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WASHINGTON, D.C.-Congressman Allen Boyd (D-North Florida) today criticized the Administration's 2007 budget for snubbing veterans by establishing a new enrollment fee and nearly doubling veterans' prescription co-payments. While the President's request boosts the VA budget by 10 percent, it also proposes a $250 VA healthcare user fee and an increase in drug co-payments from $8 to $15 per prescription for certain veterans.
"At first glance the VA budget looks like a step in the right direction, but this is clearly misleading with new fees and increased co-payments heaped onto our veterans," said Congressman Boyd. "Once again, the Administration's budget proposes enrollment fees and co-payments that Congress has rejected in the past, and I will work on behalf of our veterans to reject these proposals again."
Last year, the Department of Veterans Affairs acknowledged a $1 billion shortfall for covering veterans' healthcare needs in 2005, and Congress had to fix the problem with the passage of an emergency supplemental appropriations bill. The VA funding problem also continues into this year as the Administration claims that an additional $1.5 billion will be needed to provide timely, high quality care to veterans.
"The VA funding shortfall of last year and potential funding problems this year indicate the need for Congress to provide sufficient resources so that our veterans can receive the level of care consistent with their honorable service to our country," Boyd stated. "Ultimately, the President's budget is shortchanging our nation's heroes, and I will work with my colleagues in Congress to make sure the promises we have made to our veterans are upheld."
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