(CNN) Congress has been informed that the White House's next emergency supplemental request to fight the coronavirus outbreak is expected to involve asking for roughly $16.6 billion in funding for the Department of Veterans Affairs, two people familiar with the request said.

One of those individuals said the department based its request on an assumption that around one in five current VA patients will need additional care due to coronavirus, and that the request could also involve an ask related to information technology needs.

While these discussions are preliminary and focus on topline figures, a Hill source familiar with the request told CNN that the funds would be used to cover unexpected costs of coronavirus related veteran care, including testing and additional supplies, not civilians or the broader public.

But even early on, there appears to be some confusion about what exactly the additional funding would be used for, though the details will likely be ironed out as the process moves forward.

A Democratic aide on the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee said the administration had not yet offered guidance on what the coming request will look like, but said aides were working off the assumption that "it will be used to test and treat first responders and civilians at VA medical centers if/when community hospitals are over capacity."

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