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ARMED FORCES NEWS |
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| The President's fiscal 2005 budget request includes $67.7 billion for the Department of Veterans Affairs, a $5.6 billion increase over '04 primarily targeted for health care and disability compensation, according to the VA. It would eliminate pharmacy copayments for veterans in Priority Categories 2 through 5 with incomes between $9,894 and $16,509. It also would cancel copayments for former prisoners of war, end hospice copayments, and authorize emergency room care or urgent care for enrolled veterans in non-VA medical facilities. Meanwhile, it would more than double co-payments -- from $7 to $15 -- for veterans in Priority Categories 7 and 8, who are not receiving compensation for service-connected disabilities and who have income above a threshold. In addition, it would impose an annual user fee of $250 for those veterans. |
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