title: Veterans, children first. Consolidation of federal healthcare services leads some VA clinics to expand patient mix.
abstract: Facing flat federal appropriations, the Department of Veterans Affairs is fattening its budget through service contracts with other agencies. That's meant young children and World War II veterans mix in some of its clinics. Although conceding that new funds are needed, veterans groups fear the VA's traditional customers will be shortchanged in the transition.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Gardner
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002017:Budgets / Q000639:trends; D002648:Child; D002662:Child Health Services / Q000458:organization & administration*; D003284:Contract Services / Q000639:trends; D006264:Health Benefit Plans, Employee / Q000458:organization & administration; D006271:Health Facility Closure; D006787:Hospitals, Veterans / Q000191:economics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D007373:Interinstitutional Relations; D008887:Military Medicine / Q000458:organization & administration; D012179:Retirement; D014481:United States; D014493:United States Department of Veterans Affairs / Q000191:economics* / Q000458:organization & administration; D014728:Veterans