February 6, 2015

Once again the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) fared well in the administration’s proposed FY 2016 budget.  At a time when the defense department is struggling with further cuts when the full force of sequestration returns, the administration is proposing a $169 billion budget for VA.  

 VA Secretary Bob McDonald said during the budget rollout that, “we are listening to what veterans, Congress, employees, veterans service organizations, and other stakeholders are telling us. We aspire to make VA a model agency that is held up as an example for other government agencies to follow with respect to customer experience, efficient and effective operations, and taxpayer stewardship.”  

Total VA funding has grown by nearly 73 percent since 2009. This year’s budget includes $73 billion in discretionary spending, mostly for health care programs, and $93 billion for disability pay, survivors’ compensation, and educational benefits programs.  

At a briefing for military and veterans groups on February 2, senior VA officials announced that their priorities include expanding access to VA health care and services, improving the efficiency of claims processing, and eliminating veteran homelessness.  

Additional funding priorities include implementing two new initiatives: MyVA, the secretary’s effort to “reorient the department around the needs of veterans and make VA a more customer-centric organization,” and to fully implement the congressionally mandated Veterans Choice Program. The budget provides $5 billion in funding to hire more physicians to increase veterans’ access to health care and to improve facilities.  

Other budget highlights include:  

• $104 billion for the first-ever advanced appropriations for three benefit programs (compensation and pensions, readjustment benefits, and insurance and indemnities)
• A $3 billion funding increase for medical care appropriations to support access, homelessness, Hepatitis C treatment, and increases in caregiver services
• Over $7 billion in mental health services and $1 billion for telehealth, increasing $349 million and $126 million respectfully from 2015
• An over 8 percent increase for women veterans’ health care needs ($466 million) over last year  

MOAA looks forward to working the VA and our veterans service organization partners to ensure the needs of veterans and survivors.