Currently, veterans over age 65 may not use their Medicare benefits for this purpose. Though the VA is authorized to submit claims to insurance carriers to recover a portion of the cost of medical care provided to certain veterans, it cannot claim Medicare reimbursement. The pilot program would be established at up to eight VA medical centers, or four VA medical centers and one Veterans Integrated Service Network. Veterans participating in the project would still be subject to Medicare's regular copayments. Care for these patients would be funded by Medicare receipts, not VA appropriations.
Plans call for the pilot program to run for three years, with a possible two-year extension.
VA and HHS will arrange for an outside evaluation of the program, with a first report submitted to Congress 18 months after the establishment of the project at the first site. A final report, due to Congress no later than three and one-half years after the project begins, will include recommendations on whether the program should be expanded and whether permanent authorization should be sought. Bruce D. Callander, a regular contributor to Air Force Magazine, served tours of active duty during World War II and the Korean War. In 1952, he joined Air Force Times, serving as editor from 1972 to 1986.