Sponsor
Robert P. Bresnahan
Representative · R-PA
Representative · R-PA
The bill improves coordination between VA and Medicare/Medicaid to reduce duplicate payments and billing friction for veterans and providers, but increases privacy/security risks and administrative burdens that could shift costs or create disputes while systems are implemented.
Veterans who are enrolled in VA and Medicare/Medicaid: better coordination and reciprocal enrollment lists reduce duplicate or improper billing, lower the chance of coverage gaps, and simplify which payer is responsible for care.
Hospitals, health systems, VA, and payers: sharing enrollment and service data streamlines claims adjudication and reduces administrative burden from resolving dual-coverage claims.
Taxpayers and federal programs: improved detection of improper payments and clearer payer responsibility can reduce wasteful Medicare/Medicaid payments for care covered by VA.
Veterans: transmitting billing, diagnostic, and enrollment data increases the risk that sensitive health information will be shared more widely, creating privacy harms for veterans.
VA, HHS, and providers: expanding data exchanges creates new security and compliance burdens and raises the risk of data breaches or improper uses of information.
Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries (including veterans): data-driven recoupment or billing corrections could lead to delays, disputes, or unexpected out-of-pocket charges while claims are resolved.
Based on analysis of 2 sections of legislative text.
Requires VA to seek a two‑year MOU with HHS/CMS for reciprocal data sharing to detect and prevent duplicate or improper billing for veterans enrolled in VA and Medicare/Medicaid/MA.
Official title: To direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to seek to enter into a memorandum of understanding with the Secretary of Health and Human Services to avoid duplicative, improper, or erroneous billings or payments for hospital care and medical services furnished under the laws administered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs.
Introduced June 29, 2026 by Robert P. Bresnahan · Last progress June 29, 2026
Requires the VA to seek a formal data‑sharing agreement with HHS/CMS to let the Veterans Health Administration and CMS reciprocally exchange enrollment and care data for veterans who are enrolled in VA and Medicare, Medicaid, or Medicare Advantage. The agreement must specify which data are exchanged, last for two years, and VA must report to congressional veterans committees on activities and effectiveness in preventing duplicate or improper billing. The goal is to reduce duplicate, improper, or erroneous payments by enabling both systems to identify veterans receiving care through VA and through federal health programs, and to evaluate whether data sharing lowers improper billing over the MOU period.