Lawmakers Wonder If VA Underestimates Impact Of Health Care Reform

A House committee is concerned that the Veterans Affairs Department may be underestimating the cost and burden of national health care reform for veterans’ hospitals and clinics.

Beginning next year, the Affordable Care Act penalizes people who do not have health insurance — part of a move intended to control overall health insurance costs by expanding the number of people with insurance. VA could end up with some of those people because its health plan meets the new law’s definition of “minimum essential coverage.”

It is unclear how many veterans might turn to VA, but the 2014 budget includes $85 million to cover increased medical care costs, plus $3.4 million to cover administrative costs because VA would have to provide a written statement to each enrolled veteran about their coverage.