In 2010 the White House and President Obama’s government made brash claims that it would be setting aside $125 million of its budget for war veterans in the Virginia area. This budget increase was intended to expand health care to a record number of Veterans, reduce the number of homeless Veterans and process a dramatically increased number of new disability compensation claims in the state. As time moves on, veterans aren’t getting any younger and governments have seen a steady increase in claims related to health and housing over the past ten years with a 75 per cent increase in claims from 2000 to 2009. To deal with such an increase the President’s budget proposal included a 27 per cent increase in funding, a total of over $400 million but veterans are still wondering where exactly this money will be going.
It would seem that hopes for an increase in personal payouts in the next year or so might be dashed though due to the government’s efforts to make savings across the board. Previous increases in payouts in past years have been put down to a general increase in living costs, fuel etc. The consensus that gas, oil and living costs have leveled out in the past twelve months mean that despite the opinion that Virginia veterans are deserving of an increasing, any budget increases will be targeted at services which deal with caring for or homing veterans. Federal forecasts project a zero cost of living allowance (COLA) increase for Social Security recipients for at least 2010 and 2011. The Virginia rate increase for disability compensation, pensions and survivors benefits is tied to this Social Security assessment, so this is bad news for claimants hoping for a pay rise anytime soon.
It would seem that hopes for an increase in personal payouts in the next year or so might be dashed though due to the government’s efforts to make savings across the board. Previous increases in payouts in past years have been put down to a general increase in living costs, fuel etc. The consensus that gas, oil and living costs have leveled out in the past twelve months mean that despite the opinion that Virginia veterans are deserving of an increasing, any budget increases will be targeted at services which deal with caring for or homing veterans. Federal forecasts project a zero cost of living allowance (COLA) increase for Social Security recipients for at least 2010 and 2011. The Virginia rate increase for disability compensation, pensions and survivors benefits is tied to this Social Security assessment, so this is bad news for claimants hoping for a pay rise anytime soon.
