HERC Health Economics Seminar

The Changing Face of Veterans and Implications for Policy: Insurance Coverage for US Veterans from 2010-2021

by Todd Wagner, PhD
Seminar date: 5/15/2024

Description: Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) health care spending has grown in the past decade, in part due to legislative changes that expanded access to VA purchased care. We analyze three national surveys, in combination with the VA Survey of Enrollees, to understand how insurance coverage and enrollment in VA has changed between 2010 and 2021. These data provide insights into VA’s efforts to improve access, and why these efforts may have had the unintended consequence of payer shifting. Further legislative efforts to increase access, without recognizing the potential for payer shifting, may just increase costs without any corresponding improvements in health.

Intended Audience: Researchers and leaders concerned about the effect of future policies on VA

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