[Ret10Echo]

Gee, I don't know....

Department of Veterans Affairs: Provides nearly $109 billion, the same as the President’s Request and $14.5 billion above 2009, for veterans medical care, claims processors, and facility improvements. To provide quality health care for our 5 million veterans, this bill provides $53 billion in discretionary funding for the Department of Veterans Affairs for FY 2010 -- $5.4 billion more than fiscal year 2009 non-emergency appropriations. This year’s budget increase is on top of the unprecedented increase of $17.7 billion provided over the last two years.

Advanced VA Healthcare Funding: In addition, includes $48.2 billion in advance appropriations for fiscal year 2011 for three medical accounts: medical services, medical support and compliance, and medical facilities. This is an 8 percent increase over FY 2010 and will provide reliable and timely funding to support the delivery of medical care.

Medical Services: Provides $34.7 billion, 13 percent above 2009, to improve access to medical services for all veterans. The Veterans Health Administration estimates they will treat more than 6.1 million patients in 2010, including more than 419,000 veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan (56,000 more than 2009).
Mental Health: Provides $4.6 billion, $800 million above 2009, for mental health care – to meet the growing need with troops returning from Iraq and Afghanistan with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.
Rural Health: The Department estimates that $440 million will be spent in fiscal year 2010 on innovative practices to improve access to care for veterans in rural areas. More than 40 percent (3.2 million) of enrolled veterans live in rural areas.
Medical Facilities: Provides $1.1 billion to address the backlog in non-recurring maintenance at our medical facilities, in combination with the FY 2009 Supplemental;
Veterans Centers: Invests in 28 new Vet Centers and 30 new Community Based Outpatient Centers to provide community-based readjustment counseling for veterans and their families.
Medical and Prosthetic Research: Provides $580 million for medical and prosthetic research related to veterans health, including a $48 million increase for research to address the critical needs of Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom veterans.
Priority 8 Veterans: Includes $533 million to expand eligibility for VA health care to an estimated 266,000 non-service-disabled veterans earning more than $30,000 a year, so-called Priority 8 veterans. The Obama Administration is aiming to enroll 500,000 new Priority 8 veterans in the VA health care system by 2013.
Assistance for Homeless Vets: Provides $3.2 billion, 40 percent above 2009, including $26 million for a Presidential Initiative to combat homelessness, $150 million for the homeless grants and per diem program, $20 million for supportive services for low income veterans and families, in addition to $21 million to hire additional personnel for the HUD-Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing Program.
Working to Reduce Veterans Claims Backlog: Adds roughly 1,200 additional claims processors to continue to work down the backlog of benefits claims and to reduce the time to process new claims. Currently nearly 397,000 veterans’ claims are pending.
Information Technology: Provides $3.3 billion, 30 percent above 2009, with new initiatives including paperless benefits processing and improvements in electronic health records.
Inspector General: Includes $107 million, 17 percent above 2009, to provide additional oversight personnel, including initiatives regarding financial audit and information technology program reviews.