The Department of Veterans’ Affairs

An Overview

                        

DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS—“To care for him who shall have borne the battle and for his widow, and his orphan”

THE DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS (VA) WAS ESTABLISHED MARCH 15, 1989. IT SUCCEEDED THE VETERANS ADMINISTRATION AND HAS RESPONSIBILITY FOR PROVIDING FEDERAL BENEFITS TO VETERANS AND THEIR DEPENDENTS.

THE VETERAN POPULATION IS ESTIMATED AT 23.8 MILLION, AS OF 2008.

1,780,000 ARE WOMEN.

39.1% OF VETERANS ARE 65 OR OLDER.

DEMOGRAPHICS

37% ARE 65 YEARS OR OLDER COMPARED TO 13%IN THE GENERAL POPULATION.

BETWEEN 1990 AND 2020 MOST AGE GROUPS ARE PROJECTED TO DECLINE

AS THE VETERAN POPULATION AGES, THE DEMAND FOR ALL FORMS OF LONG –TERM CARE SHOULD INCREASE SIGNIFICANTLY RELATIVE TO ACUTE CARE.

ALTOGETHER, ALMOST ONE-THIRD OF THE NATION’S POPULATION – APPROXIMATELY 70 MILLION PERSONS WHO ARE VETERANS, DEPENDENTS, OR SURVIVORS OF DECEASED VETERANS – ARE POTENTIALLY ELIGIBLE FOR VA BENEFITS AND SERVICES.

VA’S FISCAL YEAR 2009 APPROPRIATION IS $95.2 BILLION WHICH INCLUDES $41.0 BILLION FOR MEDICAL PROGRAMS.

VA HEALTH CARE

VETERANS HEALTH ADMINISTRATION MISSION AND

VISION

MISSION STATEMENT

THE MISSION OF THE VETERANS HEALTHCARE SYSTEM IS TO SERVE THE NEEDS OF AMERICA’S VETERANS BY PROVIDING PRIMARY CARE, SPECIALIZED CARE, AND RELATED MEDICAL AND SOCIAL SUPPORT SERVICES.

PATIENTS

VA’S HEALTH CARE SYSTEM HAS GROWN TO 172 MEDICAL CENTERS, WITH AT LEAST ONE IN EACH OF THE 48 CONTIGUOUS STATES, PUERTO RICO, AND THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.

VA OPERATES MORE THAN 800 AMBULATORY CARE AND COMMUNITY-BASED OUTPATIENT CLINICS; 135 NURSING HOMES, 43 DOMICILIARIES AND 73 COMPREHENSIVE HOME-CARE PROGRAMS.

OVER THE PAST THREE YEARS, VA HAS RESTRUCTURED ITS MEDICAL SYSTEM INTO 22 INTEGRATED NETWORKS.

IN FISCAL YEAR 2000, VA WILL TREAT ABOUT 673,000 PATIENTS IN VA HOSPITALS, 111,000 IN NURSING HOMES AND 26,000 IN DOMICILIARIES.

VA’S OUTPATIENT CLINICS WILL REGISTER APPROXIMATELY 37.6 MILLION VISITS.

MORE THAN 4.1 MILLION PEOPLE WILL RECEIVE CARE IN ALL VA HEALTH-CARE FACILITIES THIS YEAR.

EDUCATION

VA MEDICAL CENTERS ARE AFFILIATED WITH 107 MEDICAL SCHOOLS, 55 DENTAL SCHOOLS AND MORE THAN 1,200 OTHER SCHOOLS ACROSS THE COUNTRY.

MORE THAN HALF OF THE PHYSICIANS PRACTICING IN THE UNITED STATES HAVE HAD PART OF THEIR PROFESSIONAL EDUCATION IN THE VA HEALTH-CARE SYSTEM.

EACH YEAR, ABOUT 104,000 HEALTH PROFESSIONALS RECEIVE TRAINING IN VA MEDICAL CENTERS.

VA’S MEDICAL SYSTEM ALSO SERVES AS A BACKUP TO THE DEFENSE DEPARTMENT DURING NATIONAL SECURITY CONTINGENCIES, FOR VA INTERNAL EMERGENCIES AND AS A FEDERAL SUPPORT ORGANIZATION FOR MAJOR CATASTROPHIC DISASTERS.

SINCE 1979, VA HAS OPERATED READJUSTMENT COUNSELING SERVICE (RCS) VET CENTERS, WHICH PROVIDE PSYCHOLOGICAL COUNSELING FOR WAR-RELATED TRAUMA, COMMUNITY OUTREACH, CASE MANAGEMENT AND REFERRAL ACTIVITIES, AND SUPPORTIVE SOCIAL SERVICES TO VETERANS AND FAMILY MEMBERS.

RESEARCH

VA HAS BECOME A WORLD LEADER IN SUCH RESEARCH AREAS AS AGING, WOMEN VETERANS’ HEALTH CONCERNS, AIDS, AND POST-TRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER AND OTHER MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES..

VA RESEARCHERS PLAYED KEY ROLES IN DEVELOPING THE CARDIAC PACEMAKER, THE CT SCAN, MAGNETIC SOURCE IMAGING AND IN IMPROVING ARTIFICIAL LIMBS.

75% OF VA RESEARCHERS ARE CLINICIANS.

VA MILESTONES

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THE VETERANS ADMINISTRATION WAS CREATED BY EXECUTIVE ORDER 5398, SIGNED BY PRESIDENT HOOVER ON JULY 21, 1930. AT THAT TIME, THERE WERE 54 HOSPITALS, 4.7 MILLION LIVING VETERANS, AND 31,600 EMPLOYEES.

1933

THE BOARD OF VETERANS APPEALS WAS ESTABLISHED.

1944

ON JUNE 22, PRESIDENT ROOSEVELT SIGNED THE “SERVICEMEN’S READJUSTMENT ACT OF 1944” OFFERING HOME LOAN AND EDUCATION BENEFITS TO AMERICANS. BILL WAS PASSED UNANIMOUSLY BY THE 78TH CONGRESS.

1946

THE DEPARTMENT OF MEDICINE & SURGERY WAS ESTABLISHED, SUCCEEDED IN 1989 BY THE VETERAN’S HEALTH SERVICES AND RESEARCH ADMINISTRATION, RENAMED THE VETERANS HEALTH ADMINISTRATION IN 1991.

1953

THE DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS BENEFITS WAS ESTABLISHED, SUCCEEDED IN 1989 BY THE VETERANS BENEFITS ADMINISTRATION.

1973

THE NATIONAL CEMETERY SYSTEM (EXCEPT FOR ARLINGTON NATIONAL CEMETERY) WAS TRANSFERRED BY THE ARMY TO VA.

1988

LEGISLATION TO ELEVATE VA TO CABINET STATUS WAS SIGNED BY PRESIDENT REAGAN.

1989

ON MARCH 15, VA BECAME THE 14TH DEPARTMENT IN THE PRESIDENT’S CABINET.

DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS

STRATEGIC PLAN – HIGHLIGHTS

VISION

THE DEPARTMENT WILL CONTINUE TO HONOR, CARE FOR, AND COMPENSATE VETERANS IN RECOGNITION OF THEIR SACRIFICES FOR AMERICA.

CORE VALUES

VETERANS HAVE EARNED OUR RESPECT AND ARE OUR REASON FOR BEING. OUR COMMON PURPOSE, AND ALL OUR EFFORTS ARE DIRECTED TOWARD MEETING THEIR NEEDS.

WE ARE COMMITTED TO COMMUNICATING WITH VETERANS, EMPLOYEES, AND EXTERNAL STAKEHOLDERS IN A TIMELY, THOROUGH, ACCURATE, UNDERSTANDABLE, AND RESPECTFUL MANNER.

WE LISTEN TO THE CONCERNS AND VIEWS OF VETERANS, EMPLOYEES, AND EXTERNAL STAKEHOLDERS TO BRING ABOUT IMPROVEMENTS IN BENEFITS AND SERVICES, AND THE CLIMATE IN WHICH THEY ARE PROVIDED.

WE VALUE EFFECTIVE AND EFFICIENT BUSINESS PROCESSES WHICH CONSISTENTLY PRODUCE POSITIVE RESULTS.

WE FOSTER AN ENVIRONMENT THAT PROMOTES PERSONAL AND CORPORATE INNOVATION, SHARING AND LEVERAGING OF RESOURCES, RISK-TAKING, AND TEAMWORK.

WE ARE OPEN TO CHANGE AND FLEXIBLE IN OUR ATTITUDES.

WE BELIEVE THAT RESPECT, INTEGRITY, TRUST, AND FAIRNESS ARE HALLMARKS OF ALL OUR INTERACTIONS.

WE VALUE A CULTURE WHERE EVERYONE IS INVOLVED, ACCOUNTABLE, RESPECTED, AND APPRECIATED.

WE WILL PERFORM AT THE HIGHEST LEVEL OF COMPETENCE ALWAYS, AND TAKE PRIDE IN ACCOMPLISHMENT. WE ARE A “CAN DO” ORGANIZATION.

PLANNING ASSUMPTIONS

THE UNITED STATES WILL NOT BECOME INVOLVED IN A MAJOR GLOBAL CONFLICT THAT WOULD PLACE LARGE NUMBERS OF TROOPS IN JEOPARDY OR REQUIRE SIGNIFICANT INCREASES IN TROOP STRENGTH RESULTING IN A LARGE UNEXPECTED INCREASE IN CLAIMS FOR BENEFITS AND SERVICES.

THE ROLE OF THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IN AMERICAN SOCIETY WILL CONTINUE TO BE EVALUATED AND COMPETITION FOR FEDERAL FUNDING WILL BECOME EVEN MORE INTENSE THAN IT IS TODAY.

THE RECENT BALANCED BUDGET AGREEMENT WILL CONSTRAIN RESOURCES AND WILL CONTINUE TO PUT PRESSURE ON AGENCIES TO REENGINEER WORK PROCESSES TO MAKE THEM MORE EFFICIENT.

SCRUTINY OF THE OUTCOMES AND IMPACT OF VA PROGRAMS AND DEMANDS FOR ACCOUNTABILITY BY THE EXECUTIVE BRANCH, CONGRESS, AND AMERICAN TAXPAYER WILL INCREASE.

CUSTOMER EXPECTATIONS OF ACCURATE, TIMELY AND COURTEOUS SERVICE WILL INCREASE.

TECHNOLOGY WILL PROVIDE OPPORTUNITIES TO IMPROVE CUSTOMER SERVICE AREAS, ACCURACY AND TIMELINESS, AND THE DELIVERY OF BENEFITS AND SERVICES.

MANAGED CARE WITHIN INTEGRATED DELIVERY SYSTEMS WILL BECOME THE MOST COMMON MODE OF HEALTH CARE DELIVERY IN THE UNITED STATES.

THE AGING VETERAN POPULATION WILL INCREASE DEMAND FOR SOME BENEFITS AND SERVICES SUCH AS LONG-TERM CARE AND BURIAL SERVICES.

HEALTH CARE

59.3 PERCENT OF VETERANS USING THE VA SYSTEM HAVE NO PRIVATE OR MEDIGAP INSURANCE AND 21 PERCENT HAVE NO HEALTH CARE COVERAGE.

60.5 PERCENT HAVE POOR OR FAIR PERCEIVED HEALTH STATUS AND 33 PER CENT ARE UNABLE TO WORK FOR PAY OR HAVE LIMITED ACTIVITIES OF DAILY LIVING.

DURING THE PERIOD 1995 TO 2010 WHEN THE TOTAL VETERAN POPULATION WILL DECREASE BY 23 PERCENT, IT IS PROJECTED THAT THE NUMBER OF VETERAN USERS OF VA HEALTH SERVICES WILL INCREASE BY 17 PERCENT.

End of lecture for September 8th, 2010

6th Period

Questions?