In addition to the add-on payment adjustment, which applies nationally, the composite rate is adjusted up or down by a geographic wage adjustment . ( All beneficiaries at a given unit would have the same geographic wage adjustment . ) The final adjustment is for case mix; certain beneficiary characteristics trigger composite rate adjustments.
22.
VA's recently released data on veterans'self-reported physical and mental health status, however, tend to support VERA's regional shift in allocations . [ 11 ] Veteran's in northeastern and midwestern VISN's, which received reduced funds under VERA, tended to report being healthier than veterans in southern VISNs, which gained funds under VERA . VA officials are planning to examine whether using such data will improve the case mix adjustment.
