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The number of US veterans who died in 2008 because they lacked health insurance was 14 times higher than the US military death toll in Afghanistan that year, according to a new study.
The analysis produced by two Harvard medical researchers estimates that 2,266 US military veterans under the age of 65 died in 2008 because they lacked health coverage and had reduced access to medical care.
That figure is more than 14 times higher than the 155 US troop deaths in Afghanistan in 2008, the study says.
Released as the United States commemorates fallen soldiers on Veterans Day, the study warns that even health care provided by the Veterans Health Administration (VA) leaves many veterans without coverage.
The analysis uses census data to isolate the number of US veterans who lack both private health coverage and care offered by the VA.
Originally posted by Seiko
reply to post by HotSauce
Not all vets qualify for the va. .
Historically a health care system serving only veterans with service-connected disabilities, the VA is now open to all veterans and has become an important “safety net” for many low-income veterans who would otherwise be uninsured. However, 1.8 million U.S. veterans under age 65 continue to lack health insurance or access to care at Veterans Affairs hospitals as of 2004. This means that one in eight, or 12.7 percent of non-elderly veterans are uninsured, up from 9.9 percent in 2000. [4] About half of the 1.8 million uninsured veterans are classified in the lowest priority group (P8), and are not currently eligible for VA healthcare, while the rest may be eligible, but live too far from VA facilities to access services.
Eligibility for VA health care benefits depends solely on active military service in the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, or Coast Guard. Most of the nation’s 24 million veterans are eligible for some aspect of VA’s health care services if they choose to enroll. Enrolled veterans are assigned to one of eight priority levels (P1 through P8) based on their service-connected disabilities, income levels, and other factors. Under this priority system, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs decides each year whether VA’s medical budget is adequate to serve veterans in all priority groups who seek care.
Originally posted by Seiko
reply to post by lucentenigma
Historically a health care system serving only veterans with service-connected disabilities, the VA is now open to all veterans and has become an important “safety net” for many low-income veterans who would otherwise be uninsured. However, 1.8 million U.S. veterans under age 65 continue to lack health insurance or access to care at Veterans Affairs hospitals as of 2004. This means that one in eight, or 12.7 percent of non-elderly veterans are uninsured, up from 9.9 percent in 2000. [4] About half of the 1.8 million uninsured veterans are classified in the lowest priority group (P8), and are not currently eligible for VA healthcare, while the rest may be eligible, but live too far from VA facilities to access services.
kaiser study
Will that be sufficient?
Eligibility for VA health care benefits depends solely on active military service in the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, or Coast Guard. Most of the nation’s 24 million veterans are eligible for some aspect of VA’s health care services if they choose to enroll. Enrolled veterans are assigned to one of eight priority levels (P1 through P8) based on their service-connected disabilities, income levels, and other factors. Under this priority system, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs decides each year whether VA’s medical budget is adequate to serve veterans in all priority groups who seek care.