185698 Fee Basis Program in Rural Settings: Veterans Health Care Across Organizational Boundaries

Monday, October 27, 2008

Kara Hawthorne, MSW , Office of Rural Health, Veterans Health Administration, Washington, DC
Ryung Suh, MD MPH MPP MBA , Department of Health Systems Administration, SNHS, Georgetown University, Washington, DC
Shivaani Prakash , Department of Health Systems Administration, SNHS, Georgetown University, Washington, DC
Sarah Johnson , Department of Health Systems Administration, SNHS, Georgetown University, Washington, DC
Richard Hartman, PhD , Office of the Assistant Deputy Under Secretary for Health for Policy and Planning, Veterans Health Administration, Washington, DC
The VA generally authorizes fee-based care to veterans seeking health care to a VA health care facility when services are not available, cannot be economically provided to eligible veterans, or is not feasible due to geographic barriers. An analysis of the Fee Basis Program was mandated by Public Law 109-461 and assessed the current utilization of the fee program in rural areas, as well as modifications to the delivery of this type of care, mechanisms for expanding or modifying the current program, and cost analyses to help understand the impacts of alternative options. This session reviews the results of this analysis and highlights potential future directions for the VA's Fee Basis Program.

Learning Objectives:
Understand the VA's Fee Basis Program Assess current utilization patterns of the Fee Basis Program among veterans in rural settings Identify alternative strategies, to include likely cost and organizational efficiency impacts

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I reviewed and participated in planning and research activities, to include a literature review, structured interviews, internal VA review, and environmental scan for the VA Office of Rural Health, as well as contributed to the Office of Rural Health strategic plan.
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.

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