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VA whistleblower exposes improper claim rejections

KARE 11 Investigates ER bill denials for veterans

KARE Staff

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Published: 9:17 PM CDT September 25, 2017
Updated: 12:03 AM CDT September 26, 2017

MINNEAPOLIS - Minnesota veterans are being saddled with medical debt they should not owe – some of it even turned over to collection agencies – after trips to the emergency room.

Current and former VA staffers tell KARE 11 it’s happening because medical claim processors at the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) are pressured to review complicated files in just minutes.

To meet performance goals, they say it’s quicker to deny claims than to take the additional steps needed to approve payments.

“We are accountable for speed,” one VA insider told KARE 11 in an exclusive interview.

KARE 11’s ongoing investigation has documented a pattern of denials that raise questions about how well the VA is processing emergency care claims and whether thousands of veterans nationwide are being left liable for millions of dollars in unpaid medical bills.

Two recent cases in Minnesota illustrate the problem.

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