Send
us an E-Mail at:
VA
Adjusts Co-Payments for Outpatient Care
Effective February 2, 2002, the outpatient co-payment amount will be based on three different tiers of services. Co-payment amounts will range from no co-payments, $15.00 (primary care visit), or $50 (specialty care visit).
Under rules published recently in the Federal Register, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) lowered the $50.80 co-payment some veterans paid for outpatient doctor care. The regulation also slightly increased the co-payment for medication, but the decrease in outpatient co-payments often will offset the pharmacy increases. Many veterans will come out ahead.
Because of this regulation, veterans who had the co-payments for outpatient health care at the VA will have lower bills, and in some cases, no bills at all. This decrease is part of an evaluation of the co-payment system for medication and long-term care by the VA. The new regulation sets up a three-tier co-payment system for outpatient doctor visits.
The
first tier will be for preventive care visits at no cost to the veteran.
This care includes flu shots, laboratory tests, certain radiology
services, hepatitis C screenings and numerous other preventive services.
Primary
care outpatient visits comprise the second tier and will require a co-payment of
$15.
The
last tier includes specialty outpatient care, such as outpatient surgery,
audiology and optometry, and will cost $50. The co-payments do not apply for the
treatment of medical problems that are officially recognized as "service
connected."
With
regard to the pharmacy co-pay change, the VA regulation will increased the
co-payment some veterans make for outpatient medications from $2 to $7 for each
30-day supply, with a maximum annual out-of-pocket payment of $840 for veterans
in certain enrollment priorities.
An
important factor to note is that the $7 medication co-payment is lower than or
equal to most medication co-payments charged by the private health care
industry. It was felt that the former
outpatient visit co-payment was too high compared to private health care.
Consequently, the VA is readjusted both to provide fair and equitable costs for
veterans who must make co-payments.
Every
dollar collected from outpatient and medication co-payments is returned to the
VA facility where the veteran received medical care.
The co-payment collections are used to improve medical care for veterans.
During fiscal year 2001, the VA collected $95 million in outpatient co-payments. Under the three-tier system, it is estimated that the VA will collect $30 million. This decrease will be made up by the increase in medication co-payments.
Bob Hogan is the Burlington & Bedford Director of Veterans Services. He can be contacted by calling 781-270-1959 in Burlington, MA and 781-275-1328 in Bedford, MA.
From: www.Veteransinfo.net
Burlington Veterans Services
Town Hall
Burlington,
MA 01803
Office:
781 270-1959
Send
us an E-Mail at:
Veterans@BurlMass.org