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Review of Alleged Beneficiary Travel Irregularities at Hudson Valley HCS, Hampton & Lexington VAMCs

Report Information

Issue Date
Report Number
15-02400-524
VISN
State
Kentucky
Virginia
District
VA Office
Veterans Health Administration (VHA)
Report Author
Office of Audits and Evaluations
Report Type
Audit
Recommendations
5
Questioned Costs
$0
Better Use of Funds
$0
Congressionally Mandated
No

Summary

Summary
VA has the authority to assist eligible beneficiaries in offsetting the cost associated with traveling for certain medical care or services. From December 2014 through April 2015, the OIG received three separate allegations of Beneficiary Travel Program (BTP) processing irregularities at the Hudson Valley Health Care System (HCS), located in New York; Hampton VA Medical Center (VAMC), Hampton, VA; and Lexington VAMC, Lexington, KY. We either partially or fully substantiated all three allegations. BTP staff at the 3 medical facilities did not consistently approve mileage reimbursement vouchers appropriately and made 1 or more processing errors for 31 of 149 (21 percent) vouchers we reviewed for claims during calendar year 2014. As a result, we projected these medical facilities improperly approved reimbursements totaling approximately $37,400 for beneficiaries who claimed travel during 2014. Although individual approved travel reimbursements averaged less than $26 per trip for the facilities within our scope, if program weaknesses identified occur across VA’s facilities nationwide, they have the potential to be significant. Generally, errors occurred because the medical facilities did not fully use all Chief Business Office BTP enhancements and had not developed or implemented formal, routine quality reviews of approved mileage reimbursement vouchers. We recommended the Under Secretary for Health ensure facilities improve controls over beneficiary travel mileage processing and determine whether the improper payments identified by our review warrant establishing bills of collections or reimbursing beneficiaries, where applicable. The Under Secretary for Health concurred with our findings and recommendations and provided an appropriate action plan.

Open Recommendation Image, SquareOpenClosed and Implemented Recommendation Image, CheckmarkClosed-ImplementedNot Implemented Recommendation Image, X character'Closed-Not Implemented
No. 1
Closed and Implemented Recommendation Image, Checkmark
to Veterans Health Administration (VHA)
We recommended the Under Secretary for Health ensures the Hudson Valley Health Care System complies with VHA Procedure Guide requirements to use the Beneficiary Travel Dashboard to calculate mileage as the basis for reimbursement.
No. 2
Closed and Implemented Recommendation Image, Checkmark
to Veterans Health Administration (VHA)
We recommended the Under Secretary for Health ensures the Hudson Valley Health Care System’s and the Hampton Veterans Affairs Medical Center’s Beneficiary Travel Dashboards are configured to assist staff in identifying the nearest facility able to provide care or services as the basis for mileage reimbursements.
No. 3
Closed and Implemented Recommendation Image, Checkmark
to Veterans Health Administration (VHA)
We recommended the Under Secretary for Health ensures the Hudson Valley Health Care System and the Hampton and Lexington Veterans Affairs Medical Centers strengthen Beneficiary Travel Program processing accuracy by developing a formal plan to routinely identify staff training needs and provide appropriate training.
No. 4
Closed and Implemented Recommendation Image, Checkmark
to Veterans Health Administration (VHA)
We recommended the Under Secretary for Health ensures the Hudson Valley Health Care System and the Hampton and Lexington Veterans Affairs Medical Centers develop and implement a formal process to routinely identify Beneficiary Travel Program mileage reimbursement processing deficiencies and apply corrective actions.
No. 5
Closed and Implemented Recommendation Image, Checkmark
to Veterans Health Administration (VHA)
We recommended the Under Secretary for Health requires the Hudson Valley Health Care System and the Hampton and Lexington Veterans Affairs Medical Centers to determine whether the improper payments identified by our review warrant establishing bills of collection or reimbursing beneficiaries, when applicable.