VA Plans to Double Long-Term Care Spending by 2037

A new report from the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) says the Department of Veterans Affairs will double its spending on long-term care for military veterans by 2037. Spending is expected to reach $14.7 billion as veterans age and have more disabilities related to their military service.

“As one of the largest healthcare systems in the United States, VA faces challenges similar to other healthcare providers when seeking to meet the growing need for long-term care as the U.S. population ages,” GAO said.

From 2014 to 2018, the VA’s long-term care spending jumped 33%, increasing from $6.8 billion to $9.1 billion. During that same period, the number of veterans who received care from the VA rose 14%, according to GAO.

The VA is reportedly having a difficult time finding enough employees to care for aging and disabled veterans, and providing care in areas where it’s needed most. The agency is also struggling to provide specialty care for those who need long-term care.

“Most veterans receive long-term care through non-institutional programs in their homes or communities, while others receive more extensive care in institutional programs such as nursing homes,” GAO said.

However, according to the GAO, the VA hasn’t detailed any measurable goals to address the workforce shortages, geography problems, or specialty care access. Meanwhile, VA officials say they plan to improve veterans’ access to non-institutional programs like veterans’ homes in an effort to reduce the agency’s dependence on nursing homes and to rein-in costs.

For questions, comments or concerns, please contact Jennifer Duell Popovec