Shutdown Would Have Limited Impact on VA

The Veterans Affairs Department stands to weather any government shutdown with only a few bumps, thanks to advance appropriations in a two-year budget cycle which accounts for 80 percent of its annual, discretionary appropriations.

VA hospitals and clinics will remain open, according to a department official who chooses to remain anonymous, and medical appointments will not be canceled or delayed in the event of a governmentwide shutdown.

He said there will be a reduction in staffing at the Veterans Benefits Administration, but added the department "has taken measures to ensure, in the short-term, that Veterans currently receiving VA benefits will continue to receive those payments on a timely basis and without interruption."

Some VA services that may be suspended in the event of a shutdown include answering inquiries by email, telephone or mail, and routine recruiting, hiring and training, the VA official said.

The official said VA will issue a Veterans Field Guide with a more detailed analysis of the impact on benefits and services when and if a shutdown occurs.

I'm not planning on kicking the bucket due to a government shutdown, but if I do, it's good to know that VA will be able to place me in my "final resting place," as the official said, though some cemeteries may operate on a modified schedule.