Wednesday, October 20, 2004
US Health Care Report: ~1.7 Million Veterans Uninsured `
An interesting report from Physicians for a National Health Program and a Harvard Med School doctor says 1.7 Million US military veterans have neither health insurance nor VA coverage. Some basic numerical context:
US Population: 295 Million, 45 Million uninsured (15%)
US Veterans: 23 Million, 1.7Million uninsured (7.4%)
Reuters highlights the report's criticism of Bush's "January 2003 decision... to suspend eligibility for so-called Category 8 veterans, who include 'middle-income' ex-servicemen and women making on average $25,000 a year or more." Basically, you can't be added to the list anymore if you have a decent wage/salary/net worth, accounting for half of the uninsured vets. Insert bullshit soundbite from Cmdr-In-Chief Bush here.
The actual report is an easy read, with the Categories 1-8 defined in appendix. Among the most interesting points is that the problem is by far worst among the youngest veterans (under age 25): more than 1 in 3 is uninsured. Old veterans qualify for Medicare. Young don't.
If you want a human face on this story, try ABC's Injured Iraq Vets Come Home to Poverty: "Army Spc. Tyson Johnson III of Mobile, Ala., who lost a kidney in a mortar attack last year in Iraq, was still recovering at Walter Reed Army Medical Center when he received notice from the Pentagon's own collection agency that he owed more than $2,700 because he could not fulfill his full 36-month tour of duty. "
US Population: 295 Million, 45 Million uninsured (15%)
US Veterans: 23 Million, 1.7Million uninsured (7.4%)
Reuters highlights the report's criticism of Bush's "January 2003 decision... to suspend eligibility for so-called Category 8 veterans, who include 'middle-income' ex-servicemen and women making on average $25,000 a year or more." Basically, you can't be added to the list anymore if you have a decent wage/salary/net worth, accounting for half of the uninsured vets. Insert bullshit soundbite from Cmdr-In-Chief Bush here.
The actual report is an easy read, with the Categories 1-8 defined in appendix. Among the most interesting points is that the problem is by far worst among the youngest veterans (under age 25): more than 1 in 3 is uninsured. Old veterans qualify for Medicare. Young don't.
| Service Era | # of
Living Vets | # lacking
coverage |
% |
| Other (incl. Gulf War) | 8,270,505 | 999,548 | 12.1% |
| Vietnam | 7,851,118 | 681,808 | 8.7% |
| Korean War | 3,044,749 | 6,921 | 0.2% |
| World War II | 3,900,316 | 6,039 | 0.2% |
| All eras | 23,066,688 | 1,694,316 | 7.3% |
If you want a human face on this story, try ABC's Injured Iraq Vets Come Home to Poverty: "Army Spc. Tyson Johnson III of Mobile, Ala., who lost a kidney in a mortar attack last year in Iraq, was still recovering at Walter Reed Army Medical Center when he received notice from the Pentagon's own collection agency that he owed more than $2,700 because he could not fulfill his full 36-month tour of duty. "
Additional points:
- "the Pentagon listed the bonus on his credit report as an unpaid government loan, making it impossible for him to rent an apartment or obtain credit cards"
- "Johnson now lives in his car. It is where he spends most of his days, all of his nights, in constant pain from his injuries and unwilling to burden his family"
- "One year after nearly being killed in combat, the Pentagon has yet to send Johnson his Purple Heart."
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