The Coordinating Care for Senior Veterans and Wounded Warriors Act proposes a three-year pilot program where veterans enrolled in both Medicare and VA health care would be assigned a case manager. This case manager would help develop individualized care plans and manage the delivery of health care services, aiming to eliminate gaps in care, reduce duplication of services, improve quality of care, and lower expenses for taxpayers.

“I hear frequently from veterans and their caregivers who are frustrated by the bureaucracy and red tape they encounter when accessing health care from both VA and Medicare,” said Sen. Moran. “This bill will help senior veterans and those with disabilities, as well as their caregivers and providers, to better understand and navigate the two ways to receive care. I am grateful to my colleague Senator King and our partners in the veteran service organization community for supporting this legislation.”

“Many veterans — especially those who are senior or disabled — rely on both the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and Medicare for their health care,” said Sen. King. “However, dual enrollment in these services can lead to an inefficient back-and-forth between the services and could cause confusion for veterans trying to understand which program will provide them the best coverage for their various health needs."

Jose Ramos, Vice President for Government and Community Relations for the Wounded Warrior Project, expressed support: "Wounded Warrior Project is pleased to support the Coordinating Care for Senior Veterans and Wounded Warriors Access Act... With better case coordination and healthcare outcomes as the goal, this pilot can help younger veterans who use Medicare earlier in life because of catastrophic injuries from military service."

Steve Schwab, Chief Executive Officer for the Elizabeth Dole Foundation noted: "One of the greatest challenges we see for veterans and caregivers... is a lack of care coordination... This bill advances care coordination efforts for some of the most high-need veterans."

Joe Chenelly, National Executive Director of AMVETS stated: "AMVETS endorses the Coordinating Care for Senior Veterans and Wounded Warriors Act... Ensuring straightforward access to healthcare services... is crucial."

Heather Ansley, Chief Policy Officer of Paralyzed Veterans of America added: “Many veterans with disabilities rely on both VA healthcare and Medicare... PVA supports [the act], which tests VA’s ability to coordinate... benefits between these two systems.”

The full text of the bill can be found here.