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BVA recently learned that VA has included Blind
Rehabilitation Services and Spinal Cord Injury (SCI) services
on a list of services that could be contracted out. This list
was developed in accordance with the Federal Activities Inventory
Reform Act of 1998 (FAIR Act). We are deeply concerned and outraged.
The FAIR Act requires federal departments and agencies to review
all services provided in terms of whether these services are inherently
governmental or commercial.
Mr. Chairman, special disabilities programs
are clearly critical elements of VA’s core mission. As such,
they should be removed from the inventory of programs that could
be contracted out. In our view, the provision contained in the
Eligibility Reform Act requiring VA to maintain its capacity to
provide specialized services to disabled veterans confirms Congress’
belief that these programs are core to the VA mission. The implied
notion that comparable services are readily available in the community
is absurd. These special programs are recognized as leaders in
the provision of state-of-the-art rehabilitation service. Mr.
Chairman, I submit that should VA be allowed to contract out these
special programs, there is little justification for supporting
a VA health care system devoted to the provision of managed primary
care. The original rationale for establishing a separate veterans
health care system was to provide specialized service to address
the needs unique to "those who shall have borne the battle."
BVA is not opposed to the contracting of
some aspects of the blind rehabilitation program such as
computer training for those who cannot or will not attend the
residential program. The basic adjustment to blindness found in
a residential program is core to the VA mission and must not be
contracted out.
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