In light of of a partial federal government shutdown, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Secretary Robert Wilkie released the following statement:

“Thanks to the leadership of President Trump and Congress, VA is fully funded for fiscal year 2019, and in the event of a partial government shutdown, all VA operations will continue unimpeded.

“We thank the president and Congress for their commitment to our nation’s heroes in funding VA, and stand ready to provide all of the VA benefits and services our Veterans have earned.”

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38 Comments

  1. bob bodet January 19, 2019 at 11:41

    Build the wall and lets get on with being Americans. This childish play in Washington is ridiculous and need to stop NOW.

  2. Ravyn Violette January 18, 2019 at 01:47

    I completely agree with this -sighs- This wall should be a separate negotiation and the government needs to be reopened. I am on disability and i am getting my last food stamps this coming Sunday till who knows when because the government cant get their act together. I blame the entire government for this but mostly the president. Sure the government shutdown under Obama but not near as long nor did it have this much impact. IS THE WALL WORTH THIS MUCH DAMAGE TO OUR COUNTRY AND OUR PEOPLE?

    • Michael Ruger January 19, 2019 at 11:10

      Yes.

  3. Lesley Friedman January 16, 2019 at 13:33

    As the wife of a veteran who died 100% service connected service disabled, it breaks my heart to hear vets talk so badly about their Commander in Chief. I thank all of you for your service. You served our country and vowed to keep us safe. President Trump is doing just that. We need to stop the influx of illegal aliens. When people come into our country illegally, we do not know who they are, their past, their medical history, and their reasons for being here. We have drugs and gangs coming in. We have children who have never had their immunizations and may bring in measles, chicken pox, lice and other things. As a former school RN, this worries me. As a school counselor,I worry where is the money coming from to provide ESL teachers, books, clothing, etc. Most of these children have not had an education that is close to ours.What classes will they need to have to catch up? These are all things that will put a hurting on our education systems whose classrooms are over crowded, teachers that are leaving the field of education and financial burdened.
    No, I am not a bigot. I love all people. But, I believe we need to take care of our own first. Look at the inner city schools or the schools in states such as Kentucky, West Virginia and the Appalachians. I have worked in some schools that have very little to offer their students and the teachers who are underpaid, are doing the best they can.
    My parents stood in line, took physical exams, came in through Ellis Island and were proud to be Americans. They did not carry their flag of their origin. They did not break the law. This is the kind of immigration that we not. A country without border is not a country.
    Again, thank you for your service. .

    • Steve peters January 17, 2019 at 15:12

      Agreed

    • Leslie January 17, 2019 at 18:51

      100 years ago no skills were required to immigrate to the US and there was no way to verify what kind of was immigrating — The US would never have taken people from Central America (the Immigration Act of 1917) — Even though they make great painters, carpenters, farm workers, etc — I don’t know any millennial that wants to be a farm hand — Worst of all, Central American’s are Christians — Jesus does not approve of coveting wealth over God’s mercy..

  4. Roe W January 15, 2019 at 13:11

    Glen, you are correct! He is our President. As a vet, I honor and support The Commander in Chief!

    • Jack Paul January 16, 2019 at 09:06

      The President CAUSED the shutdown, said so on live TV, so I can NOT and will NOT support him. No counties along the border are complaining about thousands of “bad people” swarming across our southern borders. Like Viet Nam, my country right or wrong is WRONG!

  5. Travis schmitter January 14, 2019 at 20:40

    I am currently waiting on my post 911 GI Bill verification of enrollment….Will this be slowed by the shutdown?

  6. Jill Henkel January 14, 2019 at 13:14

    Are VA compensation checks going to be
    Affected by the partial government shutdown ? R Veterans compensation
    Checks gonna b on hold?

  7. Beatriz Garcia January 13, 2019 at 03:22

    I have a pending claim, will my decision be delay?

    • Jennifer January 15, 2019 at 20:27

      I am waiting in the same thing. Did you get an answer back?

      • james Smith January 17, 2019 at 02:35

        No they don’t be. I just got a decision yesterday. I asked the lady in compensation and pension and she said nothing will be delayed from the VA as long as it doesn’t go through September. The shutdown that is.

  8. anthony willis January 12, 2019 at 17:04

    if the goverment shutdown not affecting va disabilty compensationpayments why havent back pay from an claim won by appeal havent been received yet?

  9. Heather Zuck January 12, 2019 at 12:04

    Veterans choice needs to be approved and can take 1 to 2 weeks for approval. However if you go to the ER or urgent care it should be covered 100%. My husband has been to the ER for several diffrent reasons due to the fact we are about 2 1/2 hours from the closest VA hospital and 1 1/2 from a basic clinic.

  10. John oberly January 8, 2019 at 14:31

    Will va compensation claims (Ramp) still be processed ?

    • Aoibheann January 12, 2019 at 19:57

      RAMP will not go into effect until Feb 2019.

      • Rick January 19, 2019 at 15:10

        RAMP was signed into law in August 2017 to run through February 2019. It is currently in operation. The system that begins March 1, 2019 is AMA – the Appeals Modernization Act. So, RAMP doesn’t start in February, it ends in February, being replaced with the finalized system of processing.

    • Joseph wilkerson higgins January 14, 2019 at 01:02

      Va claims are still getting paid. But the workers are no
      t

  11. Darron January 7, 2019 at 15:35

    We would not have to inquire about our entitlement pay if your President and Congress had not shut down the Government.

    • Aileen Rivera January 9, 2019 at 09:55

      Exactly Darron

      • glen brewer January 13, 2019 at 10:45

        ‘Your’ president … it’s thinking like this that hurts all of us.

      • Robert James Murphy January 16, 2019 at 20:17

        Darron, do you live in America? If the answer is yes, weather you like it or not, he is your President as well. You can cry and pout all you want but, he is still your President. Did you piss and moan when Obama did the EXACT same thing when he shut the government down in 2013 to get his health care plan approved? Stop being a hypocrite. Saying he is not your president is like if your mom did something you didnt agree with and you saying “She is not my mother” sorry dude but, in fact she is.

    • Jeffery Dow January 11, 2019 at 16:10

      Sometimes things need to happen in order to make other things happen. This is one of those things that needed to happen. We should all be thankful that they made it a point to secure our funds through this instead of being on the other side of the coin trying to figure out payments. Keep it shut down and get that wall paid for.

    • Tony Sheridon January 14, 2019 at 18:27

      He’s YOUR president, too. He’s doing the right thing. Are you for crimes committed by people that shouldn’t even be here? We need that wall to keep those motherfuckers OUT! I’m willing to sacrifice my s.s. checks if need be. I might be homeless but at least I could walk the streets and feel a little safer. Remember, this this is for future generations. Maybe for your own child!

      • R kimsone January 15, 2019 at 10:51

        Don’t believe that president wall hype stuff. We have more crime committed right here in the United States. Mass muderers galore. Black, white, purple green, yellow………they all commit crime. What we need to be looking at is jobs being taken. When all of the illegals are sent back, who is going to do your farm and domestic work? It sure aint you. You are too lazy. And it sure isn’t us blacks because we are done with that.

        • Terry Gray January 20, 2019 at 20:41

          Stop welfare and people will go to work.

  12. Pamela Parfitt January 5, 2019 at 23:35

    The VA should have urgent care centers for disabled veterans with sudden illnesses such as the flu or other sudden illnesses or injuries, or let them have access with coverage to their local urgent care centers. Some of the veterans such as my husband don’t have other healthcare and may not live close to a major VA hospital. The expense out of pocket for a visit or medications can be very costly. They deserve easy access to care when needed.

    • Helpful Advice January 8, 2019 at 12:15

      Pamela…

      The Veterans Choice Program is one of several programs through which a Veteran can receive care from a community provider, paid for by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). For example, if a Veteran needs an appointment for a specific type of care, and VA cannot provide the care in a timely manner or the nearest VA medical facility is too far away or too difficult to get to, then a Veteran may be eligible for care through the Veterans Choice Program.

      To use the Veterans Choice Program, Veterans must receive prior authorization from VA to receive care from a provider that is part of VA’s VCP network of community providers. The authorization is based on specific eligibility requirements and discussions with the Veteran’s VA provider. VA must authorize care that is needed beyond the scope of the first authorization.

      Veterans may be eligible to receive care through the Veterans Choice Program based on one or more of the following conditions:

      – VA can’t provide the services the Veteran needs
      – VA can’t make an appointment for the Veteran at the nearest VA medical facility within 30 days of the clinically indicated date (the date the Veteran and their VA provider agree should be the next date the Veteran is seen for care)—or, if VA can’t determine this date—the date the Veteran prefers to be seen next
      – Veteran lives more than 40 miles (driving distance) from the nearest VA medical facility with a full-time primary care physician
      – Veteran has to travel by air, boat, or ferry to get to the nearest VA medical facility
      – Veteran faces an excessive burden in traveling to the nearest VA medical facility (such as geographic challenges, environmental factors, or a health problem that makes it hard for you to travel)
      – VA will work with the Veteran to determine eligibility based on the above conditions and the Veteran’s specific circumstances.

      • Elsie H. Carter January 9, 2019 at 14:48

        You may choose to go to a local provider through the Veteran’s choice program BUT that does not insure that the provider will be paid for their services to you – – we are fighting that battle now. The VA Choice program sent my husband to a local dentist – she has not been paid for any services provided to Veterans since 01/2018 & is having to take money from her savings to pay the assistants in her office – – EXTREMELY unfair to her family.

      • John Butkus January 10, 2019 at 08:02

        The primary care clinics in Syracuse, NY have walk-ins that are usually seen in less than 30 minutess. It’s better than going to the Emergancy Room.

    • Francisco January 8, 2019 at 14:04

      there are lots of VA outpatient clinics that can take care of veterans. I used to go to the main VA hospital in Houston without knowing I can have the same routine care at the outpatient clinics closer to my house.

    • leliu January 17, 2019 at 14:42

      You(Veterans) can go to any hospital and get care, Trump passed a Bill saying so!

      • Concerned Citizen January 19, 2019 at 20:01

        Lol no Veterans Choice was passed in 2014. President Trump just likes taking credit whenever possible.

  13. Ronnica Armour January 5, 2019 at 11:35

    I read that the VA Benefits have not been affected by the government shutdown. However we still have not received our check which we normally get on the first and our rent is due. So where are the checks before we end up homeless!!!

    • Charles j January 8, 2019 at 20:48

      I got mine

    • BROCK BEBOUT January 12, 2019 at 18:37

      Wow, I actually got mine December 29th 2018 for January.

    • leliu January 17, 2019 at 14:43

      Direct Deposit works really well, I have my money from VA and SSI

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