Good increase in V.A. budget for 2010

Transformation
 Provides resources to support the transformation of
VA into a 21st Century organization that is Veterancentric,
results-driven, and forward-looking

Medical Care
 Continues gradual expansion of healthcare eligibility;
providing access to more than 500,000 previously
ineligible veterans by 2013
 $4.6 billion (up $288 million) to expand inpatient
residential, and outpatient mental health programs
 $440 million to improve access to care in rural and
highly rural areas
 $5.9 billion (up $663 million) to expand institutional
and non-institutional long term care services
 Expand proven homeless programs and launch a
new $26 million pilot project to work with other
federal agencies and non-profits to reduce
homelessness among Veterans most at risk
 $183 million (up $15 million) to meet the specific
needs of women Veterans

Claims Processing
 Over $1.8 billion (up $364 million) to improve
management of benefits administration
 Improve timeliness of compensation and pension
claims processing to 150 days (18 days faster than
estimated for 2009)
 Sufficient funding to meet increased education
claims workload resulting from new GI bill
National Cemetery Administration
 $242 million (up $12 million) for operations and
maintenance of national cemeteries

Information Technology
 More than $3.3 billion (up $559 million) to support a
reliable and accessible IT infrastructure, a highperforming
workforce, and modernized information
systems
 $360 million for development and implementation of
HealtheVet (electronic health record)
 $144 million for paperless claims processing system
Construction
 Over $1.9 billion; supports five medical facility
projects already underway and begins seven new
medical facility projects
Entitlement Benefits
 $56.9 billion (up $9.6 billion) for mandatory benefits;
increase due to impact of new GI Bill and more
service-disabled Veterans receiving compensation

Medical Care 47,379
Medical and Prosthetic Research 580
Veterans Benefits Administration 1,825
National Cemetery Administration 242
General Administration 394
Information Technology 3,307
Construction/Grants 1,921
Office of Inspector General 107
Loan Administration Funds 166
Total Discretionary 55,921
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Department of Veterans Affairs 2010
Budget Highlights
The President’s $112.8 billion budget request for 2010 is the largest percentage increase (15 percent)
requested by a President in over 30 years. It provides the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) with
resources needed to become a 21st Century organization that is people-centric, results-oriented, and
forward-looking, and puts Veterans first. The budget request contains four major categories of
transformational activity collectively designed to initiate the process of creating a 21st Century VA.
These include creating a reliable management infrastructure, delivering ongoing services, making
progress on Congressional priorities, and instituting some new initiatives.
Dramatically Increasing Funding for Health Care while Expanding Health Care Eligibility
2010 funding level: $47.4 billion (total Medical Care funding, with collections)
2009 funding level: $42.8 billion (total Medical Care funding; with collections)
The 2010 budget provides the resources for VA to treat nearly 6.1 million patients and includes funds to
continue the gradual expansion of health care eligibility for Priority 8 Veterans.
Enhancing Outreach and Services Related to Mental Health Care
2010 funding level: $4.564 billion
2009 funding level: $4.276 billion
These resources will allow VA to expand inpatient, residential, and outpatient mental health programs, to
include integrating mental health services with primary and specialty care.
Combating Homelessness
2010 funding level: $3.222 billion
2009 funding level: $2.801 billion
The President has committed to expanding proven programs and launching innovative services to
prevent Veterans from falling into homelessness. The 2010 budget includes $26 million for VA to work
with other federal agencies, in partnership with non-profit organization, to reduce homelessness.
Ensuring Seamless Transition VA will continue to collaborate with the Department of Defense
(DoD) to simplify the transition of military personnel into civilian status through a uniform approach to both
registering into VA and accessing electronic records data.
Meeting the Needs of Women Veterans
2010 funding level: $183 million
2009 funding level: $167 million
These resources will address the gender-specific health care needs of women Veterans with a particular
emphasis on primary care.
Expanding Care for Veterans in Rural Areas
2010 funding level: $440 million
2009 funding level: $60 million
Congress provided VA with $250 million for rural health care initiatives in 2009. These resources, along
with additional funds the Department is requesting in 2010, will be used to implement the President’s
initiative to continue improving access to medical care for Veterans in rural areas.
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Increasing Investments in Research
2010 funding level: $580 million
2009 funding level: $510 million
These resources will be used to fund nearly 2,400 high-priority research projects to expand knowledge in
areas critical to Veterans’ health care needs.
Automating the Delivery of Education Benefits The 2010 budget provides resources to continue
development of an automated system for education claims processing. The automated solution will
be available by the end of calendar year 2010.
Processing Benefits Claims in a Paperless Environment This budget includes resources to
continue moving toward the President’s goal of reforming the benefits claims process to ensure claims
decisions are timely, accurate, fair, and consistent through the use of automated systems.
Increasing Investment in Training and Career Development This budget will help ensure that VA’s
workforce will remain leaders and standard-setters in their fields.
Establishing a Program Analysis and Evaluation Service The Department will establish an office
with robust program analysis and evaluation capability to assess programs’ return on investment.
Funding the New Office of the Assistant Secretary for Acquisition, Construction, and Logistics
The 2010 budget includes resources to fund this new office that is responsible for overseeing the
resources, services, and projects that comprise VA’s capital facilities program, and directing the
Department’s acquisition and logistics activities.
Enhancing Long-Term Care
2010 funding level: $5.940 billion
2009 funding level: $5.276 billion
These resources will be used to meet the growing demand for extended care services for Veterans,
including those suffering from severe injuries such as traumatic brain injury and polytrauma.

Improving Claims Processing
2010 funding level: $1.825 billion
2009 funding level: $1.461 billion
This funding will be used to improve the management of the following non-medical benefits administered
by VA—disability compensation; pensions; education; vocational rehabilitation and employment; home
loan guaranty; and insurance.
Investing in Better Technology
2010 funding level: $3.307 billion
2009 funding level: $2.748 billion
The increase in IT resources in 2010 will fund many important projects, two of which are the continued
operation and improvement of the Department’s electronic health record system (HealtheVet) and the
paperless claims processing initiative.
Strengthening Capital Programs
2010 funding level $1.921 billion
2009 funding level: $1.882 billion

The 2010 budget provides $1.194 billion for major construction, $600 million for minor construction,
$85 million in grants for the construction of state extended care facilities, and $42 million in grants for the
construction of state Veterans cemeteries.

Providing Entitlement Benefits
2010 funding level: $56.923 billion
2009 funding level: $47.328 billion
The 2010 budget includes a 20 percent increase in mandatory benefits. Over 90 percent of the growth in
entitlement spending is due to increases in compensation and education payments.