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There were legitimate concerns about if the deficit-cutting deal would cut into defense spending, and to what extent. As it turns out, the deal actually protected the defense industry "at the expense of nonmilitary programs." Veterans programs are only some of the potential targets for cuts.
The bill President Obama signed to raise the federal debt ceiling could result in military pay raises being done away with, and lowered funding for veterans health care and the Post-9/11 GI Bill. The Department of Defense (DoD) will be forced to cut $350 billion from their budget. The end result is there is nothing safe from cuts with the exception of war funding.
One big concern is using the restrictive budget caps as an excuse to increase TRICARE fees, which is used by both active duty soldiers and veterans. Over the last 10 years, the cost of Defense health care has jumped from $19 billion/year to $50 billion/year. Most of that increase came from people using TRICARE.
The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), along with other agencies, must "adhere to the budget caps." If they do not, they will lose funding, although there is no indication where those cuts would or could be made. Although veterans disability and pension programs are exempt from cuts, the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) is not. The VHA employs almost 250,000 people and will service more than 6 million patients next year.
Necessary mental health treatment for returning veterans could take a significant hit, as could the budget for long-term health care. Other programs, such as VA IT, will likely be reduced as well in an effort to trim whatever can be trimmed.
If you are a disabled veteran who has been denied disability compensation or have not yet applied for benefits from the VA, a South Florida disability attorney from LaVan & Neidenberg is ready to help. To learn if you are entitled to certain programs and benefits contact our veterans disability rights firm today - 1-888-234-5758.
Soldiers can return home with a number of conditions, injuries, and aggravated preexisting conditions. If you believe you have a service-connected physical or psychological injury you may be entitled to Veterans’ Disability Compensation.
At LaVan and Neidenberg, we are determined to secure veterans their rightful disability compensation and disability rating. We wrote this book for you! In it you will find valuable tips on how to navigate the claims process and avoid common pitfalls. Request your FREE copy today!
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