13 Things That Are About To Change At VA

The Veterans' Access to Care through Choice, Accountability, and Transparency Act passed the House on July 30 with a vote of 420 to 5.  The Senate followed suit, 91 to 3, on July 31, and the president's signature is all but assured. Once enacted, the law would require outside review of most every aspect of VA operations, including "the competency of leadership with respect to culture, accountability... and performance management."

Scattered through the bill, however, are a number of specific IT and management mandates for the department -- many of which could entail significant new systems. Key provisions include:

1. Digital Waiting List: The department must create an electronic waiting list on www.myhealth.va.gov that will allow veterans to monitor the status of their position in line, as well as view the average wait times for each facility and type of care. The wait-time information must be available online to the general public.
2. Claims Processing System: As many veterans will now be able to go outside the VA for covered care, the department must develop an "efficient nationwide system for processing and paying bills and claims for authorized care." Regulations for the system must be drafted within 90 days...