Fact Check: Secretary Wilkie’s ‘Improve’ Claims
In the OpEd, “In Congress, Veteran Suicide Prevention Is a Bipartisan Topic. Here’s the Plan,” VA Secretary Robert Wilkie made some assertions about Improve Well-Being for Veterans Act. His writing desperately needed a Fact Check. From the VHPI Blog:
Claim: Grant recipients “can more quickly identify the risk factors that put veterans at risk… and get veterans the help they need more quickly than ever before.” Check: However, the bill does not require entities to provide services in a timely manner. In fact, it contains no mention of any time frame whatsoever.
Claim: “Many veterans live too far away from VA’s brick-and-mortar health care facilities to get effective help, and will require help locally.” Check: The bill has no requirement that entities focus efforts in rural communities. In fact, grantees are allowed to be located close to VA Medical Centers, VA Community Based Outpatient Clinics, Vet Centers and MISSION Act’s Veterans Community Care Program providers. The bill ignores the fact that the very best access to veterans’ mental health services in rural areas is already available through the VA industry-leading, evidence-based telemental health care.
Claim: The bill would “finally help us reach the roughly 60 percent of veterans who die by suicide each day without any recent connection to VA care.” Check: That’s not how the bill is structured. Only a fraction of the money is for outreach and identifying at-risk veterans. The bulk of the entities’ services would be mental health treatment that explicitly duplicate services the VA already widely offers. These include, among other services: direct mental health treatment, individual and group therapy, medication management,
substance use reduction programming and family counseling.
Claim: The bill is needed for veterans who “distrust the government” or “are reluctant to seek help at the VA.” Check: The VA already deals with this problem – and has since the Vietnam War. Over 300 Vet Centers and 80 mobile Vet Centers function in every state and target precisely this group of veterans who are reticent to use VA services and/or distrust the government.
Read the full Fact Check on the VHPI Blog.
After three decades, Native Veterans Get Audience with Congress
From Stars and Stripes:
“Today is a historic day in Washington, D.C., as it is the first time in at least 30 years that either chamber’s veterans’ affairs committee has held a hearing solely on the health care needs of our Native veterans,” said Rep. Julia Brownley, D-Calif., the subcommittee chairwoman.
Before the 9/11 terrorist attacks, American Indians served in the military at a higher rate than any other ethnic group, according to VA data.
The groups said Wednesday that the population of 146,000 Native American veterans experience among the lowest health outcomes and largest barriers to health care. They also cited high rates of homelessness, poverty and mental and behavioral health compared to other ethnicities.
Their concerns were many, and wide-ranging. Read more at Stars and Stripes.
VA Innovators Summit Report
Text messaging, 3D printing, a teeth-brushing protocol to prevent pneumonia, and overdose reversal kits - how the Veterans Health Administration is improving healthcare. Read a full roundup of the innovations at Federal News Network.
Coming up on Capitol Hill
Senate Committee on Veterans’ Affairs
- 11/6 at 9:30 a.m. ET: Pending Nominations of Scott J. Laurer and Grant C. Jaquith for Judge Of The U.S. Court Of Appeals For Veterans Claims
Big Stories, Short Links
- Stars and Stripes: Lawmakers storm out of a House Committee on Veterans' Affairs hearing
- Yale News: VA to study employee burnout (we suggest looking at staffing levels)
- VAntage Point Blog: VHA Innovation Experience demonstrates telehealth partnerships with Sprint, local veteran service organization chapters
- Rome Sentinel: New VA Women’s Clinic opens in Rome, New York
- JAMA Network: Bariatric surgery in veterans doesn’t show a drop in overall health care costs
- McClatchyDC: Cancer rates among veterans climb after two decades of war
Clarksburg VA deaths spurs more oversight of health professionals
Via the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette:
On Tuesday, the full veterans committee took a smaller step in that direction. Lawmakers unanimously approved the Improving Confidence in Veterans' Care Act, which requires the VA to annually audit medical centers and report the results to Congress for the next five years. It also requires the VA to train staff who check credentials and conduct ongoing reviews of quality of care.
The committee’s chairman, Rep. Mark Takano, D-Calif., referenced the inspector general’s comments to the Oversight Subcommittee earlier this month. Mr. Takano said news reports had spotlighted recent “concerning cases of patient harm.”
“Many of these incidents call into question whether VA is doing enough to ensure its medical facilities only employ or contract with highly qualified, highly competent health professionals,” Mr. Takano said during the markup hearing at the U.S. Capitol. Read more at the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
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Two Improvised Explosive Devices left military veteran Kevin Miller in need of complex care. Luckily, his health care provider has a unique approach. Watch the video here.
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Mobile Orthotic & Prosthetics Services aid veterans who can’t make it to the local VA
From GovernmentCIO Media:
The researchers originally conceived of the program after their experiences attending patients with some of the most intensive physical care needs and realizing that these same conditions often limited veterans from receiving this same desperately needed care, they said at the Oct. 22 VHA Innovation Experience event.
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“When you meet a patient in their home, you understand their needs better and design a better prosthesis,” Kaufman said.
Kaufman and Abrahamson highlighted two cases where VA’s Mobile OPS proved successful in providing care for veterans in need of prosthetic management.
In the first instance, Kaufman and Abrahamson were able to care for a veteran whose amputation had left him with limited mobility — and whose prosthesis had ceased functioning. With the veteran unable to drive from his remote home to the nearest VA clinic that would be able to replace his prosthetic leg, Kaufman and Abrahamson were able to visit him personally and craft a new prosthesis that restored his ability to walk with ease.
In a second instance, Kaufman and Abrahamson were able to provide care for a veteran whose PTSD and sense of shame from longstanding homelessness left him reluctant to enter a VA clinic. Coming to him directly, they were able to provide prosthetic care he would have otherwise never felt safe seeking out on his own. Read the full article at GovernmentCIO Media.
Robotic Knee Surgery comes to Houston VA
From the VAntage Point Blog:
The new technology creates a 3-D virtual model of each patient’s bone anatomy, allowing surgeons to map out the procedure beforehand and size the implant perfectly by using the Veteran’s computed tomography (CT) scan. Surgeons use the virtual model to practice placing the implants or artificial joints in precisely the right location, making adjustments as necessary. The technology provides a personalized surgical plan for each Veteran, based on their unique anatomy.
“The 3-D model simulates how a knee will move and act once an implant is in place,” said Harrington. “Once the virtual model is complete, we use the robotic arm to perform the bone cuts so the implant can be precisely placed.” Read more on VAntage Point.
VA, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services enter partnership
Comparing data to crack down on fraud, waste, and abuse in Community Care and the VA. Read the press release from CMS.gov:
The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and the Department of Health and Human Services’ Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) recently announced the two agencies will compare information on questionable Veteran health care providers both in VA treatment facilities and through purchased care programs in their communities.
VA and CMS expect the first Medicare Sanction data exchange to occur by the end of the year and continue at recurring intervals.
“CMS is an industry leader when it comes to identifying questionable providers and nefarious medical practices,” said VA Secretary Robert Wilkie. “Their willingness to partner with VA puts Veterans first by allowing us to identify providers who do not meet our quality standards.”
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This data match for provider enrollment information is one of many efforts planned as part of the VA and CMS partnership first announced in January 2018. The agencies are actively exploring additional data sharing focused on identifying fraud, waste, and abuse in health care payments.
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