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RESOLUTION 11-02
WHEREAS, the Department of Veterans Affairs, Veterans
Health Administration has been forced to operate with decremental
budgets for years, AND
WHEREAS, the administration proposed in its 1998, 1999,
2000 and 2001 fiscal year budget for VA, that Veterans Health
Administration appropriations for health care be substituted for
by allowing VA to retain collections from third party payers through
their Medical Care Cost Recovery program, AND
WHEREAS, this action sends a clear message to the VA
and veterans that VA must rely more heavily on revenue sources
other than appropriations for funding veterans health care, AND
WHEREAS, the VA has proposed a demonstration project
that would allow VA to be reimbursed for medical care provided
to certain veterans who have dual eligibility for VA and Medicare,
AND
WHEREAS, the design of the demonstration project is a
win/win for both veterans and the Medicare Trust Fund; veterans
would have increased choices for receiving health care and the
Medicare Trust Fund would save money because the VA has agreed
to provide care at a discounted rate to Medicare recipients, AND
WHEREAS, the Department of Health and Human Services
has agreed to a similar opportunity for the Department of Defense
to be reimbursed by Medicare, NOW THEREFORE BE IT
RESOLVED, that the Blinded Veterans Association, in convention
assembled in San Antonio, Texas on this 17th day of August, 2002,
strongly urges the VA and Committees on Veterans Affairs in both
the Senate and the House, aggressively pursue separate legislation,
providing VA with the authority to establish a demonstration project
for Medicare Subvention, AND BE IT FURTHER
RESOLVED, that the Blinded Veterans Association, in partnership
with other major Veteran Service Organizations and the VA, work
to convince
the opponents (Health Care Financing Administration, the House
Committee on Ways and Means, and the Senate Committee on Finance)
of the merits of medicare subvention for VA.
Recommended by Committee
Submitted by: National Board of Directors
Adopted by Convention
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