“The Department of Veterans Affairs will start to run out of money at the end of the year without a 2020 appropriations, which may affect new benefits for veterans or the establishment of new facilities providing care.”
“Dr. Richard Stone, executive in charge of the Veterans Health Administration, told Federal News Network that the VA will prioritize delivering healthcare and current benefits to veterans if a continuing resolution goes into the new year, causing the department to have a smaller budget than what was planned.”
“’We have to deliver the benefit,’ Stone said. ‘Where it will hit is in our ability to either roll out a new benefit or in our ability to build and open new facilities. We are very rapidly going into places with small 10,000 square feet clinics around the nation. We just opened a number of them. We would not be able to open new facilities and hire new personnel and make ourselves more accessible if a budget isn’t passed.’”
“The VA is currently in the process of implementing the MISSION Act, which brings together seven disparate community care programs into one. Progress on putting parts of the law in place may be stymied by the CR…” Read the full article here.
Source: VA may have to halt rollout of new benefits if CRs continue – By Scott Maucione, December 6, 2019. Federal News Network.
