Contractor Announces Plan To Fix Non-VA Fee Basis Claims
Government contractor DSS Inc a new plan to fix VA’s failing non-VA fee basis claims processing and management system with certain software updates – self-funded – to improve the system they put in place in 2009.
The automation plan will reduce processing time by 90% and lower costs. DSS is the leading commercial provider of VistA-based systems. If the plan works, it will help many veterans eligible for non-VA care who file fee basis claims get the care they need more quickly. Right now, that system is a complete mess across the country.
UPDATE: DSS contacted me to clarify that this plan to fix the Fee Basis part of VistA is in connection to services and software DSS implemented for VHA starting in 2009 and not a new contract.
NEW PLAN TO FIX FEE BASIS CLAIMS SYSTEM
According to BusinessWire, the new plan is as follows:
The new functionality enhances the claims management process for the Department of Veterans’ Affairs (VA) Non-VA care claims by centralizing data and further automating the adjudication process. The new browser-based version of the application suite complies with VA Enterprise Technical Architecture (ETA) as well as VA future-state design patterns and is scalable to support current and expected increases in claims processing workload. These enhancements will greatly assist in processing the ever-increasing number of Non-VA Purchased Care claims to ensure that medical providers who treat our nation’s veterans receive timely and accurate reimbursement. The enhanced system will also assist the VA in managing regulatory changes (such as the Veterans’ Choice Act) as they arise.
FEE BASIS UPDATES
The new solution upgrades include the following capabilities:
- Automated processes reduce the time to intake claims by over 90 percent
- 90% reduction in IT costs with a fully browser-based interface
- 80% reduction in staff login times via Single Sign-On (SSO)
- 30% reduction in claims processing costs with rules-based auto-adjudication
- Centralization of access, storage, and reporting of data
- Single point of entry for all VA staff
- Instant, organization-wide visibility to stakeholders via dashboard metrics of national data
- Standardization of processes through user-configurable rules, policies and settings
The fee basis system has long been plagued with processing problems that resulted in enormous delays and failures in providing payment for medical services. These failures undermined relationships between veterans and their doctors.
Across the country, VA has experienced numerous data integrity problems with its VistA linked systems that allowed manipulations resulting in the wait list scandal going back to at least 2001.
UPDATE:
DSS asserted in their call to me that the company was not connected to the scheduling part of VistA that was connected to the wait list scandal. They further expressed a desire for me to not mention the wait list issue in VistA when writing with their work with VistA. They did not want the reference point to remain in my article concerning the global problems with VistA. I reassured them that one cannot mention VistA without also reminding the public of problems VistA experienced related to the wait list manipulations even if DSS products were not linked to the bad behavior.
They did not want the reference point to remain in my article concerning the global problems with VistA. I reassured them that one cannot mention VistA without also reminding the public of problems VistA experienced related to the wait list manipulations even if DSS products were not linked to the bad behavior.
We do know the earlier version of Fee Basis within VistA was quite problematic for veterans seeking Fee Basis benefits from non-VA providers. That knowledge alone certainly warrants a skeptical review of this “offer” to update VA’s troubled VistA through a “self-funded” initiative.
I will file a FOIA for the contract in 2009 to verify the claims from DSS today.
RELATED: VA Awards VistA Contract BPA Renewal in 2009
2009 VISTA CONTRACT RENEWAL
Following my call with DSS, I decided to do some additional digging on the 2009 contract they referenced.
To provide some additional context, in 2009, VA renewed its annual Task Order contract under VA’s existing Blanket Purchase Agreement (BPA). At the time, such a contract was worth $24 million for that period. VA awarded the renewal to QuadraMed Corporation. Quadrupeds “valued subcontractors” included DSS, Inc. Two other subcontractors noted were MEGAS and Unicor.
In a 2009 article about the BPA renewal, BusinessWire wrote:
This renewal includes the term license for QuadraMed’s Encoder Product Suite (EPS), and for related training services for all Veterans Affairs (VA) medical centers and existing Consolidated Patient Accounting Centers (CPAC) nationwide during the government’s 2010 fiscal year (FY10). All VA medical centers have been licensed to use QuadraMed EPS since 2005 under the current BPA.
QuadraMed EPS is a comprehensive VistA-integrated Health Information Management (HIM) and Revenue Cycle Management solution that enables VA medical centers to enhance workflow through efficient inpatient and outpatient coding, compliance, claims editing and revenue-cycle management.
“VA medical centers serve a critical role in our nation’s healthcare delivery for our veterans. The VA’s renewal for FY10, and its successful deployment of QuadraMed technology since 2005, helps to demonstrate the tangible value derived from our solutions. We are pleased to continue this strong partnership and look forward to a productive 2010,” said Duncan James, QuadraMed President and CEO.
Based on past experience, it certainly appears that the annual Task Order contract may be up for renewal again as it was in 2009. I would wonder if DSS Inc’s current generosity to “self-fund” the updates to systems they were already maintaining is a typical commercial enticement linked previous services or perhaps it is made with the aim of gaining favor for a future contract.
Either way, let’s hope the fixes / updates help veterans get smooth and efficient access to competent non-VA health care.
DSS INC GSA PRICE SCHEDULE – UPDATE 12/31/15, 1:20AM
One reader just got a hold of the DSS Inc GSA price schedule for what the company charges to work on VistA systems. If you skip to page 55, you can start looking over how much DSS charges and come to your own conclusions. Here are a few examples that are broken down per facility:
- Resource Management System – $497,000
- Annual License To Fix Bugs – $160,000
- Fee Basis Compliance Suite – $118,000
- Fee Basis Claims System – $193,000
- Release of Information Search Module – $27,000
- Fee Basis Payment Module – $50,000
- Chemotherapy Manager – $126,000
- Physician Portal – $62,000
READ: Document Storage Systems, Inc Price Schedule
I would be really curious to see what you all can find based on this price schedule. I am beginning to wonder what they meant behind their “self-funded” upgrade. Perhaps they will make the money back on the down the road.
Hey Mark Byers at DSS,
Happy New Years in advance.
Just wanted to let you know been doing some digging and at Midnight I am going to post some information on your purchase of the “Ambassador Savings & Loan Bank Building”.
I think people here will really like to hear about the three mortgages to different names filed at the exact same second. Also the additional information on deal.
Don’t worry I will send copies of the documentation to Ben.
Oh and one question if you didn’t create the waitlist module who did?
Thanks
I can’t wait.
Robin that will be at 12 pst.
Sorry Robin,
At the last minute I started feeling like it would be putting a target on the Mr. Byers Back.
But I woke up this morning and was going to post some of the information I had found. Then while double checking my facts after rewriting my post I stumbled on to more information about “poor” Mr. Byers.
Information I should have checked before. At present count he is worth tens’ of Millions of Dollars and that is only one state that I have been checking. He is also connected to Mortgage Fraud with an organized Crime Ring.
To Mark,
I really did feel like maybe I should not post after seeing how you were unable to get a warranty Tile on bank building but after finding out about the Country Club purchase. I see how little I know about you. The place at the club that was $5.8 million right. Great use of the LLCs’ by the way.
Latter
Seymore
Sorry Mark I was wrong again it’s 5.2 million on the county club place.
“https://www.pbcgov.com/papa/Asps/PropertyDetail/PropertyDetail.aspx?parcel=68434216060010141&srchtype=ADV&owner=&streetno=&prefix=&streetname=&suffix=&postdir=&unitno=&srchparcel=&range=&twp=§ion=&book=25633&page=535&legal=&subdiv=&muni=&zip=&usetype=&condo=”
https://www.pbcgov.com/papa/Asps/PropertyDetail/PropertyDetail.aspx?parcel=68434216060010141&srchtype=ADV&owner=&streetno=&prefix=&streetname=&suffix=&postdir=&unitno=&srchparcel=&range=&twp=§ion=&book=25633&page=535&legal=&subdiv=&muni=&zip=&usetype=&condo=
So Eric Shinseki contracted Xerox to come in and fix VA by “speeding things up” using NEW SOFTWARE (rational rose) in 2011 and that only resulted in Xerox making hundreds of millions of dollars while they actually made VA a more dangerous place for veterans so VA is adding yet another layer between tax payer money and veterans receiving care while that layer gets rich and causes even more confusion and death at the VA and this is something we’re supposed to celebrate? Has everybody figured out that the more contractors Xerox, or Bobby Mc Donald Sec VA and member of the Board of Directors at Xerox, hires, the less money that goes into actual health care and benefit received by veterans. I would guess that about 8 cents out of every dollar budget to VA actually reaches veterans and the rest goes to xerox and xerox contractors. So we needed an additional contractor to do the job xerox is being paid for by it’s doing… Nice! Ursula gets rich doing nothing!
It appears most everything at the VA has to be “FIXED.”
Dear Mr. Krause:
If that contractor was established since 2009 and is so good
why is it the VA cases have not made any headway today? did they fall asleep at the helm for six years?
Yours for GOD and Country
Frank P.Calderon
I am 100% disabled veteran from Connecticut. While visiting my family this holiday season in northwestern Montana I slipped and fell on black ice and broke my wrist. Being two hours away from the Helena VA I had to call the regional Rocky Mountain division of the of the VA (five Northwestern States) to get clearance. It took them the better part of the whole day to return my call and when they did I was instructed (by a woman with the robotic voice) to go to the nearest emergency room and that emergency room only. They would not authorize any other procedure other than the emergency room. They x-rayed me, found the broken bone and put a temp cast on. Seems as though the orthopedic doctor that could put a cast on me was in surgery and I could come back Christmas Eve. The emergency room recommended an alternative orthopedic specialty clinic that could do the job the same day and that’s where I ended up going using my Medicare. I had to pay out-of-pocket for the balance.
Bottom line here is I can’t begin to see how a software fix to some massive Internet-based program is gonna be able to make decisions about what it is I need in a critical situation like this.
My Ussa auto insurance company did a better job of taking care of my car, giving me a real person that was at the other end of the line to talk to and guide me through the process and call back later if I needed more help than the VA does with my body.
OT, but NPR has a flagrant act of journalism on their web site today about Privacy violations at the VA.
Very eye-opening.
Having an electronic health record certainly makes it easy for VA employees to violate your privacy and access your health records.
I will *never forget* my first “intake” by this very old and beefy nurse that sounded like she smoked 5 packs of camel unfiltered for 40 years, and she is standing with her back to the wide open door asking me a battery of questions and actually, quite personal in nature, so I *kindly* asked if she would be so kind to close the door for privacy reasons and I kid you not, she laughed and looed like “Large Marge”, the trucker from hell in ‘Peewee’s Great Adventure’ movie, and snarled, “YOU HAVE NO PRIVACY AT THE VA….hahahahahahah…”, commenced chewing gum with mouth open, and acted as if I did not ask that at all and carried on!
Fucking scary. It’s like going to Satan’s Funhouse, the VA can be.
No “software tweak” can fix that human toxic waste problem…the very same people that cannot handle new technology and reason it has failed miserably each and every time.
Even the DoD was trying to get contractors to link VA with them in some fashion in a true system network, it failed too.
After Ben’s update, after DSS were scared their image could be marred, never mind dead Vets from systems being used to manipulate wait times.
I am wondering now if this “free update” comes with “kiss the VA gift baskets” to ensure a renewal?
Why do I smell troll?
Years ago I had an appointment in a clinic and had to cancel for some reason I don’t recall. I got a call later that afternoon from a friend of mine who had an appointment in the same clinic. He found the notes the doctor had started on me in the trash right next to his chair. I called the Chief of Staff who admitted to me later that they found them in the trash exactly as I described. Their fix was to install shredders on each of the clinics.
What’s interesting about that NPR story are some of the links in the article. One goes to a site called HIPAA helper where you can find out about HIPAA violations reported at your VA hospital. I found 18 at my small VA over a 2 year span, but it did not include a report of mine which should have been filed after meeting with the Privacy officer. It seems by reading those I found, only those reported were reported after a veteran or an employee pushed for it to be done, or the VA realized they had no choice.
Another interesting link is to an HHS site where veterans can report HIPAA violations at the VA. Reports can be made online to the HHS Office of Special Counsel.
As for the DOD networking with the VA, that was mandated years ago by Congress after the Gulf War. VA claimed then they could not help us Gulf War vets the way they could if they had gotten all of our military medical records. It was a BS excuse because many, like me, hand carried a complete copy of our records to the VA, and they were ignored.
This DSS contract may have been an initial attempt at implementing that.
So who do I send wrongly denied emergency claims to? My husbands lips were turning blue as his throat closed after VA surgery. I called an ambulance and the Indianapolis VA tries to say it wasn’t an emergency.
It was to the two EMT’s that showed up…they couldn’t decide to chance the 20 miles ride or call in the helo.
To the VA is wasn’t important enough to warrant the ER. On Easter Sunday.
They are heartless.shut it down and pay for veterans to seek help from people who care. I’m so sorry for them doing that you both. Dirty shame
DSS was not awarded a new contract for these enhancements to the current Fee Basis Claims System. The changes are being made by the vendors under the existing contract, without cost to the VA, in order to help the VA reduce the amount of time and cost required to process purchased care claims. The number of Veteran purchased care visits have sky rocketed over the past 5 years, and the VA needs to keep up with processing of these claims. The changes being made will only help our Veterans and the VA. They do not adversely affect the processing of Veterans Choice claims.
Also, vxVistA has nothing to do with VA purchased care and is a commercial version of the VA’s VistA EHR, developed by DSS. Even though VistA was developed by the VA several years ago, it is still one of the top rated EHR’s for provider/user satisfaction. The amount of money spent by the VA to maintain and enhance VistA is a small fraction of what it would take to replace it with commercial products which, for the most part, share the same underlying technology. The VA produces and implements hundreds of enhancements to VistA every year. The 2015 version of VistA is in many ways different, and far better than 1981/1982 DHCP.
The different software products DSS provides the VA make or save the VA $Billions every year, yet I am still living in the home I purchased for $150,000 in 1999. The companies who have developed Fee Basis Claims System are not Beltway Bandits and are not owned by Billionaires or anyone running the VA. During the 21 years I have been working with the VA I have never had a VA employee ask me for anything that would personally benefit themselves. I am sure there are corrupt people in all major organizations, however, I haven’t personally been approached by one in the VA. No, we do not payoff VA employees for contracts.
The vast majority of VA staff I have dealt with, including for my own VA medical care, care about us Vets. The VA doctors, PA’s and nurses spend far more time with me during a visit than I receive outside the VA. This is probably one reason for the delays. They need to see more patients per hour, as is done in the private sector. The VA needs to improve and I believe the current VA administration is making improvements in several areas, including adding more clinical staff and facilities.
Mark Byers, President DSS/Service Connected Disabled USAF Veteran who receives medical care at the VA.
You talk like someone with a vested interest in defending VA. I am a 100% SC veteran who would not allow VA to perform medical procedures on my cat. If VA is so wonderful, why do 80% of eligible vets not use VA?
I guess if I had “worked with the VA for 21 years”, I too would receive excellent care since I would have plenty of phone numbers to people who return phone calls when problems arose.
You are a president.who’s going to do anything to a president. Keep your eyes and ears open and you can see what your blinders have made you miss.
You have seen in the news almost daily of how VA employees are hurting veterans or fellow employees for doing the right thing.
Are all these reports wrong? Are veterans just making this stuff up?
You must be in seclusion or your so use to it.you have become desensitized to reality and the truth.
You have worked for the VA and have never found anyone looking for goodies for themselves?
Have you been sober in that 21 years?
Namnibor,
First I apologies for attaching my last post to the wrong post. I wanted it attached to one of your prior posting.
Second just want to add that much of what “Proud supporter” said is likely true about the modification not costing additional money. It was likely covered under their current contract with the VA to provide support for the VistA system. From what “Proud Supporter” stated it is likely he is employed by DSS and not the VA.
As Ben pointed out in his article the VistA system was rigged to allow the wait list. As we all know the wait list caused Many Veterans to suffer needlessly, with many more veterans were forced to suffer and die needlessly. Really have to wonder if the changes to the VistA computer program to allow the wait list were done by a VA Employee experienced as a programmer or DSS rigged the software for the VA.
Honestly the new changes to the software Ben writes about in the article we can hope it will be good for Veterans but based on the VA’s history it certainly seems more likely the changes made are going to cause more fraud and even more Veterans to suffer but also to suffer and die.
With no accountability, the woodpile will always have a foul stench coming from it. No tweaking of a program code nor update will cure the VA’s main problem: The Human Trash that litters the good VA Employees and makes the entire system systemically tainted.
The VA needs a Human Enema.
Am I being daft here? Even with today’s linked article about DSS, I do NOT see how much $$$$ the VA spent on this Contract? Anyone? Or…was it purposely left as a ‘Blank Check’ to ensure the VA ATM never stops spitting bill$?????
Namnibor,
Of course the changes could also enable the plan to raid the Veterans Choice Program funds laid out in the article I posted a link to yesterday. I was trying to get one of the VA Employee Trolls to call me on but couldn’t get any bites. I was calling it a new plan when in fact the article was first published Jul 16, 2015. The plan is to send all new patients seeking care at the VA for Hep C through the Veterans Choice Program. But since prescription given to Vets for the high dollar medication would need to be addressed and they would somehow need to get those Veterans choice bucks to pay for the Medication.
The modifications to the Fee basis system described on the DSS website would almost certainly allow the VA Health Care System to move forward with there plan to drain the Veterans Choice program through referring all new patients needing Hep C treatment to move forward.
Given the sudden drop-off new patient being accepted in the VA hepatitis C treatment programs going from 1700 per month in October and dropping to 400 per in November it seems clear that something is up. See: “Sudden drop-off in VA hepatitis C treatments alarms veterans community” at: “https://thehill.com/blogs/congress-blog/healthcare/262511-sudden-drop-off-in-va-hepatitis-c-treatments-alarms-veterans”
Clearly something is up and Veterans are clearly going to be dying because of it. I know they just added 1.5 billion to the VA budget to treat Hep C.
If you are one of the people who are waiting for treatment or have been turned down by the VA for treatment there is a possible alternative. You may remember the movie “Dallas Buyers Club” starring Mathew McConaughey that came out in 2013. There are Hep C buyers clubs out there. One is at “https://fixhepc.com/”. There are a number of articles published from creditable sources such as CBS about this buyers club. One of the articles published can be found at ” “https://www.odt.co.nz/news/dunedin/368046/hep-c-patient-goes-offshore-cure“.”
It seems that when you don’t have to pay Dr. Shinazi’s and Teva’s royalties on the medication the price goes from $1000 per pill to about $10.
If anyone is considering the buyers club you probably should act fast before Obama’s TPP deal kicks in.
Then Shinazi’s and Teva’s royalties might be charged for the two molecules used to make most of the new drug to treat Hep C.
DSS called to clarify a couple points. I updated the article to reflect this and also did some digging into a previous contract DSS mentioned from 2009. Apparently, DSS was a contractor linked to the fee basis system. It appears from the BusinessWire article that the overall value of the contract at that time was $24 million split between a few companies that included DSS as a sub.
Related to the Wait list scandal maybe but more likely just a back door to raid more money from the Veterans Choice program.
It would certainly address several of the complaints noted in the testimony of Donna Hoffmeier from Health Net before congress May 12th, 2015. About how they were unable to recruit community providers to participate in the Veterans Choice Program. She did offer her recommendations such as eliminating unnecessary impediments to community provider participation.
Which included eliminating, what she called unnecessary impediments, such as the Medical documentation requirements, eliminating the delays in payments until the medical documentation was returned, and eliminating the unnecessary impediment of not being able to pay providers for the high level of appointment no-show when Health Net failed to properly contact the Veterans about appointments.
Her Testimony can be found at:
“https://www.veterans.senate.gov/download/hnfs-hoffmeier-testimony-51215”
Also the information I provided from her testimony comes from pages 7 & 8 Item 2. titled “Eliminate unnecessary impediments to community provider participation”.
I guess basically what she was saying to congress is that in this day an age of high Medicare and Medicaid fraud, an area well known to Health Net history, they needed to loosen the regulation on the Veterans Choice program for Health Net to be successful. Certainly the propose changes in the article could address Health Nets complaints and they could be more fraudulently successful.
Essentially Health Net told Congress they would have to remove the check and balances established for the Veterans Choice Program or they would not be able to claim great success with Veterans Choice.
After all Health Net was more used to working with the fraud filled medical providers and not those medical providers who actually provided records when requesting payments.
So if congressman wanted to take the credit for success of the Veterans Choice program they would have to give in to accepting the same Health Care Fraud tactics used in Medicare and Medicaid.
@Kirk R-
I think you hit the nail on head in that this new “Contract” is nothing but an easy access “back door” to ALL the “Choice Program Ca$h”…and to do away with “Checks and Balances”…well, nothing is more like Kryptonite to the VA as that thing called “Accountability”…it makes them nasty zombie apocalypse types.
This is just a continuation of $cam, $teal, and using Veterans as “counted heads” for “appropriated fund$”…but do not expect any of this to actually benefit…Veterans.
Namnibor,
Of course the changes could also enable the plan to raid the Veterans Choice Program funds laid out in the article I posted a link to yesterday. I was trying to get one of the VA Employee Trolls to call me on but couldn’t get any bites. I was calling it a new plan when in fact the article was first published Jul 16, 2015. The plan is to send all new patients seeking care at the VA for Hep C through the Veterans Choice Program. But since prescription given to Vets for the high dollar medication would need to be addressed and they would somehow need to get those Veterans choice bucks to pay for the Medication.
The modifications to the Fee basis system described on the DSS website would almost certainly allow the VA Health Care System to move forward with there plan to drain the Veterans Choice program through referring all new patients needing Hep C treatment to move forward.
Given the sudden drop-off new patient being accepted in the VA hepatitis C treatment programs going from 1700 per month in October and dropping to 400 per in November it seems clear that something is up. See: “Sudden drop-off in VA hepatitis C treatments alarms veterans community” at: “https://thehill.com/blogs/congress-blog/healthcare/262511-sudden-drop-off-in-va-hepatitis-c-treatments-alarms-veterans”
Clearly something is up and Veterans are clearly going to be dying because of it. I know they just added 1.5 billion to the VA budget to treat Hep C.
If you are one of the people who are waiting for treatment or have been turned down by the VA for treatment there is a possible alternative. You may remember the movie “Dallas Buyers Club” starring Mathew McConaughey that came out in 2013. There are Hep C buyers clubs out there. One is at “https://fixhepc.com/”. There are a number of articles published from creditable sources such as CBS about this buyers club. One of the articles published can be found at ” https://www.odt.co.nz/news/dunedin/368046/hep-c-patient-goes-offshore-cure“.
It seems that when you don’t have to pay Dr. Shinazi’s and Teva’s royalties on the medication the price goes from $1000 per pill to about $10.
@namnibor
I couldn’t have said it better. Follow the money trail. I bet it will lead, not only to VA’s upper crust of deviants, but to that companies upper crust bank accounts!
“[…It may be important to remember that rigging of the VistA linked systems allowed manipulations that resulted in the wait list scandal.]”
“[…•Automated processes reduce the time to intake claims by over 90 percent
•90% reduction in IT costs with a fully browser-based interface
•80% reduction in staff login times via Single Sign-On (SSO)
•30% reduction in claims processing costs with rules-based auto-adjudication…]”
Why in God’s Name would the VA be allowed to go into another “tech update contract” with a company that facilitated the gaming of the system that fully let the llight on how the VA was manipulating data….and…failing at THAT contract as well as ALL OTHER “tech updates” in past?
This only makes me ask, what is THIS ‘smokescreen’ trying to conceal that’s REALLY going on?
How about just bringing the WHOLE VA SYSTEM into the REST OF THE USA’s First World’s Electronic Medical Records (EMR)?
Oh, THAT failed as well…at least 3x.
With Obamacare forcing Vets to use the VA and The Choice Act which is about -2- yrs old original form, it’s not like the VA did not KNOW there would be an influx of Vets…and let’s not forget that “little fact”…WE HAVE BEEN IN WAR FOR ALMOST 15 YEARS!!!!
No. This is how backwards-ass the VA operates:
1) VA would decide to open a Gastro Specialty Medical Clinic years after Gulf War Illness Vets have already been filling septic tanks for a few years from medical issues.
2) VA would go over-budget building this “state of the art” center dealing specifically with Gastro-Intestinal and Chronic Diarrhea conditions by a few Billion.
3) Center goes for official opening of Gastro Center/Chronic Diarrhea.
4) VA has to spend Millions on heated outhouses around facility grounds because in this “State Of The Art” facility dealing with Veteran’s gut issues, the VA forgets entirely to tell the Contractor that they need 50x the septic plumbing because of the very “nature” of this Clinic.
The above was a fictitious account as an analogy to today’s article.
Why?
Because as long as the VA leaves that 10-30% “human element” leeway in their tech plan update, the VA will continue to f*ck-up this payment process if they have their hands on it in any capacity.
The “truth” to my example is the obvious that the VA is indeed full of $hit. Hate to be an eternal pessimist but let’s see how long it takes for these contractors to again, be laughing while they RUN to the bank to ensure they get paid after the VA cannot use the updated external services payment system AND play Minecraft on the very same screen while Veterans are waiting…just wait for it…it’s coming.
How much $$$$$ is THIS contract costing again….? Shall I also predict that they will unleash this without fully testing it and that will take place at the Phoenix VAMC? Again, wait for it.
Maybe just pushing that entire Phoenix VAMC over and into the Grand Canyon and let Vets use Medicare or State Medicaid?
The upgrades are not costing additional money as no additional contract was created. The company is providing these additional features to ensure they keep up with the technology requirements of its customers and to support all of the Veterans. New technology continuously allow great organizations to improve their processes. This goes for the VA as well as the companies that serve them. Being critical is great it helps put the focus on the problem.
@”proud supporter”
What do you have to back that statement up? What VA/VHA capacity do you work at, if any? You sound like a proud supporter of the VA’s waste of money, perhaps am wrong but it IS about VA Troll Lunch Break Time:-)
“The VHA computer system runs on MUMPS which is an old dos era code. You are correct they have not updated it since about 1981. This despite billions and billions of dollars spent since a 1993 Congressionally mandated obligation to update the system.”
Looks to me it would be equally important to bring the VA out from an old MS-DOS era code operating system for efficiency’s sake.
This is like giving a bunch of apes drumsticks and large rocks as drums and expecting the wooden drumsticks to endure the beating on rocks.
I suspect you are connected to the contractor given your comment. You can blow smoke up VA management’s ass, but you are commenting on a veterans blog to veterans who have actually experienced the VA, or as you describe it, a “great organization”.
Your comment about supporting veterans sounds like many others who never have to experience that great organizarion, like it is thrown in as an afterthought.
“Yeah the VA is a great organization full of great people doing great things.”
…”and veterans too”.
@91Veteran-
Thanks. I was actually starting to think I may have been prematurely brash but it’s definitely well-deserved because I see now the DSS Trolls showing their allegiance to the VA are here in troves.
Yes, “Troves Of Trolls”, or “TOT” for anagram lovers; is the statement of the week.
They come out and do their contracted little dance and then amongst the lollipop forest blow rainbows out their ass telling us how “great an organization” is, when this very system facilitated the manipulation of medical care and deaths of Veterans.
That rainbow is starting to smell like foul cabbage now.