Veterans Affairs: Improved Oversight Could Strengthen Processes for Estimating Health Care Funding , June 4 , 2026
Veterans Affairs: Improved Oversight Could Strengthen Processes for Estimating Health Care Funding , June 4 , 2026
From the report: "To support its health care budget projection each year, the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) contracts with an actuarial consultant to assist VHA with the annual Enrollee Health Care Projection Model update. The model produces three basic outputs: enrollment, utilization, and unit cost. Each output is subject to several complex adjustments to account for the characteristics of VHA health care and the veterans who access VHA’s health care services.
GAO found VHA’s processes for developing the model’s estimates align with most but not all relevant standards. For example, VHA’s Office of Enrollment and Forecasting (E&F) does not have a formalized process requiring VHA’s actuarial consultant to incorporate newly emerging data into the model after initial model delivery. According to VHA officials, incorporating newly emerging data after the delivery of its initial model scenario is not required because it depends on factors such as data availability, the timing of the President’s budget, and requests from the VHA Office of Finance. However, incorporating newly emerging data, when possible, could ensure that VHA’s health care cost estimates reflect the most current data, improve the accuracy and completeness of the model estimates, and potentially support a more informed budget request."
Authors - Government Accountability Office (GAO)Related Resources
