Journal article
Shifting the Financial Burden: The VA Ambulatory Care Discharge Policy
Health services management research : an official journal of the Association of University Programs in Health Administration, Vol.5(3), pp.162-172
11/1992
DOI: 10.1177/095148489200500301
PMID: 10122810
Abstract
The Department of Veterans Affairs is a primary source of health care services for many of the nation's uninsured and underinsured. Changes in congressionally mandated eligibility criteria and limited increases in appropriations have forced the Department to adopt a policy of discharging chronic but stable outpatients who have been treated for non-service-connected health conditions. Survey data from one VA medical center suggest that many, but not all, of those discharged: 1) have either Medicare or private insurance coverage; 2) have not sought or found alternative physician services in then-local communities; 3) have discontinued taking previously prescribed medications; 4) report worsened health status since discharge; and, 5) have been hospitalized. In general, discharged patients from the lowest income group report the greatest financial access barriers. Preliminary analyses of the discharge policy suggest the potential for decreased access to needed medical services due to financial factors and cost-shifting from the VA to patients and other federal, state and local payers and providers.
Details
- Title: Subtitle
- Shifting the Financial Burden: The VA Ambulatory Care Discharge Policy
- Creators
- Douglas S Wakefield - Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, College of Medicine, The University of IowaRobert L Ludke - Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, College of Medicine, The University of IowaJames E Rohrer - Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, College of Medicine, The University of IowaBrenda M Booth - Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, College of Medicine, The University of IowaSteven Breese - Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, College of Medicine, The University of IowaAndrea Moen - Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, College of Medicine, The University of IowaJohn Fortney - Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, College of Medicine, The University of IowaRodney Zeitler - Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, College of Medicine, The University of Iowa
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Publication Details
- Health services management research : an official journal of the Association of University Programs in Health Administration, Vol.5(3), pp.162-172
- Publisher
- SAGE Publications
- DOI
- 10.1177/095148489200500301
- PMID
- 10122810
- ISSN
- 0951-4848
- eISSN
- 1758-1044
- Language
- English
- Date published
- 11/1992
- Academic Unit
- General Internal Medicine; Internal Medicine
- Record Identifier
- 9984094376502771
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