NAVAPD Asks For Increase In Funding For VA Healthcare
NAVAPD has asked our Congressional Leaders to support an increase in funding for VA healthcare as they put together the fiscal year 2024 appropriations bill. In our letter to Congress, NAVAPD, asked specifically for an increase in funding for VA, VA Medical care, and for VA Medical and Prosthetics research.
The following information is from the Senate Appropriations Committee report. In summary, the appropriations bill that was put forth by Congress, according to the report, “provides the Department of Veterans Affairs and related agencies $135.25 billion in non-defense discretionary funding, as well as $172.5 billion in mandatory funding, for a total appropriations package of $307.75 billion. The bill also provides advance appropriations for veterans in fiscal year 2025, including $112.6 billion for veterans’ medical care and $195.8 billion for veterans’ benefits.”
As for VA Medical Care, the appropriations bill provides “$121.011 billion for VA medical care in fiscal year 2024, a $2.3 billion increase over fiscal year 2023. This will allow VA to provide essential health services for more than 9.1 million veterans. This funding is in addition to funding previously appropriated to the Cost of War Toxic Exposures Fund to cover the cost of health care related to toxic exposures.”
The appropriations bill funds critical VA priorities including the following, according to the report:
Rural Health – $343 million has been allocated. This is $5 million more than fiscal year 2023. This funding will support improved access to care, including expanded access to transportation and telehealth.
Caregivers Program – $2.4 billion has been allocated. This is $556 million more than fiscal year 2023. This funding will help VA implement this critical program and extend legacy participant eligibility and benefits through 2025.
Women’s Health – $990 million has been allocated. This is $150 million more than fiscal year 2023. This funding is for gender-specific health care services, as well as initiatives and improvements to healthcare facilities for women’s health.
Veteran Homelessness Prevention – $3.1 billion has been allocated. This is $418 million more than in fiscal year 2023. This funding will support critical services and housing assistance for veterans and their families experiencing housing insecurity.
Mental Health – $16.2 billion has been allocated. This is $2.3 billion more than in fiscal year 2023. This funding will help veterans get the mental health services they need. This funding allocation includes $559 million for suicide prevention outreach.
Child Care – $23 million has been allocated to expand the Child Care Pilot Program to eliminate barriers for veterans in need of childcare while attending medical appointments.
Medical and Prosthetics Research – The bill provides $943 million for medical and prosthetics research; this represents $27 million more than fiscal year 2023. This funding will support ongoing and new research in areas such as traumatic brain injury and precision oncology and is augmented by additional funding for research into toxic exposures in the Toxic Exposures Fund.
NAVAPD applauds our Congressional Leaders for taking funding for VA healthcare seriously and increasing funding in the areas noted above.
NAVAPD will continue to push Congress to appropriately fund VA healthcare in this and subsequent bills.
The full Senate report can be found here: Majority News Release | Majority News Releases | News | United States Senate Committee on Appropriations