A non-binding fiscal year 2003 budget blueprint under consideration in Congress would nearly double President Bush’s requested funding increase for veterans health care and rejects a proposed $1,500 deductible for certain veterans treated by the VA.

The congressional budget resolution adopted by the House of Representatives includes $56.9 billion for the Department of Veterans Affairs, an 11.7% increase over the current level. For so-called discretionary spending, it calls for $26.8 billion in new budget authority, $2.8 billion more than in fiscal year 2002. That includes a $2.6 billion increase for veterans health care, nearly double what the Bush Administration had proposed.

The Administration has proposed only $1.4 billion in increased funding for VA medical care, an amount that barely covers anticipated employee salary and benefits and routine inflationary costs.

“In all, the Administration’s budget request also falls $744 million short in discretionary funding for other veterans programs,” said National Legislative Director Joseph A. Violante.

As laid out in The Independent Budget, the DAV and other veterans service organizations have called for funding veterans health care at $24.5 billion, a $3.1 billion increase over the fiscal year 2002 appropriation. “This recommendation addressees current chronic underfunding that has placed extreme stress on the VA health care system, rationing of care for thousands of veterans, and unprecedented waiting times for treatment,” said Mr. Violante. “Our recommendation provides full funding to meet the needs of all enrolled veterans in the coming fiscal year, including funding for mandated long-term care and homeless veteran programs.” (See the March/April DAV Magazine.)

The budget resolution being crafted by Congress merely sets priorities for spending in various areas, details and actual funding levels will be determined by other legislation.

Under a Senate Budget Committee draft plan, veterans benefits and services would be funded at $56.2 billion, including $26.7 billion in discretionary spending. (The full Senate had not yet acted on its version of the budget resolution as DAV Magazine went to press.)

For military retirees with VA service-connected disability ratings of 60% or higher, the 2003 federal spending plan approved by the House includes $6.1 billion over five years to begin phasing in concurrent receipt of full retired and disability pay. (Battle Continues for Concurrent Receipt.)