iMedicalApps

Wednesday, January 7, 2009

Veterans Benefits

VA Secretary Nominee Shinseki Plans To Reopen Benefits to Thousands of 'Priority 8' Veterans 01/07/09. Department of Veterans Affairs Secretary-nominee Eric Shinseki on Monday said that, if confirmed, he would expand VA health coverage to about 265,000 middle-income veterans who had been denied the benefits since 2003, the AP/Boston Globe reports (Xen, AP/Boston Globe, 1/6). At a House panel briefing on Monday, lawmakers said that the fiscal 2009 VA spending bill includes $375 million to increase VA health coverage of "Priority 8" veterans with incomes of more than $30,000 annually. Priority 8 indicates those veterans with the least urgent need for care. The funding provision aims to increase enrollment of these veterans by 10%. In January 2003, new Priority 8 veterans were blocked from joining the program if their incomes exceeded $30,000 annually. KaiserNetwork

No comments: