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Resolution would provide sufficient, timely and predictable funding for Veterans Health Care

June 3, 2008 ... The Legislature recently approved a resolution urging Congress to enact legislation to ensure that all veterans eligible for care in the Veterans Affairs (VA) health care system have access to quality health care, under the leadership of Sen. Richard T. Moore, D – Uxbridge.

“With the current state of the Veterans Affairs Department, it is important that we urge our Congressional leaders to take a stand against the failing VA health care centers”, said Moore. “Providing quality, timely health services to veterans who are disabled as a result of their military service should be at the top of our priorities.”

The resolution, co-sponsored by Sen. Moore, addresses the financial crisis facing the Veterans Affairs Department, and takes notice of the unacceptable rationing of care to veterans as a direct cause of budgetary issues. Under current federal law, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs is required to provide hospital care and medical services to veterans enrolled in the VA health care system. However, with the recent strains upon the VA’s budgeting processes, their health care system is not functioning properly and effectively under the federal law. 

According to the Disabled American Veterans website, the current legislation pending before Congress could move veterans’ health care from discretionary to mandatory funding. The legislation, H.R. 2514 and its counterpart S. 2639, both require the Secretary of the Treasury to make available to the Secretary of Veterans Affairs funds that are a 130% increase in the 2008 fiscal year over the 2006 fiscal year. The bills also intend to adjust the amounts after the 2008 fiscal year by recognizing the number of enrolled veterans, the number of persons eligible but not enrolled who are provided care, multiplied by the per capita baseline amount for the 2006 fiscal year—as increased by the percentage rise in the Consumer Price Index.

With approval of these bills, as the resolution presented by Sen. Moore calls for, eligibility requirements would not change, nor create a new entitlement. Mandatory funding would also address the budgetary concerns of the Veterans Affairs Department, and would ensure that the federal law requirements are met. 

“Passage of this resolution brings a heightened sense of awareness to the issues facing our VA health care system, and would hopefully result in the passage of legislation that fixes the current state of the Veterans Affairs Department,” Moore concluded.

The resolution, which was approved last week, was co-sponsored by 63 of Sen. Moore’s colleagues in the legislature.

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