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VA works with small prosthetics providers

The Veterans Health Administration is working closely with small businesses that provide prosthetic services to amputee veterans, VHA’s chief prosthetics and clinical logistics officer Frederick Downs told a House subcommittee Wednesday.

Bruce Braley, D-Iowa, chairman of the House Small Business contracting and technology subcommittee, said providing amputees with quality health care and prosthetics is essential.

About 97 percent of prosthetics services are now provided to veterans by small businesses; the rest are provided by VA labs and facilities. VA has 600 contracts with small prosthetic practices all over the country.

Braley said small businesses provide more personal care and are more accessible to veterans who live in rural areas far from a VA facility.

“We must ensure that [VA] and small health care providers have the opportunity to build an even stronger partnership,” Braley said.

He noted that prosthetics businesses often have to deal with outdated contracts that shut them out of the system.

Downs said the VHA is working hard to improve its relationship with small businesses. The VHA holds conferences all over the country designed to reach out to contractors, for example.

“The veteran always has the option of using a VA laboratory or any of our contractors,” Downs said.

Downs said there is no negative consequence to choosing either, and that veterans can even turn to providers that are not contracted with the VA, as long as the amputees are getting the best possible care that best suits their needs.

Last year, more then 1.3 million veterans sought prosthetic and sensory aid services from VA.