"The VA's budget has been exploding, even as the number of veterans steadily declines. From 2000 to 2013,
outlays nearly tripled, while the population of veterans declined by 4.3 million.
Medical care spending — which consumes about 40% of the VA's budget — has climbed 193% over those years, while the number of patients served by the VA each year went up just 68%, according to data from the VA.
From 2008 to 2012 alone, per-patient spending at the VA climbed 27%. To put that in perspective, per capita health spending nationwide rose just 13% during those years....
Some will argue that the increase in health spending was the direct result of all those wounded warriors coming back from Iraq and Afghanistan. But these vets aren't driving VA costs higher.
A
Congressional Budget Office report found that they cost $4,800, on average, in 2010 compared with $8,800 for other veterans who used the system. It also found that while these Iraq and Afghan vets account for 7% of those treated, they were responsible for only 4% of its health costs." [[
"VA Spending Per Patient Exploded Amid Deadly Delays")