Veterans in Minnesota have seen service plan reductions in their home and community-based service (HCBS) plans seemingly from recent policy changes, according to a letter sent by Representative Tom Emmer (R-MN) to the director of the Veterans Integrated Service Network (VISN) 23 expressing concerns about recent service plan reductions and denials causing veterans to go without services.

Representative Emmer stresses the challenges these policy changes are imposing on veterans and is seeking answers on what health outcomes the VISN is using to justify reduced access to HCBS, how mental health has been considered in policy changes, how the VISN engages with HCBS providers, how restrictions in community based transportation support the goals of keeping veterans safely in their homes, and what changes the VISN deployed via policy to restrict eligibility.

The letter states similar concerns to those LeadingAge adult day members have expressed about service plan reductions and authorizations in VA programs. We continue to advocate on this issue. The letter can be accessed here.