81 FR 67060 - Tribal Health Programs-Community Care Consolidation

DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS

Federal Register Volume 81, Issue 189 (September 29, 2016)

Page Range		67060-67060
FR Document		2016-23483

The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), Veterans Health Administration (VHA) will facilitate a Tribal Consultation on the VHA's effort to improve continuity of care and health care access for Veterans by consolidating multiple community care programs, previously known as non-VA care, into one standard program with standard rates. In October 2015, VA submitted to Congress the Plan to Consolidate Programs of Department of Veterans Affairs to Improve Access to Care, http:// www.va.gov/opa/publications/VA_Community_Care_Report_11_03_2015.pdf, which lays out the vision for a consolidated community care program that is easy to understand, simple to administer, and meets the needs of Veterans, community providers, and VA staff. As VA continues to move forward with implementing the vision of the Plan, we again seek tribal input to assist VA in developing the network of providers in a manner that would build on VA's existing relationships with tribal health programs and facilitate future collaboration to improve health care services provided to all eligible, VA-enrolled Veterans, regardless of whether they are eligible for Indian Health Service-funded health care or not. We are seeking tribal consultation regarding the tribal health programs' participation in the core provider network, as outlined in the Plan, and potentially transitioning from the current reimbursement agreement structure to a model under which tribal health programs deliver care to all eligible, VA enrolled Veterans using a standard reimbursement rate based on Medicare rates.

Federal Register, Volume 81 Issue 189 (Thursday, September 29, 2016)

[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 189 (Thursday, September 29, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Page 67060]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2016-23483]


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DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS


Tribal Health Programs--Community Care Consolidation

AGENCY: Department of Veterans Affairs.

ACTION: Notice of Tribal Consultation.

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SUMMARY: The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), Veterans Health 
Administration (VHA) will facilitate a Tribal Consultation on the VHA's 
effort to improve continuity of care and health care access for 
Veterans by consolidating multiple community care programs, previously 
known as non-VA care, into one standard program with standard rates. In 
October 2015, VA submitted to Congress the Plan to Consolidate Programs 
of Department of Veterans Affairs to Improve Access to Care, http://www.va.gov/opa/publications/VA_Community_Care_Report_11_03_2015.pdf, 
which lays out the vision for a consolidated community care program 
that is easy to understand, simple to administer, and meets the needs 
of Veterans, community providers, and VA staff. As VA continues to move 
forward with implementing the vision of the Plan, we again seek tribal 
input to assist VA in developing the network of providers in a manner 
that would build on VA's existing relationships with tribal health 
programs and facilitate future collaboration to improve health care 
services provided to all eligible, VA-enrolled Veterans, regardless of 
whether they are eligible for Indian Health Service-funded health care 
or not. We are seeking tribal consultation regarding the tribal health 
programs' participation in the core provider network, as outlined in 
the Plan, and potentially transitioning from the current reimbursement 
agreement structure to a model under which tribal health programs 
deliver care to all eligible, VA enrolled Veterans using a standard 
reimbursement rate based on Medicare rates.

DATES: Comments must be received by VA on or before November 5, 2016.

ADDRESSES: Written comments should be submitted by email at 
[email protected], by fax at 202-273-5716, or by mail 
at U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Suite 915L, 810 Vermont Avenue 
NW., Washington, DC 20420.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Majed Ibrahim, VA Office of Community 
Care, VHA at (562) 400-3134 (this is not a toll-free number), or by 
email at [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:  VA is seeking consultation and comments on 
the following questions:
    (1) What would be the impact of transitioning from the existing 
reimbursement agreement structure, which requires each tribe to enter 
into an individual reimbursement agreement with VA, to a standard 
arrangement for reimbursement of direct care services provided to 
eligible Veterans managed by a third party administrator for VA?
    (2) Would tribal health programs be interested in expanding direct 
care services under this new structure to include reimbursements for 
care provided to all Veterans enrolled in VA health care, regardless of 
whether they are eligible for IHS-funded health care or not?
    (3) Would tribal health programs be interested in receiving 
standard reimbursement rates based on Medicare rates plus a feasible 
percentage of those rates to minimize improper payments and comply with 
industry standards?
    (4) Would tribal health programs be interested in extending 
existing reimbursement agreements between VA and tribal health programs 
through December 2018 and ensuring any new reimbursement agreements 
between VA and tribal health programs extend through December 2018, as 
VA works in collaboration with tribes and other VA stakeholders on 
implementing a consolidated community care program?
    Tribal leaders and/or their designated representatives and other 
interested parties are invited to attend and provide comments during 
the in-person consultation and/or submit written comments.
    Signing Authority: The Secretary of Veterans Affairs, or designee, 
approved this document and authorized the undersigned to sign and 
submit the document to the Office of the Federal Register for 
publication electronically as an official document of the Department of 
Veterans Affairs.

    Approved: September 23, 2016.
Jeffrey M. Martin
Program Manager, Regulation Policy & Management, Office of the 
Secretary, Department of Veterans Affairs.
[FR Doc. 2016-23483 Filed 9-28-16; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 8320-01-P

67060 Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 189 / Thursday, September 29, 2016 / Notices

of information must be retained as long standard rates. In October 2015, VA reimbursement agreement structure,
as their contents may become material submitted to Congress the Plan to which requires each tribe to enter into
in the administration of any internal Consolidate Programs of Department of an individual reimbursement agreement
revenue law. Generally, tax returns and Veterans Affairs to Improve Access to with VA, to a standard arrangement for
tax return information are confidential, Care, http://www.va.gov/opa/ reimbursement of direct care services
as required by 26 U.S.C. 6103. publications/VA_Community_Care_ provided to eligible Veterans managed
Request for Comments: Comments Report_11_03_2015.pdf, which lays out by a third party administrator for VA?
submitted in response to this notice will the vision for a consolidated community (2) Would tribal health programs be
be summarized and/or included in the care program that is easy to understand, interested in expanding direct care
request for OMB approval. All simple to administer, and meets the services under this new structure to
comments will become a matter of needs of Veterans, community include reimbursements for care
public record. Comments are invited on: providers, and VA staff. As VA provided to all Veterans enrolled in VA
(a) Whether the collection of continues to move forward with health care, regardless of whether they
information is necessary for the proper implementing the vision of the Plan, we are eligible for IHS-funded health care
performance of the functions of the again seek tribal input to assist VA in or not?
agency, including whether the developing the network of providers in
information shall have practical utility; (3) Would tribal health programs be
a manner that would build on VA’s interested in receiving standard
(b) the accuracy of the agency’s estimate existing relationships with tribal health
of the burden of the collection of reimbursement rates based on Medicare
programs and facilitate future rates plus a feasible percentage of those
information; (c) ways to enhance the collaboration to improve health care
quality, utility, and clarity of the rates to minimize improper payments
services provided to all eligible, VA- and comply with industry standards?
information to be collected; (d) ways to enrolled Veterans, regardless of whether
minimize the burden of the collection of they are eligible for Indian Health (4) Would tribal health programs be
information on respondents, including Service-funded health care or not. We interested in extending existing
through the use of automated collection are seeking tribal consultation regarding reimbursement agreements between VA
techniques or other forms of information the tribal health programs’ participation and tribal health programs through
technology; and (e) estimates of capital in the core provider network, as December 2018 and ensuring any new
or start-up costs and costs of operation, outlined in the Plan, and potentially reimbursement agreements between VA
maintenance, and purchase of services transitioning from the current and tribal health programs extend
to provide information. reimbursement agreement structure to a through December 2018, as VA works in
Approved: September 21, 2016. model under which tribal health collaboration with tribes and other VA
programs deliver care to all eligible, VA stakeholders on implementing a
Tuawana Pinkston,
enrolled Veterans using a standard consolidated community care program?
IRS Reports Clearance Officer.
reimbursement rate based on Medicare Tribal leaders and/or their designated
[FR Doc. 2016–23591 Filed 9–28–16; 8:45 am]
rates. representatives and other interested
BILLING CODE 4830–01–P
DATES: Comments must be received by parties are invited to attend and provide
VA on or before November 5, 2016. comments during the in-person
consultation and/or submit written
DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS ADDRESSES: Written comments should
comments.
AFFAIRS be submitted by email at
Tribalgovernmentconsultation@va.gov, Signing Authority: The Secretary of
Tribal Health Programs—Community by fax at 202–273–5716, or by mail at Veterans Affairs, or designee, approved
Care Consolidation U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, this document and authorized the
Suite 915L, 810 Vermont Avenue NW., undersigned to sign and submit the
AGENCY: Department of Veterans Affairs. document to the Office of the Federal
Washington, DC 20420.
ACTION: Notice of Tribal Consultation. Register for publication electronically as
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Majed Ibrahim, VA Office of an official document of the Department
SUMMARY: The Department of Veterans
Community Care, VHA at (562) 400– of Veterans Affairs.
Affairs (VA), Veterans Health
Administration (VHA) will facilitate a 3134 (this is not a toll-free number), or Approved: September 23, 2016.
Tribal Consultation on the VHA’s effort by email at majed.ibrahim@va.gov. Jeffrey M. Martin
to improve continuity of care and health SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: VA is Program Manager, Regulation Policy &
care access for Veterans by seeking consultation and comments on Management, Office of the Secretary,
consolidating multiple community care the following questions: Department of Veterans Affairs.
programs, previously known as non-VA (1) What would be the impact of [FR Doc. 2016–23483 Filed 9–28–16; 8:45 am]
care, into one standard program with transitioning from the existing BILLING CODE 8320–01–P
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Document Created: 2016-09-29 04:14:30
Document Modified: 2016-09-29 04:14:30

Category		Regulatory Information
Collection		Federal Register
sudoc Class		AE 2.7: GS 4.107: AE 2.106:
Publisher		Office of the Federal Register, National Archives and Records Administration
Section		Notices
Action		Notice of Tribal Consultation.
Dates		Comments must be received by VA on or before November 5, 2016.
Contact		Majed Ibrahim, VA Office of Community Care, VHA at (562) 400-3134 (this is not a toll-free number), or by email at [email protected]
FR Citation		81 FR 67060