The U.S. House passed a package of veteran-related bills Tuesday, including a measure sponsored by Rep. Mike Michaud that will result in state veterans homes receiving higher reimbursement rates for care they provide to severely disabled and elderly veterans.
The measure, which passed the Senate on July 18, now heads to President Barack Obama for his signature.
The measure concerning state veterans homes requires that the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs enter into agreements with state veterans homes that ensure the homes are paid the actual cost of the care they provide. Without the higher reimbursement rates, the homes could be discouraged from accepting the most severely disabled veterans or risk substantial losses if they did accept them, said Maine Veterans’ Homes CEO Kelley Kash.
According to the National Association of State Veterans Homes, the average rate for such care is about $359 per veteran per day, and the VA currently reimburses the homes for only $235 a day. This daily difference of $124 amounts to more than $45,000 per year in losses for each covered veteran.
“Passing this legislation into law will ensure our state veterans homes are paid adequately for the services they provide and can continue to serve veterans that need care,” Michaud said on the floor of the House before Tuesday’s vote. Michaud is the Ranking Democrat on the House Veterans’ Affairs Subcommittee on Health.
The new reimbursement arrangements will affect veterans homes in Augusta, Bangor, Caribou, Scarborough, South Paris and Machias, which belong to the Maine Veterans’ Homes system. The Maine Veterans’ Homes provide long-term and residential nursing care for qualified veterans.
The bill has been in the works since 2009, when Maine Veterans’ Homes approached Michaud about a fix to a new VA program that aimed to provide severely disabled veterans no-cost care.
In the process of allowing qualified veterans free care, Kash said, the program “proved to under-reimburse the state veterans homes significantly. This was a nationwide problem.”
In 2010, Michaud held a hearing on this issue and invited Kash to testify about the current regulations’ effect on Maine veterans homes.
Kash testified that if the Maine Veterans’ Homes were to admit every veteran that reasonably could qualify for admission to Maine Veterans’ Homes, the network would sustain a net loss of between $8 million and $16 million per year and be bankrupt within one-and-a-half to three years.
As a temporary fix, Kash said, the Maine Veterans’ Homes admitted qualified veterans under the Medicare program, rather than through the VA. This ensured a higher reimbursement rate, but also meant the homes forfeited a per-diem VA reimbursement.
“Instead of losing $125 a day, we basically gave up about $95 a day,” Kash said.
Michaud said Tuesday during floor debate that if the current reimbursement system continues, it could have a “crippling” effect on veterans homes.
“With approximately 25,000 beds nationwide, the financial burden on state veterans homes could become crippling,” he said. “Passing this legislation into law will ensure our state veterans homes are paid adequately for the services they provide and can continue to serve veterans that need care.”
Michaud works hard on high prophile plublicity but leaves many disabled veterans in the dust.
I will not vote for him. As a disabled veteran I have experienced his total lack of concerne for my problems. I will not vote for him and tell everyone I know about his lack of concern for many disabled vets.
I am a two tour Nam vet and my cousin did the same. Mike Michaud has been a tremendous help for both of us on several occasions. He will once again have our and our grateful family’s vote come 11/ 6 / 2012 .
I’m glad he helped both of you. For some reason he wouldn’t even respond to my concerns or other disabled vets. My question is why both of you and not myself and some other disabled vets? We served our country also and we are good honest americans. What’s wrong with this picture?
So, what was the concern that he did not address?
Our concerns were about the Maine VA healthcare system’s lack of proper treatment. You would think he would be concerned about something as important to us as this. He seems to pick and choose who he helps.
Well, the bill that he just had passed should help. What was your specific ask, meaning, what did you ask him to do that he did not? Was it something specific that one congressman can do, or was it just a general complaint?
Don’t get me wrong, I am glad this bill will help some veterans. I don’t want to discuss my medical issues here. I have found that many disabled veterans just get ignored, especially when confronting the Maine VA Helth System. Let me ask you a question. Do you work for Mr Michaud or have any personal dealings with him?
Understood, did not mean to pry. As for me, no, I do not currently work for the Congressman. I have worked with him many, many times. The reasoning for my questions to you is because I know that he would not purposely “pick and choose” which veterans to help. I know this is an anonymous message board and people say a lot of things that they would not say in person, but the charge that he ignores the request of veterans who need it, and on purpose, is quite the slander. He chose to be on the Veteran’s Affairs committee and is one of its highest ranking and most respected members. Having said that, he cannot wave a wand and fix every problem that you have with the Maine VA system.
We did not expect a complete resolve of our issues with the Maine VA Healthcare System. If Mr. Michaud just ignores us how can it even begin to be resolved? Enough Said!
If Mike wanted to do something for vets, he would have Togus put in more parking places. It is sad to see disabled vets having to hike a quarter mile or more to their appointments, yet Togus doesn’t want to destroy the beauty of the place. Beauty? It’s a freakin dump. When I go I use the DAV Transportation Network and even they don’t have any place to park.
There’s a shuttle from the parking areas that takes you right to the door. The DAV Transportation Network also drops Vets at the door.
Either you’ve never been there or you just like to b*tch about nothing.
Dem partisan attacking the disabled veteran for failing to show enough gratitude… interesting tactic Tyke… hows that working out for you?
Huh? I am a Republican and have been for over a half a century.
I did not “attack” anyone, but pointed out the inaccuracy of a post would could have left other Veterans with the wrong impression and discouraged them from being able to use all available services that I am personally well aware of.
… and to preempt the dumb attacks I get around here – I come from a time when Republcians were reasonable and not overrun by extremist theocrats and reactionary delusional “constitutional scholars” who have an atrocious lack of understanding of our constitution. In other words I am part of the rapidly shrinking sane branch of the Republican party.
There aren’t many of us left. Worse, the nutty Churchy base keeps taking the chairs out, so there’s nowhere for other sane people to come in and sit.
I agree with you that some people like to b*tch about nothing ,or in some cases about everything. I’ve been to the veterans clinic on a number of occassions when people come in acting like it’s all about them and being extremely obnoxious to the people trying to help them and having no regard for their fellow veterans and their spouses who may be sitting close by. I will be voting for Mike Michaud
Thank you Mike. Good news for veterans. Too bad Kevin Raye has kicked the veterans to the curb.
Your a good party man Jake! I can almost see Kevin lining those vets up to kick them to the curb… it isn’t true, but great use of imagery… I’ll give you that!
I saw him in the Shop n Save the other day…he put down his produce just to come kick me! Made me feel special.
Relection year. That program has already in place for years. What does Mike do in washington besides reside there.
Well, Mike doesn’t “reside” there in D.C., he rents; and, he comes back to his district every weekend.
“This program”, for those who didn’t bother to read the article, is a NEW law regarding minimum reimbursement rates to Veterans hospitals that will assure they will be able to continue to provide care. Their ability to do this was in jepordy because the rates allowed by law were not keeping up with rapidly rising costs.
If this law had not passed many Veterans would have lost their healthcare at the locations closest to them and would have had to travel hundreds of miles for services or not get them at all.
There should be a law that makes congress and senators live in their home States at least 6 months a year
So who do you propose should do the jobs we have hired them to do in DC?
Fire this failed sad sack on Election Day.
This is what you call a ‘profile building article’… a well placed call from a staff lackey in Michaud’s Washington office to a friendly BDN Staff writer back home. “Hey Matt lets make Mike look good with the Vets, he’s in a tight one against Kevin”… an attaboy should be sent from the campaign office shortly.
His bill passed yesterday. Are you saying they should not have written about it? What you wrote makes no sense.
BDN = Bangor Democrat News. Nice fluff piece to build up your failing Congressman.
I am with you Mike……… the alternative is just too scary. Does the VA have problems? Sure they do. Are they Mike Michauds fault? I would look more towards the party that loves to start wars but not fight them, and that would be the Republicans. Just take Mittens Robme as an example, he saved France from the Viet Cong, and ALL of his big strapping sons joined as soon as they were able to…….. yeah sure they did. LMAO!
I’m very grateful to Mr. Michaud for all he’s done for the veterans however he’s lost my support just by his recent association with Cynthia Quimby Dill !
Well done Mike!
Veterans should know that Republican Mitt Romney has hired the same people W Bush hired to cut Veterans service during the height of the Iraq/ Afghanistan war.
Bush cuts to the VA lead to our wounded vets being forced to wait months for treatment and being warehoused in VA hospitals with unsanitary conditions.
I was brainstorming the other day, you know, just about the life long pensions that the folks who work in government get? I’d like to see their pensions cut to what vets get and the vets to get a big pension. Wishful thinking I know but vets who served in the war deserve the money way more than what we’re gonna end up paying Pageboy in pensions for the rest of his life.