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The Department of Veterans Affairs will unveil a wide-reaching plan to Congress Wednesday to merge its unwieldy network of private doctors, an acknowledgement that the government cannot address a surging demand from veterans for medical care alone. (Rein, 11/18)

Florida hospitals are trying to get the Department of Veterans Affairs to pay about $134.4 million in outstanding claims for medical services they provided to veterans who faced long wait times or far distances for care at a VA healthcare facility, according to a survey by the Florida Hospital Association. In the survey, which was conducted in September and October, 95 percent of the 89 FHA member hospitals reported having unpaid claims with the VA, some outstanding for more than two years. (Chang, 11/17)