Veterans Medical Care: FY2006 Appropriations

Abstract

The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) provides benefits to veterans who meet certain eligibility rules. Benefits to veterans range from disability compensation and pensions to hospital and medical care. VA provides these benefits to veterans through three major operating units: the Veterans Health Administration (VHA), the Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA) and the National Cemetery Administration (NCA). VHA is primarily a direct service provider of primary care, specialized care, and related medical and social support services to veterans through an integrated health care system. The Presidents FY2006 budget requested $30.4 billion for VHA: $20.0 billion for medical services, $4.5 billion for medical administration, $3.3 billion for medical facilities, and $393 million for medical and prosthetic research. VHA medical care collections (e.g., copays, third-party insurance payments) for FY2006 are expected to be $2.2 billion. On May 26, 2005, the House passed its version of H.R. 2528, the Military Quality of Life and Veterans Affairs and Related Agencies appropriations bill for FY2006. This bill provided $28.8 billion for VHA. On June 23, 2005, VA announced a budget shortfall of more than $1 billion from its FY2005 enacted level for veterans health programs. On August 2, 2005, the Department of the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act (P.L. 109-54) was signed into law, providing $1.5 billion in supplemental appropriations for veterans medical services for FY2005. On September 22, 2005, the Senate passed its version of H.R. 2528, the Military Construction and Veterans Affairs and Related Agencies appropriations bill for FY2006. The Senate appropriated a total of $31.3 billion for VHA. On November 30, 2005, the Military Construction, Military Quality of Life and Veterans Affairs Appropriations Act, 2006 (P.L. 109-114) was signed into law.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Jan 17, 2006
Accession Number
AD1172094

Entities

People

  • Sidath V. Panangala

Organizations

  • Library of Congress

Tags

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Administrative Personnel
  • Agreements
  • Congress
  • Department Of Defense
  • Department Of Veterans Affairs
  • Diseases And Disorders
  • Emergency Treatment
  • Federal Budgets
  • Health Care
  • Health Services
  • Information Systems
  • Law
  • Medical Personnel
  • Mental Health
  • Prisoners Of War
  • Rehabilitation
  • Therapy
  • Traumatic Stress Disorder
  • United States
  • United States Government
  • Veterans Health

Readers

  • Public Financial Management and Budgeting
  • Rehabilitation and Prosthetic Care for Military Service Members and Veterans with Limb Loss or Disability.