VA’s Veterans Health Administration received advance appropriations for fiscal year 2018 as part of the 2017 budget. So VHA is continuing full operations.

In addition, 95.5 percent of VA employees will come to work as normal, and most aspects of VA’s operations will not be impacted. The 95.5 percent figure combines the funded VHA staff and those staff legally excepted from shutdown under VA’s shutdown plan, found here.


VA’s detailed contingency plan is available below and on the VA.gov website. The document outlines programs and resources necessary to ensure the shutdown of VA’s functions, if normal operations are suspended. It applies to all personnel and contractors assigned to or performing services for VA.

Information for VA Employees

 

(Updated 01/22/2018, 11:15 a.m.)

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21 Comments

  1. Diane jonea January 22, 2018 at 17:34

    SC disability payments will not be affected. VA healthcare and clinics are still open.

  2. Ralph Zabinski January 22, 2018 at 17:18

    I just was @ the VA Hospital in Milwaukee & all conditions are normal. Went to ER, Urgent Care & the Pharmacy & there was a lot of traffic throughout the building.

  3. Joe Citizen January 22, 2018 at 17:05

    People…….calm down. Go to the VA if you need to. Checks will be mailed out or direct deposited this is all just PARTY politics…..

  4. Amanda Patterson January 22, 2018 at 14:56

    Black and White, yes or no, will disabled veterans receive their pay? Please do not ignore.

  5. Lula Corwin January 22, 2018 at 14:35

    IAM scheduled to have surgery at a non VA facility on Feb 27th through the community Care which has already been approved will the shut down possibly revoke my approval?

  6. Eric Hollenstein. January 22, 2018 at 12:26

    Are they still processing claims? I’m in the final phases and now this happens.

  7. John Paul Berryhill January 22, 2018 at 11:17

    Thank you for your reassurance that healthcare will remain open and functional. Somewhere there are a group of very smart people who figured this situation into policy and funding was paid to avoid potentially killing Veterans over politics. Kudos to whoever you are. That said, it’s very unprofessional to just not respond to calls and written questions here and many other blogs and social media, will the checks for Disabled Veterans be paid this month? Healthcare takes a backseat VERY quickly when held up to homelessness and starvation. So, are we to expect Disability payments or not? We need to start selling things if we are going to feed our children and ourselves.

  8. Morris Farinella January 22, 2018 at 11:02

    will the out patient at muskegon be open for blood work

    • Megan Moloney January 22, 2018 at 11:10

      The Veterans Health Administration received advance appropriations for Fiscal Year 2018 as part of the 2017 Budget. So VHA will continue full operations.

  9. Herb Kingsland January 22, 2018 at 10:50

    I do NOT see any Replys,
    to the Q’s about Pension Payment.?

    I know this is NOT the VA’s business … but maybe you can also say about Social Security Benefits Payments.?

    Rent … Late Fees … EVICTION

    THANKS for Any Help…!

  10. Mac Ragu January 22, 2018 at 10:30

    Does that include the suspension of disability pay and GI Bill or VocRehab pay?

  11. MaryBeth Billington January 22, 2018 at 09:52

    Please, what does all this mean to a veteran who depends upon the VA for all her medical care?

    • Megan Moloney January 22, 2018 at 10:09

      Marybeth, VA health care is not impacted as it has already been funded for this year. From the Washington Post: “Staffing for the Department of Veterans Affairs will remain largely intact.’“Even in the event that there is a shutdown, 95.5 percent of VA employees would come to work, and most aspects of VA’s operations would not be impacted,’ said department press secretary Curtis Cashour in an email. More than 99 percent of employees of the Veterans Health Administration, which runs the health care system, would continue working.”

    • Nancy Carlson January 22, 2018 at 10:53

      VA DISABILITY PAY & GI BILL BENEFITS

      Like retiree pay, VA disability pay and GI Bill payments are both funded through different legislation than is at risk on the Hill. For that reason, those checks are unlikely to be affected by a brief shutdown.

      However, during the last shutdown in 2013, VA officials warned that if the closure extended beyond several weeks, disability checks were unlikely to go out to more than 5.1 million veterans.

      (From Military . Com)

  12. Cherry Lynn Sterling January 21, 2018 at 09:58

    Will my husband receive his VA compensation check…this month? He is 70 yrs old and totally disabled..

  13. Hugh Quattlebaum January 20, 2018 at 22:00

    Would be more helpful just to tell veterans whether VA services will still be available in the case of a shutdown. Too much redtape listed in this article for the average veteran to make much sense out of it.

  14. Gary Pitts January 20, 2018 at 21:26

    I am a 100% disabled veteran. Will I still receive my disability check.

  15. Bridgett January 20, 2018 at 17:09

    Does the government shutdown affect our disability check being paid?

  16. Lora Mickens January 20, 2018 at 15:28

    What about appointments at the va hospitals

    • Megan Moloney January 22, 2018 at 10:09

      Lora: VA health care is not impacted as it has already been funded for this year. From the Washington Post: “Staffing for the Department of Veterans Affairs will remain largely intact.’“Even in the event that there is a shutdown, 95.5 percent of VA employees would come to work, and most aspects of VA’s operations would not be impacted,’ said department press secretary Curtis Cashour in an email. More than 99 percent of employees of the Veterans Health Administration, which runs the health care system, would continue working.”

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