Sidath Viranga Panangala
Specialist in Veterans Policy
The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) provides benefits to veterans who meet certain eligibility criteria. Benefits to veterans range from disability compensation and pensions to hospital and medical care. The VA provides these benefits through three major operating units: the Veterans Health Administration (VHA), the Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA), and the National Cemetery Administration (NCA). This report focuses on funding for the VHA. The VHA is primarily a direct service provider of primary care, specialized care, and related medical and social support services to veterans through the nation’s largest integrated health care system. Eligibility for VA health care is based primarily on previous military service, disability, and income.
Specialist in Veterans Policy
The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) provides benefits to veterans who meet certain eligibility criteria. Benefits to veterans range from disability compensation and pensions to hospital and medical care. The VA provides these benefits through three major operating units: the Veterans Health Administration (VHA), the Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA), and the National Cemetery Administration (NCA). This report focuses on funding for the VHA. The VHA is primarily a direct service provider of primary care, specialized care, and related medical and social support services to veterans through the nation’s largest integrated health care system. Eligibility for VA health care is based primarily on previous military service, disability, and income.
The President’s FY2014 budget request was
submitted to
Congress on April 10, 2013. The President’s
budget requested
$147.9 billion in
budget authority for the VA as
a whole. For FY2014, the Administration
requested $55.2 billion for VHA. This included $43.7
billion
for
the medical services account, $6.0
billion for the
medical support and compliance account, $4.9
billion for the medical facilities account, and nearly $586
million for
the medical and
prosthetic research
account. Furthermore,
as required by the Veterans
Health
Care Budget Reform and Transparency Act of 2009
(P.L.
111-81), the President’s
budget requested $55.6
billion in advance appropriations for
the three medical
care
accounts (medical services, medical support and compliance,
and medical facilities) for FY2015.
On May 15, 2013, the House
Military Construction and Veterans Affairs
Subcommittee approved
its version of a Military Construction and Veterans Affairs and Related Agencies
Appropriations
bill
for FY2014 (MILCON-VA Appropriations
bill). The full
House Appropriations Committee
voted
to report the measure on May
21, 2013, and the House passed H.R. 2216 on June 4, 2013. The MILCON-VA Appropriations bill for
FY2014 (H.R. 2216; H.Rept. 113-90) proposes a total of $147.6 billion for the VA as whole.
For FY2014, H.R. 2216 proposes $54.9
billion
for
VHA. This included $43.6
billion for the medical services
account,
$6.0 billion for
the medical support
and compliance account, $4.9
billion
for the medical facilities
account, and nearly $586
million for
the medical and
prosthetic research account. H.R. 2216
(H.Rept. 113-90)
proposes to rescind $156 million of funding already appropriated for VHA in
FY2014 (as advance appropriations)
and gives the Secretary the discretion to allocate these reductions across VHA accounts.
H.R. 2216 includes
$55.6 billion in advance FY2015
funding for the medical services, medical support and compliance, and medical facilities accounts—the
same
level included in the House-passed Budget Resolution,
and the President’s
request.
On June 18, 2013, the
Senate
Military Construction, Veterans Affairs,
and Related Agencies Subcommittee approved its version of the MILCON-VA Appropriations
bill. The full Senate Appropriations Committee voted to
report (H.R. 2216; S.Rept. 113-48) on June
20. H.R. 2216 (S.Rept. 113-48) proposes appropriations totaling $147.9
billion
for
FY2014 for the functions
of the VA as a whole and $55.2 billion for VHA. VHA’s total includes $43.6
billion for the
medical services account (an
additional $25
million
over the FY2014 advance appropriations), $6.0
billion
for the medical support and compliance
account, nearly $5.0
billion for the medical facilities
account (an additional $100 million over the FY2014 advance
appropriations), and almost
$586 million for the medical and prosthetic research account. Similar to the
House
version,
the Senate Committee approved version
includes $55.6
billion in advance FY2015 funding for
the medical services,
medical support and
compliance, and medical
facilities
accounts.
.
Date-of-Report:-August 28, 2013
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