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The Department of Veterans Affairs will begin covering costs for in vitro fertilization and adoptions for combat-wounded veterans struggling with infertility because of their injuries, giving thousands of young veteran families fresh hope at starting a family, advocates say. President Obama signed a bill last week that allows the agency to pay the costs for the next two years from existing VA health-care funds. The provision was authored by U.S. Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wash.), who said she is also pushing to fund the services permanently. (Wax-Thibodeaux, 10/6)

Members of the U.S. House of Representatives’ Committee on Veterans’ Affairs and some of the Peninsula’s top political leaders have questioned why VA Palo Alto spent $6.3 million on artwork and related consulting in the past 10 years at a time when medical care languished at other VA hospitals. The artwork debacle followed revelations that many veterans across the country had to wait exceedingly long periods for treatment and some died before ever seeing a doctor. Long patient wait times have not been an issue at the Palo Alto system’s facilities, however. (Lee, 10/6)