1/4/2019
VA awards community care network contracts to increase health care access
The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) awarded contracts Dec. 28 to manage provider networks for Regions 1, 2 and 3 of VA’s new Community Care Network (CCN), the department’s direct link with com-munity providers that will ensure the VA provides the right care at the right time to veterans.
“These contract awards reflect our ongoing commitment to increasing veterans’ access to care,” said VA Secretary Robert Wilkie. “As part of the VA’s modernization efforts, we designed the new network based on feedback from veterans and other stakeholders, along with lessons learned from the Veterans Choice Program. We are confident this new network will greatly improve customer service for veterans and timeliness of payments to community providers.”
The network will be the standard contract vehicle allowing the VA to purchase care for veterans from community health care providers using industry-standard approaches and guidelines in support of the VA MISSION Act of 2018 to administer services and manage the network to its full potential. The VA will provide care coordination under this new contract. TriWest Healthcare Alliance has expanded its network to support veteran and provider care coordination across the nation until CCN is fully implemented.
Contracts were awarded to the following firm:
• Region 1 – Optum Public Sector Solutions, Inc.
• Region 2 – Optum Public Sector Solutions, Inc.
• Region 3 – Optum Public Sector Solutions, Inc.
The contract award for Region 4 is expected by early April 2019. Contract award for Regions 5 and 6 are expected by end of calendar year 2019.
Region 1 includes VA medical centers in Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, Washing-ton, D.C., and West Virginia.
Region 2 covers Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota and Wisconsin.
Region 3 will serve Veterans in Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, Oklahoma, Puerto Rico, South Carolina, Tennessee and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
Article Credit: SD Dept. of Veterans Affairs
