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shuamort · 07-15-08, 05:30 PM

Quote:

On January 17, 2003, the Bush Administration banned enrollment of "Priority 8" veterans into the VA health care system due to resource constraints. Priority 8's are non service-connected veterans who exceed a certain income cap, currently as low as $28,430 in some regions. VA estimates that as many as 1.5 million middle-income veterans have been denied, or are awaiting, enrollment into the VA health care system due to this restriction. At a Senate Committee on Veterans' Affairs' budget hearing on February 13, 2008, Secretary Peake expressed a willingness to consider modifying the Priority 8 income threshold.

Source.

Here's the original news story from the VA

Quote:

The suspension of enrollment affects only veterans in Priority Group 8, the lowest group in VA's eight-level system for setting health care priorities, who have not enrolled in VA's health care system by January 17. Priority Group 8 veterans already enrolled will be "grandfathered" and allowed to continue in VA's health care system.

Work is underway with the Department of Health and Human Services to determine how to give Priority Group 8 veterans aged 65 or older who cannot enroll in VA's health care system access to the "VA+Choice Medicare" plan. The plan calls for VA to participate as a Medicare+Choice provider. Eligible veterans would be able to use their Medicare benefits to obtain care from VA.

VA has been unable to provide all enrolled veterans with timely access to health care services because of the tremendous growth in the number of veterans seeking VA health care. More than half of all new enrollees have been in Priority Group 8. This demand for VA health care is expected to continue in the future.