AUGUSTA, Maine (WABI) Many hospitals in Maine provide services to veterans through the VA Choice Program, a system where veterans can choose to receive care closer to home instead of traveling to a VA facility far away. But, the Department of Veterans Affairs is slow at paying the bills for those services. Congressman Bruce Poliquin spear-headed a discussion in Augusta Monday designed to ensure hospitals are paid what they’re owed. Lisa Harvey-McPherson with Eastern Maine Healthcare System says, “It’s a system wide issue from the Aroostook Medical Center to our hospitals in Hancock County to our very rural hospitals in Pittsfield and Greenville. The Veterans Administration is fundamentally challenged to pay their bills on time. It’s highly inefficient on their end and on our end to spend so much time reviewing each and every claim in an effort to get paid.” The Department of Veterans Affairs is years behind on their payments and millions of dollars in debt to hospitals for veteran’s services.

Source: Department of Veteran’s Affairs years behind on payments to local hospitals