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Veterans Die from Lack of Health Insurance
From the web site of Physicians for a National Health Plan comes this summary of a new study on American veterans' limited access to health care. These figures as an estimate, extrapolated from an earlier study--but if they are right, they dwarf the number of deaths from combat, and rival the suicide figures I wrote about earlier today.
A research team at Harvard Medical School estimates 2,266 U.S. military veterans under the age of 65 died last year because they lacked health insurance and thus had reduced access to care. That figure is more than 14 times the number of deaths (155) suffered by U.S. troops in Afghanistan in 2008, and more than twice as many as have died (911 as of Oct. 31) since the war began in 2001.
The researchers, who released their analysis today [Tuesday], pointedly say the health reform legislation pending in the House and Senate will not significantly affect this grim picture.
The Harvard group analyzed data from the U.S. Census Bureau’s March 2009 Current Population Survey, which surveyed Americans about their insurance coverage and veteran status, and found that 1,461,615 veterans between the ages of 18 and 64 were uninsured in 2008. Veterans were only classified as uninsured if they neither had health insurance nor received ongoing care at Veterans Health Administration (VA) hospitals or clinics.
Using their recently published findings in the American Journal of Public Health that show being uninsured raises an individual’s odds of dying by 40 percent (causing 44,798 deaths in the United States annually among those aged 17 to 64), they arrived at their estimate of 2,266 preventable deaths of non-elderly veterans in 2008.
As the PNHP piece points out, many veterans do not have free access to government-funded health care through the VA system:
While many Americans believe that all veterans can get care from the VA, even combat veterans may not be able to obtain VA care, Woolhandler said. As a rule, VA facilities provide care for any veteran who is disabled by a condition connected to his or her military service and care for specific medical conditions acquired during military service.
Woolhandler said veterans who pass a means test are eligible for care in VA facilities, but have lower priority status...Veterans with higher incomes are classified in the lowest priority group and are not eligible for VA enrollment.
So after these men and women risk their lives in the military, we throw them on the mercy of the private system of medicine-for-profit, which is touted as a cherished part of the American way of life. It all gives a whole new meaning to dying for your country.
Lot of articles about
Lot of articles about veterans day today, and that's good. But where are the articles for veterans the rest of the year?
I agree
They are only interested in the well-being of the veterans when it is at a benefit to them. Once they get what they want, I bet the veterans will be forgotten again.
Used and Forgotten
While the comparisons of deaths in combat to deaths following the war is interesting as a comparative figure, it really has no specific significance because the number of active soldiers in combat zones at any time is relatively small compared to those no longer facing direct risk due to their military involvement. That said, given the mental and physical injuries that these veterans can face, one would think that we could ensure some level of reasonable funding to cover them in compensation for the risks that they face for the country. It seems that they are being treated as more expendable than most of us would think.
The headline is
The headline is fear-mongering. No one ever died due to a lack of health insurance. It's like saying "2,266 Drivers Totaled Cars Due to Lack of Auto Insurance". If a veteran makes over $28k, he can choose to get health coverage through the VA or other avenues. That means he can also choose not to get that coverage. It is a free country after all. Even then, charitable institutions, local governments, and philanthropists (Ross Perot comes to mind) provide a safety net to support veteran health care needs. A single-payer health insurance plan takes private property from one citizen and gives it to another. That's immoral, even if the recipient is a veteran. Veterans especially understand the need to preserve our human rights that they have fought to protect.
RE: the headline is fear-mongering
Please look up the word immoral. I truly don't believe that it was ever tied to your property AND lack of concern for the men and women that put their lives on the line so that you can buy a 60'' television and eat at the finest restaurants. The commercialization of Americans values is probably one of the most disheartening things that I've witnessed through my 45 years on the planet.
You are spouting the company line like a pro when you say taking property from one and giving it to another is immoral. So we are now going to equate taxes with property? So paying taxes so that children you don't know can have an education or roads will be built that you never see is immoral? You might have something here, we could redesign the whole government thing with your new original ideas.
Written, and demonstrating a
Written, and demonstrating a fundemental lack of understanding of what it means to be "insured," what "pooled risk is," the notion of private property, and even the economics of a single payer system, or private insurance. Even the anecdote of death due to lack of auto insurance is poorly constructed. The fundemental nature of insurance as a risk pool is "taking something from everyone", and spending it on a few. Furthermore, it is a simple, undeniable fact demonstrated by the Institute of Medicine and the National Acedemy of Sciences that people without health insurance die unnecessarily, and that the lack of insurance and access to care puts us at the highest rate of QUALY's lost in the western world. No one, save yourself is debating that. Fail. Try again.
Written, and demonstrating a
Written, and demonstrating a fundemental lack of understanding of what it means to be "insured," what "pooled risk is," the notion of private property, and even the economics of a single payer system, or private insurance. Even the anecdote of death due to lack of auto insurance is poorly constructed. The fundemental nature of insurance as a risk pool is "taking something from everyone", and spending it on a few. Furthermore, it is a simple, undeniable fact demonstrated by the Institute of Medicine and the National Acedemy of Sciences that people without health insurance die unnecessarily, and that the lack of insurance and access to care puts us at the highest rate of QUALY's lost in the western world. No one, save yourself is debating that. Fail. Try again.
How can you think that?
Yes, it's true that not all deaths of old uninsured people can be caused by a lack of insurance, but that's like saying oh the guy didn't die from lack of health insurance, he died from pneumonia. That is just ridiculous.
Mike-http://www.onedollarglobeinsurance.com
I'm sorry, no where in this
I'm sorry, no where in this article is the religion of this man notated. Is he Christian? Jewish? What? These are important details that are being held back. How will we know what religion we should hold accountable for this?
No way
Dude that is SO sad. Time we stop wasting resources in places we dont belng and start takin care of our own people!
RT
www.anon-tools.mirrorz.com
with all the money and power
with all the money and power residing in the states, there are too many third-world countries that make the american health care system look poor, providing universal health care to not only their veterans, but to the citizens of the country. If america wants to continue to call its self a first-world nation then americans need to do something to improve their situation.
Party stuff
Party stuffI saw some pics and i read that The number of U.S. veterans who died in 2008 because they lacked health insurance was 14 times higher than the U.S. military death toll in Afghanistan that year, according to a new study this is so sad really.
Thanks for really a nice
Thanks for really a nice post. I think charitable institutions, local governments, and philanthropists (Ross Perot comes to mind) provide a safety net to support veteran health care needs.It is very important.
gifts for her
Our Vets.
Are we nuts! America don't take care of our Veterans! We should be ashamed. Any discharged soldier should be able to walk into any doctors office and be taken care of even hospital to home again. Let the doctor send a fair bill to the USA Govt veterans affairs. If the guy/gal is a legit Vet then Pay the bill! With this stupid mentality, will we ever win another war? Sheeeessh!