VA Medical Centers: Further Operational Improvements Could Enhance Third-Party Collections

July 2004 VA Medical Centers: Further Operational Improvements Could Enhance Third-Party Collections VA has continued to take actions to reduce billing times and increase third-party collections. Collections of third-party payments have increased from $540 million in fiscal year 2001 to $804 million in fiscal year 2003. However, at the three medical centers visited, GAO found continuing weaknesses in the billings and collections processes that impair VA's ability to maximize the amount of dollars paid by third-party insurance companies. For example, the three medical centers did not always bill insurance companies in a timely manner. Medical . . .