2010 Budget notes: Department of Veterans Affairs ($56.3B)

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2010 Budget notes: Department of Transportation ($120.6B)

2010 Budget notes: Department of Veterans Affairs ($56.3B)

Includes $1.4 billion from the Recovery Act

By Richard Hartman Mar 08 2009, 08:46 AM

The United States Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is a government-run military veteran benefit system. It is responsible for administering programs of veterans' benefits for veterans, their families, and survivors. The benefits provided include disability compensation, pension, education, home loans, life insurance, vocational rehabilitation, survivors' benefits, medical benefits and burial benefits.

A single-payer government-run health-care system, and the American government's fourth largest department, after the United States Department of Defense, United States Department of Health and Human Services, the VA employs nearly 280,000 people at hundreds of Veterans Affairs medical facilities, clinics, and benefits offices.

Funding Highlights:

Increases funding for the Department of Veterans Affairs by $25 billion above baseline over the next five years.
Dramatically increases funding for veterans health care.
Expands eligibility for veterans health care to over 500,000 veterans by 2013.
Enhances outreach and services related to mental health care and cognitive injuries, including post-traumatic stress disorder and traumatic brain injury, with a focus on access for veterans in rural areas.
Invests in better technology to deliver services and benefits to veterans with the quality and efficiency they deserve.
Provides greater benefits to veterans who are medically retired from service.
Combats homelessness by safeguarding vulnerable veterans.
Facilitates timely implementation of the comprehensive education benefits that veterans earn through their dedicated military service.

Increases funding for the department of veterans Affairs (VA) by $25 Billion Above Baseline Over the Next five years

The President's Budget takes the first step toward increasing funding for VA by $25 billion over the next five years in order to honor our Nation's veterans and expand the services they receive.

Dramatically increases funding for VA health Care

This increase will provide adequate resources to give 5.5 million veteran patients timely and high quality care. This funding also enables VA to create Centers of Excellence and provides additional veteran-oriented specialty care in areas including prosthetics, vision and spinal cord injury, aging, and women's health.

Restores health Care Eligibility for Modest-income veterans

For the first time since January 2003, the President's Budget expands eligibility for VA health care to nondisabled veterans earning modest incomes. This expansion will bring over 500,000 eligible veterans into the VA health care system by 2013 while maintaining high quality and timely care for the lower-income and disabled veterans who currently rely on VA medical care.

Enhances Outreach and Services Related to Mental health Care and Cognitive injuries with a focus on Access for veterans in Rural Areas

Conditions such as post-traumatic stress disorder and traumatic brain injury present challenges in caring for veterans of current conflicts. The President's Budget expands the mental health screening and treatment services offered by VA and focuses on reaching veterans in rural areas. VA will increase the number of Vet Centers and mobile health clinics to expand access to mental health screening and treatment in rural areas. In addition, new funding will help veterans and their families stay informed of these resources and encourage them to pursue needed care.

Invests in Better Technology to deliver Services and Benefits to veterans with the Quality and Efficiency They deserve

To transform VA into a 21st Century organization, the President's Budget invests in information technology that directly benefits veterans in the areas of both health care and benefits. Through improved electronic medical records, VA will more efficiently retrieve active duty health records from the Department of Defense and enable all VA care sites to access the records of veterans needing care. VA will also invest in the development of rules-based electronic processes to increase accuracy, consistency, and timeliness in veterans' receipt of benefits.

Provides Greater Benefits for veterans Who Are Medically Retired from Service

For the first time, highly disabled veterans who are medically retired from service will be eligible for concurrent receipt of disability benefits from VA in addition to Department of Defense retirement benefits.

Combats homelessness by Safeguarding vulnerable veterans

The President's Budget expands VA's current services to homeless veterans through a collaborative pilot program with non-profit organizations. This pilot will help maintain stable housing for veterans who are at risk of falling into homelessness while helping VA to continue providing them with supportive services.

Facilitates Timely implementation of the Comprehensive Education Benefits Veterans Earn Through Their dedicated Service

The Budget provides the resources for effective implementation of the post-9/11 GI Bill-providing unprecedented levels of educational support to the men and women who have served our country through active military duty.

OhMyGov! Related VA Stories:

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[+] Department of Veterans Affairs

Read More: Defense (DoD), Veterans Affairs (VA), Healthcare, Veterans

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Pat Smith
March 8, 2009 9:49 AM

Is funding available for just a few needed housing developments for single veterans and veteran families with children to help ease their transition into civilian life? While our government already knows from experience that house trailers do not hold up, and how trailer living can cause or even worsen health problems, a trailer park environment is not good for a new veteran or their family while dealing with the stress of college and readjustment into civilian life. A few normal living housing developments around the country are desperately needed for veterans. The area here in Northeastern Pennsylvania has fantastic colleges, great medical services at the Wilkes-Barre area VAMC, and breathtaking mountain scenery which is very relaxing. Where are other similar areas located at around the U.S. which can also offer a great college education, along with a very reasonable cost of living? A needed one time $17 billion in bailout funding for Veteran Affairs would not only provide that needed chance while complimenting the new GI bill, the employment this would create would end the cycle of most homeless veterans by giving them a PURPOSE in life and finally bring them home. If all political parties would put the energy spent in blaming each other for this many decade’s old problem, into solving this problem, there would no longer be a problem…Just a few housing developments with a few apartment buildings would need constant maintenance while it helps many for generations to come. Physical therapy facilities etc. in these small communities like Olympic sized hot pools would be utilized for so, so many decades. A nice playground area for veterans little one’s would even need constant maintenance. The employment, training, housing, and medical care are all necessities needed to find or create that needed purpose in life for so many veterans. While it is time history stops repeating it-self on veterans, it is also time for our government to stop doing the same thing over again while hoping for different results. One time $17 billion in additional funding to do it right the first time. . .

Melchor Quitoriano Medically Retired 100%
December 3, 2009 11:29 AM

how much should I get next year for being totally and permanently disabled. Forced retired last September 2007 due to massive stroke in April 07. I served a total of 20years and 11months all active. Thank you for your feedback

Proud
December 30, 2009 11:07 PM

It is a sad day in this country when cola is denied the poorest of poor and the braves of brave that served this great nation. Not to pay cola to VETS and Social Security is a tax on the poorest of poor. All other agencies in the government got their 3.4 plus percent raise but guess what the poorest of the poor and the bravest of the braves didn't so it is a Tax on the poor I don't care how you look at it that is money lost that we will never collect.

Chief Quitoriano retired in Sep 2007due to a massive stroke
January 28, 2010 7:46 PM

the obama's promise is a full of sh*# where is the promise for us chapter 61retirees. no reelection for hussein obama