VA and DOD health care First Federal Health Care Center established but implementation concerns need to be addressed report to congressiona

"The National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2010 authorized the Departments of Veterans Affairs (VA) and Defense (DOD) to establish a 5-year demonstration project to integrate VA and DOD medical care into a first-ofits- kind Federal Health Care Center (FHCC) in North Chicago, Illinois. Expectations for the FHCC are outlined in an Executive Agreement signed by VA and DOD in April 2010. The NDAA for Fiscal Year 2010 also directed GAO to annually evaluate various aspects of the FHCC integration. This report examines (1) what progress VA and DOD have made implementing the Executive Agreement to establish and operate the FHCC and (2) what plan, if any, VA and DOD have to assess FHCC provision of care and operations. GAO reviewed FHCC documents and conducted visits to the site; interviewed VA, DOD, and FHCC officials; and reviewed related GAO work. GAO recommends that DOD seek a legislative change to designate the FHCC as a military treatment facility (MTF)-a DOD facility providing medical or dental care to eligible individuals, and that VA and DOD direct FHCC leadership to further evaluate its integration performance reporting tool. DOD did not agree with the recommendation regarding the MTF designation, but GAO continues to believe such designation is important. VA and DOD agreed with..."