Last-Minute Decision Reverses Proposed Restriction on Enrollment in Veterans Affairs Health Program

The Veterans Affairs health program will not go through with a proposed income restrictions for enrollment, after the Bush administration made "a last minute reversal," the Washington Post reports. VA Secretary Anthony Principi was prepared to meet with leaders of veteran's organizations on Nov. 29 to announce that new limits on enrollment would go into effect on Dec. 1 in an effort to address a $400 million budget shortfall in the VA health care system. "Five minutes" before he was about to announce the cuts, White House Chief of Staff Andrew Card called Principi and said that the administration would "find the money to cover the shortfall." All veterans, regardless of income or origin of health problems, have always had access to health care in the VA system. Principi's original plan called for barring new enrollments by veterans who did not have service-related health problems and who made more than $24,000 per year if single and $28,000 if married. The limitations would have affected approximately 320,000 "higher-income" veterans -- "more than half" of the 570,000 veterans who were likely to enroll in the system during the current fiscal year, according to the VA. While the higher income veterans make up the "fastest-growing segment" of enrollees, the VA considers such veterans its "lowest priority." Enrollment by high-income veterans rose more than 200% in the last four years, from 742,000 in 1998 to more than 1.7 million this year. That "rapid growth" led to a "fiscal strain" for the VA health care system. Principi told the administration that he was "not willing to continue unlimited enrollment without adequate funding" and that it was the "wrong decision" to enroll veterans but then make them wait "six months to a year" for care. "If we lose quality, we might as well close the doors of the health care system," Principi had said. After hearing of the administration's decision, Principi told leaders of veterans organization who, he said, "burst into applause." Principi said, "It made my day" (Walsh, Washington Post, 11/30).