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House Veterans Affairs subcommittee reviews CHAMP VA modernization, remaining provider and claims gaps
Summary
Lawmakers praised VA moves that cleared a substantial CHAMP VA backlog and sped electronic claims processing, but witnesses and members said beneficiaries still face long call-center waits, provider shortages, billing confusion and appeals obstacles; committee pressed VA for a public provider directory, better data for territories and follow-up on individual harm claims.
Chairwoman Miller Meeks opened a House Veterans Affairs Subcommittee on Health oversight hearing by praising recent steps the Department of Veterans Affairs has taken to modernize the Civilian Health and Medical Program of the Department of Veterans Affairs (CHAMP VA) and eliminate application backlogs, and she urged continued oversight to ensure veterans’ families can access benefits more reliably.
The most immediate developments recounted at the hearing were VA assertions that longstanding backlogs have been cleared and that claims processing has sped up. Dr. Maria Laurente, acting Assistant Undersecretary for Health at the VA’s Office of Integrated Veteran Care, told the panel that CHAMP VA serves more than 1 million beneficiaries and receives roughly 4,000 new applications per week. She said recent reforms reduced the historic appeals backlog from more than 20,000 cases to about 1,000 and that more than 90% of medical and pharmacy claims are now processed electronically within days. "Under Secretary Collins’ leadership, the application backlog, previously exceeding 70,000 cases, has been eliminated," Laurente said in her prepared testimony.
Despite those gains, members and witnesses described persistent access and administrative problems that they said continue to harm families. Kara Benson of the Code of Support Foundation, who also testified as a CHAMP VA beneficiary, recounted cases in which providers experienced extreme payment…
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