The nation established the VA system to provide care for ALL of America's veterans, particularly specialized care for those injured or disabled in the line of duty. Since its founding in the 1930's, the VA's medical care system has taken on other important roles:

• VA hospitals are teaching and research centers for 107 major medical schools.
• VA research efforts have won Nobel prizes for medical advances.
• VA hospitals provide backup to military hospitals in time of war.
• VA hospitals provide medical support to FEMA in times of natural disaster.

THAT WAS THE ORIGINAL VISION, THIS IS THE CURRENT REALITY:

Getting health care for the Department of Veterans Affairs is tough. Most veterans find that entrance into the system is hampered by so many restrictions, exclusions, and limitations that only a small number are eligible. Those veterans who do get in, often find that VA will not treat all of their ills, just those conditions that "qualify." There are many reasons for these "Catch 22's," but the main reason is lack of money.

The GI Bill of Health reverses the restrictions imposed on the VA system over the past 15 years because of lack of money and reopens the VA doors to ALL veterans. How can a system that is currently underfunded suddenly extend care to so many additional people? By fundamentally changing how the VA is reimbursed for the care it provides.

The American Legion believes that our nation's intent in establishing the VA system was to create a system capable of meeting the health care needs of ALL veterans. And, that is what the GI Bill of Health will do!

THE GI BILL OF HEALTH WILL CHANGE:

• How care is provided...
• Who receives care...
• How care is paid for.

A health care revolution is underway in America. At the heart of the revolution is a desire to contain escalating health care costs. The GI Bill of Health calls for the VA system to use certain managed-care principles to provide medical care for ALL veterans AND their families, if they choose to use the VA as their primary provider of health care. Such change will significantly reduce the overall cost of care while still maintaining the quality of care.

• The GI Bill of Health assures all veterans with service-connected illness or disability ratings of 50% or greater, continued access to the same VA services that they are eligible for right now -- at NO CHARGE.
  
• The GI Bill of Health assures all special-category veterans, indigent veterans and veterans with a service-connected disability rated a less than 50%, access to VA health care at NO CHARGE or at a REDUCED CHARGE.
  
• The GI Bill of Health allows veterans, military retirees, and their dependents to use existing Medicare, Medicaid, CHAMPUS, Tri-Care, third-party payers, or employer health benefit plans to pay for VA medical care.
  
• The GI Bill of Health will also offer veterans and their dependents enrollment in various levels of health care coverage.
  
• The GI Bill of Health allows the VA system to collect and retain payment for the services it renders; a big step toward making the system financially sound.
  

To millions of America's veterans and their families, it seems there ought to be a better way to handle the medical needs of people who have served their country. America's veterans need a better health care delivery system that is easy to use and understand... a system that addresses the needs of retirees who are losing medical services through base closings and realignments.

The American Legion's GI Bill of Health meets those needs!

THE GI BILL OF HEALTH:

• A Vision For Change!
• A Vision For Progress!
• A Vision For Excellence in Veterans' Health Care!