Some vets denied health care coverage by VA

Via the Kaiser Daily Report:

“The Department of Veterans Affairsin the fiscal year that ended Sept. 30, 2005, denied enrollment forhealth coverage for 263,257 higher-income veterans withoutservice-related injuries or illnesses as part of an effort to reducecosts, the AP/Los Angeles Timesreports. VA suspended enrollment for such veterans in January 2003. Atthe time, VA estimated that the suspension would affect about 522,000veterans through FY 2005 for a savings of $780 million. Rep. Lane Evans(D-Ill.), a member of the House Veterans Affairs Committee,said that additional veterans might not have attempted to enrollbecause they were aware they did not qualify for health coverage underthe suspension. According to some lawmakers and veterans groups,Congress should allocate more funds for the VA health care system(Gamboa, AP/Los Angeles Times, 1/24).  “There is no reason … to give the cold shoulder to veterans who have served our country honorably,” Evans said (AP/Arizona Daily Star,1/25). However, others maintain that VA must establish priorities forwhich veterans receive health coverage. “Our first priority is to carefor veterans who were hurt or disabled in service and who need ourhelp. We are doing that,” Jeff Phillips, communications director forHouse Veterans Affairs Committee Chair Steve Buyer (R-Ind.), said. VAspokesperson Matt Burns added that the department provides high-qualityhealth care to veterans, “particularly our newly returning veterans,those with low incomes and those who have sustained service-relatedinjuries or illnesses”