Feb 24, 2005 - According to administration officials, President Bush's FY2006 budget proposal plans to increase health charges to veterans. The president's $2.5 trillion budget includes a proposal to more than double co-payment charges for veterans receiving prescription drugs, while requiring some veterans to pay a new annual fee of $250 to use government health care. The proposal stands to face opposition from veterans organizations along with members of Congress. According to a NY Times article, "Democrats have already indicated that they are poised to pounce on any sign that the Bush administration is stinting on veterans' benefits." The budget plan would increase co-payments from $7 to $15 for a month's supply of prescription drugs. Moreover, the $250 fee for government health care would largely apply to those veterans without service-related disabilities and higher incomes. As of now, the government does not have an estimate of how many veterans would be affected by the proposal.