Happy Veterans Day.

http://www.misleader.org/daily_misle...f11102003.html

November 10, 2003

President Bush's Stated Commitment to Veterans Not Reflected in
Budget


President Bush often emphasizes his commitment to veterans, saying
in
2001, "My administration understands America's obligations not only
go
to those who wear the uniform today, but to those who wore the
uniform
in the past: to our veterans." (1

But the 200,000 veterans waiting six months or more for their first
appointment at a VA facility would be denied access to VA health
care
under Bush's plan.

Others would be charged $250 annual enrollment fees, doubled
prescription costs and increased co-payments. (2

The same day the President met with wounded soldiers and said that
America "should and must provide the best care for anybody who is
willing to put their life in harm's way," (3 the Veterans'
Administration explained that it could solve the backlog problem by
limiting enrollment.

"VA would avoid very significant additional medical benefits costs
and
begin to bring demand in line with capacity, which will reduce the
number of veterans on wait lists." (4

The administration would also reduce costs by denying access to
"better-off" (5 veterans - those who do not have service-related
disabilities and with incomes as low as $21,050. (6

Estimates suggest this would likely more than triple the number of
veterans denied health care by FY 2005 to more than half a million
(7,
and the VA anticipates that 55% (8 of veterans who already
participate
in the VA health care plan, numbering 1.25 million, may be unable to
continue participation due to the enrollment fee. (9

Congress has called for $1.8 billion beyond what the administration
requested for FY 2004 funding beyond the White House request. (10

While funding for VA 2004 remains unresolved, Congress sought to
include $1.3 billion in veterans' health care and extending
reservists
benefits who have been called up in the $87 billion emergency
funding
bill.

The administration "strongly opposed" the provisions, articulated in
a
letter from White House Budget Director Joshua Bolten, which were
later stripped. (11

Sources:

1) Presidential Speech to the VFW, 8/20/01; Presidential Speech to
the
American Legion, 8/29/01.

2) http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/budget/fy2004/va.html

3) President Bush Meets with Wounded Soldiers at Medical Center,
1/17/03.

4) Department of Veterans Affairs, 38 CFR Part 17
Enrollment-Provision
of Hospital and Outpatient Care to Veterans Subpriorities of
Priority
Categories 7 and 8 and Annual Enrollment Level Decision; Final Rule,
1/17/03.

5) VA Seeks Record Budget, Shuts Health Care to Priority 8 Vets,
American Forces Press Service, 1/24/03.

6) http://www.house.gov/strickland/vetsreport.htm

7) Department of Veterans Affairs, 38 CFR Part 17
Enrollment-Provision
of Hospital and Outpatient Care to Veterans Subpriorities of
Priority
Categories 7 and 8 and Annual Enrollment Level Decision; Final Rule,
1/17/03.

8) http://www.house.gov/larson/pr_030523.htm

9) Etheridge: Budget Cuts Veterans, Rocky Mount Telegram, 4/1/03.

10) Action Alert, American Legion.

11) "House vote backs loans as Iraq bill confronts new woes,"
GovExec.com, 10/22/03.