Study: 1 in 8 vets under 65 is uninsured

[unhappycamper]

Study: 1 in 8 vets under 65 is uninsured
By Kevin Freking - The Associated Press
Posted : Wednesday Oct 31, 2007 6:27:34 EDT

WASHINGTON — About one of every eight veterans under the age of 65 is uninsured, a finding that contradicts the assumption many have that all vets qualify for free health care through the Veterans Affairs Department, according to a new study.

Researchers at Harvard Medical School projected that about 1.8 million veterans overall lack health coverage. That’s an increase of 290,000 since 2000. The researchers said most uninsured veterans are in the middle class and are ineligible for VA care because of their incomes. Still others cannot afford their co-payments, or lack VA facilities in their community.

“Like other uninsured Americans, most uninsured vets are working people — too poor to afford private coverage but not poor enough to qualify for Medicaid or means-tested VA care,” said Dr. Steffie Woolhandler, an associate professor and a physician at the Cambridge Health Alliance.

The study is based on an analysis of government surveys released between 1988 and 2005. Veterans do fare better than the overall population when it comes to obtaining health insurance. Still, the Harvard researchers said the rising number of uninsured vets points to the need for more funding for VA. The best solution, they said, would be for universal health coverage in the U.S.

“Only the government can put men and women into military service and only the government can guarantee that they are covered after they serve,” said Dr. Jeffrey Scavron.

The study notes that in January 2003, VA ordered a halt to the enrollment of most veterans who are not poor. The move was designed to reduce the backlog of patients waiting for care.


Rest of article at: http://www.navytimes.com/news/2007/10/ap_veteranshealth_071031/

[rodeodance]

1. The best solution, they said, would be for universal health coverage in the U.S.

[Submariner]

2. I'm one of the 1 of 8 veterans that meet the aforementioned criteria

What busts my chops the most about this situation is that my health care was taken away by that yellow-bellied draft-dodging coward 5 deferment Cheney, and his puppet W who went AWOL from his pussy National Guard assignment and deserted his post. The republicans are cowards.

[izzie]

3. My ex husband went into the service in 1950 and he did a lot

of work in the next 20 years on medical stuff. He often said that vets mis-understand what they were told they had. He said that what was sold to men going in was 'care after you got out on a 'if their was room' only for retired and vets got care if it was a service illness. Has this changed? Some of the laws that were in 50 years ago have gone by the way side with the service we have now. I do recall him being very mad that he would go to medicare at that medicare age as he wished to stay just under a retirement style care. It did not mean a thing to him in his care in the lone run. As aa ex wife I lost my care from the service. Now with the time I was married they could not do that. Frankly I was very happy with the service even if it was social style care. You must be talking about vets and not retired service people. I can see a big problem trying to figure if some things came from a service illness or just where it came from, if the vet part still works the same way it did.