Gov't wastes $3.2B on double-dipping veterans

The federal government wasted more than $3.2 billion a year because it's dolled out payments twice to provide the veteran care, according to a study by Journal of the American Medical Association, released Tuesday. In the study, researchers found that that this over-spending is due to certain veterans' eligibility to enroll in both Medicare Advantage and the Veteran Affairs healthcare system simultaneously. Data from the study shows that from 2004 to 2009, more than 925,000 veterans were dually enrolled, and to date, the government has spent more than $13 billion to support individuals who have both insurance plans, Reuters Health reported.

This dual-enrollment occurs because the Medicare Advantage program, which gives coverage to individuals 65 and older who have Medicare, also allows members to purchase supplemental private insurance, both of which are paid for by the government, according to Reuters Health. Article