Veterans waiting weeks for care

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Veterans waiting weeks for care

Albuquerque average is 46 days

Veterans waiting weeks for care

Bill would ease ER costs

HONOLULU — A new bill has been introduced in Congress that aims to offer relief to veterans that have had to pay for emergency health services.
Democratic Sen. Mazie Hirono of Hawaii and Republican Sen. Jerry Moran of Kansas co-sponsored the bill on Thursday.
The proposal would eliminate a rule that prevents veterans from being reimbursed for emergency care if they haven’t been seen in a VA center for 24 months.
The bill, called the Veterans Emergency Health Safety Net Expansion Act, would impact an estimated 144,000 veterans. It also would prevent insurance companies from denying or limiting reimbursements based on the fact that the VA is not an in-network provider.
Under current law, veterans who have not been seen at a VA hospital in 24 months have to pay out of pocket if they receive emergency health care, and they are not reimbursed by the VA. This bill would shift that cost burden, which is estimated at $98 million in 2015 and $1.1 billion over 10 years, to the VA.
The Associated Press

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