Bresnahan introduces bill to protect seniors and veterans from healthcare fraud
WASHINGTON, DC — The week of Sunday, June 28, U.S. Representative Rob Bresnahan, Jr. (PA-08) introduced legislation to strengthen coordination between the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). Through this coordination, the Protect Seniors and Veterans from Healthcare Fraud Act would prevent duplicative billing, reduce waste, and better protect taxpayer dollars.
Bresnahan first spoke about his legislation during a House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs Health Subcommittee Hearing on Tuesday, June 30.
“Veterans who have served our country deserve a healthcare system that works for them, not bad-faith providers taking advantage of the system,” said Bresnahan. “This legislation protects taxpayer dollars and makes sure healthcare resources are being used the way they were intended to. We owe it to our veterans and seniors to prevent unnecessarily depleting funds while preserving access to the care they’ve earned.”
Many veterans receive healthcare through the VA while also being enrolled in Medicare or Medicaid. Although the federal government currently shares limited information to help prevent duplicate payments under traditional Medicare, gaps remain for Medicare Advantage and Medicaid, leaving taxpayer dollars vulnerable to improper payments.
The Protect Seniors and Veterans from Healthcare Fraud Act would require the VA and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to establish a two-year data-sharing agreement that expands coordination across Medicare, Medicare Advantage, and Medicaid. The legislation would direct the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) and CMS to share relevant enrollment, billing and diagnostic information to identify instances of duplicate or improper payments and submit a report to Congress evaluating the effectiveness of the partnership.
The Protect Seniors and Veterans from Healthcare Fraud Act supports ongoing efforts to modernize the VA, strengthen accountability and ensure federal health care programs operate more efficiently for veterans, seniors and taxpayers alike.