Military and Veterans' Health Care

The Department of Defense provides health care to service members, retirees, and their eligible family members through the TRICARE program, and the Department of Veterans Affairs provides health care at little or no charge to veterans. CBO examines the budgetary and other effects of the current programs and proposals to change them.

  • Report
    The Veterans Community Care Program: Background and Early Effects

    CBO describes how the Department of Veterans Affairs provides health care to many veterans through the Veterans Community Care Program and how that program has affected veterans’ access to care and other outcomes.

  • Report
    Possible Higher Spending Paths for Veterans' Benefits

    To help assess budgetary risks, CBO has projected spending by the Department of Veterans Affairs through 2028 under three scenarios, a modified version of CBO’s baseline and two other scenarios involving more rapid spending growth.

  • Report
    Approaches to Changing Military Health Care

    CBO examined possible changes to the Department of Defense’s Military Health System, analyzing the effects of those changes on the federal budget, the quality of military health care, and preparedness for wartime missions.

  • Report
    Comparing the Costs of the Veterans' Health Care System with Private-Sector Costs

    Recent legislation calls for the Veterans Health Administration to expand the availability of health care to veterans. Research suggests that VHA-provided care has been cheaper than private-sector care, but future costs are uncertain.