Early Indicators Warn of Possible Shortfalls at VA … Again 

Washington, DC – Rep. Lane Evans (D-IL), ranking Democrat on the House Veterans’ Affairs Committee, warned that the problem of chronic underfunding of veterans' health care is again causing budget shortfalls at Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) hospitals and clinics across the nation.  Evans and Rep. Michael Michaud (D-ME), ranking Democrat on the Health Subcommittee, have called upon the Secretary of the Department of Veterans Affairs, in a joint-letter sent today, to provide a full and accurate accounting of current shortfalls. 

“I am distressed by reports of $500,000 to $18 million shortfalls we are hearing from VA medical facilities across the nation from Seattle, Washington to West Palm Beach, Florida, from White River Junction, Vermont to San Diego, California,” said Evans. 

In response to Rep. Michaud's questions at the February 14, 2006, Committee hearing on the VA health care budget, VA officials conceded to shortfalls at some facilities. While denying a system-wide problem, VA officials revealed that VA was planning to notify Congress that it needed to shift money around in its medical care program accounts to cover gaps in funding.  VA officials also acknowledged regional health care networks might be transferring funds between networks to cover funding gaps.  In their letter to the Secretary, Representatives Evans and Michaud warned, “These actions are early warning indicators that something is amiss with VA’s funding for FY 2006.” 

Rep. Filner (D-CA), a Senior Member on the House Veterans’ Affairs Committee, representing San Diego, urged early action. “Veterans’ health care needs real funding.  In the short-run, transferring funds may camouflage the shortfall but it does not rectify the underlying problem,” said Filner.    

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