Tag Archives: Veterans

$15-Billion VA Budget Shortfall

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Congress must immediately fund the looming $15-billion VA budget shortfall

This shortfall is primarily due to an increase in military veterans using VA services, driven by the PACT Act, which expanded eligibility for VA health care and benefits. The VA expects a $3 billion shortfall for the rest of this year and a $12 billion shortfall for fiscal 2025.

Multiple veterans service organizations gathered in the nation’s capital to draw attention to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs’ massive budget shortfall and call on Congress to pass before Sept. 20 supplemental legislation in what is expected to be a government budget stopgap continuing resolution.

Earlier this week, Military.com reported that in addition to a $3 billion shortfall for the rest of the fiscal year,

VA officials have confirmed they are asking Congress “to include an extra $12 billion for the department’s 2025 medical budget in the upcoming stopgap spending measure –  which must be passed into law by the end of the month – to ensure outreach to veterans and growth of the system can continue apace without compromising wait times and staffing levels.”

Veteran organizations called for immediate passage of supplemental funding legislation authored by Ohio U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown and California U.S. Rep. Mike Garcia.

“This financial crisis will affect disability compensation, caregiver compensation, community care payouts, everything,” American Legion Legislative Director Julia Mathis said. “We’re calling on Congress to immediately pass the legislation offered up by Senator Brown and Congressman Garcia. Every day we get closer to September 20 is another 24 hours of uncertainty for thousands of veterans whose financial lives depend on it.

“Every member of Congress has a moral obligation to protect these crucial benefits that our nation’s veterans have earned through their service to our great nation.”

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Nursing home care and medical services are now free to the Greatest Generation (World War II veterans) under a new policy by the Department of Veterans Affairs that waives enrollment fees, copays and monthly premiums for the roughly 119,000 World War II veterans still alive.

The no-cost care is effective immediately under the new VA policies announced Friday. Veterans who served between Dec. 7, 1941, and Dec. 31, 1946, are eligible for the free health care. They must be enrolled in VA health care to qualify.

Veterans turned down previously for coverage are encouraged to reapply, as are those denied coverage because of income eligibility restrictions.

The VA PACT Act

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Over 5 million Vietnam, Gulf War, post-9/11 Veterans are eligible for expanded VA health care and benefits under the PACT Act. ~ Veterans Administration

The Sergeant First Class (SFC) Heath Robinson Honoring our Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics (PACT) Act is one of the largest benefit expansions in the history of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).

The bill is named in honor of Sergeant First Class Heath Robinson, an Ohio National Guard service member who died in 2020 due to exposure to toxic chemicals.

This bill is an effort to expand coverage, treatments, and resources to sick Veterans and others who were impacted by toxins due to service in the U.S. military. The bill passed Congress on August 2, 2022, and was signed into law on August 10th, 2022.

What Does the PACT Act Do for Veterans?

The PACT Act expands VA health care and benefits for Veterans exposed to burn pits and other toxic substances. This law helps VA provide generations of Veterans — and their survivors — with the care and benefits they’ve earned and deserve.

The PACT Act also improves the VA’s processes and ability to determine presumptive conditions due to harmful exposure.

The PACT Act will bring the following changes to previous VA health care and benefits:

  • Expands and extends eligibility for VA health care for Veterans with toxic exposures and Veterans of the Vietnam, Gulf War, and post-9/11 eras
  • Adds more than 20 new presumptive conditions for burn pits and other toxic exposures
  • Adds more presumptive-exposure locations for Agent Orange and radiation
  • Requires VA to provide a toxic exposure screening to every Veteran enrolled in VA health care
  • Helps VA improve research, staff education, and treatment related to toxic exposures

Presumptive conditions

To get a VA disability rating, your disability must connect to your military service. For many health conditions, you need to prove that your service caused your condition.

But for some conditions, the VA automatically assume (or “presume”) that your service caused your condition. The VA calls these “presumptive conditions.”

The VA considers a condition presumptive when it’s established by law or regulation.

If you have a presumptive condition, you don’t need to prove that your service caused the condition. You only need to meet the service requirements for the presumption.

If you’re a Veteran or survivor, you can file claims to apply for PACT Act-related benefits.

VA disability compensation

VA disability compensation (pay) offers a monthly tax-free payment to Veterans who got sick or injured while serving in the military and to Veterans whose service made an existing condition worse.

You may qualify for VA disability benefits for physical conditions (like a chronic illness or injury) and mental health conditions (like PTSD) that developed before, during, or after service.

References:

  1. https://www.va.gov/resources/the-pact-act-and-your-va-benefits/
  2. https://www.va.gov/disability/file-disability-claim-form-21-526ez/introduction
  3. https://www.va.gov/files/2022-08/PACT-Act-1-Page-Summary%20and%20FAQ.pdf
  4. https://www.aarp.org/home-family/voices/veterans/info-2022/pact-act.html