Introduction to VA’s State Home Program

Wayne A. Valey

Acting Chief, State Home Per Diem Program

prepared for the

GEC 2010 State Home Regional Conferences

The State Home Per Diem Program

Taping of State HomePer Diem Program Presentations

The state home per diem program presentations at the Regional Conference being held in Tampa will be taped by EES.

These tapes will be available to view on VA computers at a later date (TBD). 

• VA Medical Centers of Jurisdiction should plan to share these presentations with their local state homes by inviting them to come by their respective VAMCs to view the tapes.

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First Things First

• In your roles in supporting VA State Veterans Home programs, you and your staff make major contributions towards delivering care to our nation’s Veterans.

• Thanks for all that you do….!

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General Business Rules for Paymentof State Home Per Diem

• VA per diem payments to States are only paid for the care of eligible Veterans.

• VA pays per diem to State Homes for the care of Veterans irrespective of whether the Veteran has wartime or peacetime service.

• The Secretary of the Department of Veterans Affairs may adjust the per diem rates each year.

• Non-Veteran residents are not entitled to payment of VA aid.

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Alignment of VHA State Home Program Management Responsibilities

Responsibilities for managing the state home program are shared by VHA’s Chief Business Office and VHA’s Office of Geriatrics and Extended Care

The State Home Per Diem Program is a benefit administration and payment processing program which is managed by the VHA Chief Business Office (CBO).

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Roles and Responsibilities

The Chief Business Office (CBO), through it’s National Fee Program Office, is responsible for management of the state home per diem program, to include:

• (1) Health Care Benefit Administration, including regulatory and national policy development

• (2) Management and oversight of eligibility, authorizations and per diem payment program

• (3) Provision of operational oversight and training, related to (1) and (2) above for VHA and Non-VA Stakeholders.

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Roles and Responsibilities

• CBO program responsibilities (continued)

• (4) Promoting collaborative relationships with VA and Non-VA stakeholders and maintaining communication and networking with program leaders through interactive forums such as meetings, mail groups and national conference calls.

• (5) Managing state home budgeting processes, the provision of fiscal year per diem funds to the VA Medical Centers of Jurisdiction based on projected needs, and the provision of supplemental per diem funds, when required.

• (6) Compiling products/reports that depict state home workload and expenditure trends.

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Roles and Responsibilities

VA Medical Center of Jurisdiction Per Diem Point of Contact (POC). The VA Medical Center Per Diem POC has the capacity, skills and experience required to provide guidance to the VAMC and state Veterans home staff and to effectively communicate program responsibilities and outcomes with state officials, VA Medical Center and VISN managers and CBO and GEC staff. They also are responsible for:

• (1) promoting collaborative relationships with VA and Non-VA stakeholders and maintaining communication and networking with program leaders through the participation in interactive forums such as meetings, mail groups and national conference calls.

• (2) ensuring the timely processing and reconciliation of all documentation, including daily admissions, discharges, and the accuracy of payment processing actions.

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Roles and Responsibilities

VA Medical Center of Jurisdiction Per Diem Point of Contact (POC) -- continued.

• (3) formulating and executing budget and audit oversight requirements.

• (4) monitoring and evaluating the station-level state home program to assess program quality and assure compliance with VHA per diem requirements..

• (5) reporting potential problems, in a timely manner, to program leadership.

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CBO’s New State Home Web Site

.

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Summary

• VA’s state home program plays a major role in delivering long term care to our nation’s veterans.

• The program is expected to grow by approximately 25% over the next three fiscal years.

• Major expenditures are made in support of this program. It is important that the funds entrusted to the program are appropriately managed.

• State home program managers at CBO, GEC, VISNs and VA Medical Centers of Jurisdiction play important roles in assuring that program goals are met.

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Contacts

For additional information, please contact:

Wayne A. Valey

Acting Chief, State Home Per Diem Program

wayne.valey@va.gov

(303) 398-5908

Brenda Wiggins

Program Analyst, State Home Division

brenda.wiggins3@va.gov

(202) 461-6757

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Questions

?

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Content Developer

Wayne Valey

This training course or product was produced by the National Fee Program Office Communications and Training Division. It has

been created for training purposes only and is not a replacement for policy information.

Date Details Entered By

9/7/1015