Vietnam and All Veterans of Florida
State Coalition

V.A. Card Proposal


As you know every Veteran that receives treatment at a VA facility, either at a clinic, or a Hospital, they must present their VA identification card. This card is very similar to a regular credit card. It has your claim number embossed on the front, and a magnetic strip across the back. For safeguard, the newer cards have your picture on the front of the card.

With a few items added to this card, such as, a signature line, and a thumb print, (along with an incorporated chip such as used by the new Military Cards) these new cards could help reduce fraud, and could be used the same way a credit card is used in the private sector.

The magnetic strip could contain information such as Date of Birth, sex, claim number, race, place of birth, etc., with important medical info such as, allergies to Medications Etc.. The VA Facility Staff would have a multitude of work lifted off their shoulders at check in, and the Veteran would receive better service.

When the Veteran checks in to the VA Facility, his/her card could be swiped, similar to a credit card. This would start a process in the VA facility that would track the costs of the treatments received by the Veteran. Upon being treated, the Veteran could then validate what he/she received by checking off a computer generated printout of his/her treatment. The Veteran could then validate the list, and sign off if the list was correct.

The Veterans signature would be the same as when you sign a credit card receipt. It authorizes payment. From here the information is processed by computer, and the funds for the services are delegated for payment to that facility. Each month or quarter this Facility could then receive the funds to pay for the running of that facility.

The benefits to this idea are numerous i.e.:

The first benefit is that Veteran's who are on the move, traveling, or visiting, would not be burdening facilities with limited funds to treat him/her while they are away from home. Fraud would be minimized by the information carried in the card. Charges that are made by the facility would have to be acknowledged by the Veteran. And, the Veteran would get to feel useful in taking responsibility and checking what the facility is trying to get paid for.

Although some of the VA funds are not spent on treatment, and care, this would streamline that section of the budget, and the monies would go to where they are needed. This would also help the VA know where there is a need for facilities, and where they need to be closed down, due to lack of use.

This would give the VA a better understanding of costs, needs, and the correct amount of funding required, all in one step. Using this information and a base line for increased cost based on increases in the civilian world, Congress would be able to fund the VA Medical needs more accurately. Other spending for facilities are based on need, and bid cost which gives numbers automatically.
Requirements for buildings, and bids should go through a team of experts, who also consult with outside physicians in the design of facilities before any proposed bid goes out, cutting th e need for changes which increase costs.

This is just a basic outline, but a guaranteed improvement should it be adopted. Back to the links page