By Trish Svoboda

On May 5, U.S. Senators Jerry Moran and Angus King, who are part of the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee, introduced a new bill aimed at improving the coordination and administration of healthcare services for veterans. This applies to those veterans who are beneficiaries of both Medicare and the services provided by the Department of Veteran Affairs (VA).

Many veterans over 65 and those with disabilities are enrolled in both Medicare and the VA healthcare system. This dual enrollment often leads to difficulties in navigating between the two agencies, and a lack of coordination can result in disjointed and costlier care.

The ‘Coordinating Care for Senior Veterans and Wounded Warriors Act’ proposes a three-year pilot program. In this program, veterans who are beneficiaries of both Medicare and VA health care would be assigned a case manager. This case manager would assist in formulating personalized care plans and oversee the provision of health care services. This approach aims to bridge gaps in care and avoid service duplication, thereby enhancing the quality of care and reducing costs for taxpayers.