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cost estimate
September 26, 2013
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As ordered reported by the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs on August 1, 2013
H.R. 2189 would modify several programs administered by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) including those providing disability compensation and pensions to veterans. Also, the bill would require VA to establish a commission to review the backlog of claims for disability compensation and the process for appealing the denial of such claims, and would require the commission to submit a number of reports to the Congress.
CBO estimates that enacting H.R. 2189 would decrease net direct spending by $412 million over the 2014-2018 period and by $471 million over the 2014-2023 period. Because enacting the legislation would affect direct spending, pay-as-you-go procedures apply. CBO also estimates that implementing H.R. 2189 would have a discretionary cost of $126 million over the 2014-2018 period, assuming appropriation of the necessary amounts.
H.R. 2189 would impose an intergovernmental mandate as defined in the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act (UMRA) by preempting state licensing laws governing health care professionals in some circumstances. CBO estimates that the costs of the intergovernmental mandate would be small and would not exceed the threshold established in UMRA ($75 million in 2013, adjusted annually for inflation). The bill contains no private-sector mandates as defined in UMRA.