Support HR 4077/S.2145 the crucial GUARD Veterans' Health Care Act

Today I’m writing to you and ask that you support the GUARD Veterans' Health Care Act H.R. 4077 and/or S. 2145. The bill, House and Senate versions, is a crucial piece of legislation that aims to close a loophole allowing private insurers to profit billions from taxpayer money while diverting resources away from the Veterans Health Administration (VHA). By permitting the VHA to recoup health care costs for dually enrolled veterans in private insurance Medicare Advantage (MA) and Medicare Prescription Drug (Part D) plans, this bill will put an end to the practice of taxpayers paying twice for veterans' health care. It’s estimated that this legislation could save American taxpayers a staggering $12.1 billion in a single year, and $357 billion over a decade. The current system is flawed, with insurers pocketing upfront fixed payments from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services for enrolled veterans, despite some never using their benefits, while the VHA shoulders most costs for those who do. This results in a wasteful duplication of payments and a diversion of resources that could otherwise be invested in improving and expanding veterans' healthcare services. By allowing the VHA to recover payments for any healthcare items or services provided to veterans who are dually enrolled in MA or Part D plans, the GUARD Act will ensure that taxpayer money is used efficiently and effectively to support our nation's veterans. It’ll also strengthen the VHA's ability to recover payments from other third-party insurers, further optimizing the use of resources. This bipartisan, bicameral legislation has garnered support from various organizations, including the National Committee to Protect Social Security and Medicare, Medicare Rights Center, and the American Federation of Government Employees, among others. It’s a much-needed reform that will prioritize veterans' healthcare needs over private insurance profits, in an era where ‘waste’ seems to be a word that everyone wants to cut, but no one knows how. H.R. 4077 / S. 2145 would do just that. Thank you for your attention to this matter: