Study: 2,200 Vets Died Last Year Because They Lacked Health Insurance
Study: 2,200 Vets Died Last Year Because They Lacked Health Insurance
On the eve of Veterans Day, a team of researchers from Harvard Medical School has released a study finding that an estimated 2,266 veterans under the age of 65 died last year because they did not have health insurance. That “translates to six preventable deaths per day” and more than twice the number killed in Afghanistan since the war began in 2001.
Being uninsured raises a person’s odds of dying prematurely by 40 percent. The researchers found that 1.46 million veterans between the ages of 18 and 64 lacked insurance in 2008. While most veterans are eligible to receive excellent care from the Veterans Administration, those who were not injured in combat and whose income is above a certain threshold are often ineligible. Others are assigned low priorities, providing them with less consistent and more expensive access to care:
“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, a professor at Harvard Medical School. [...]
Dr. David Himmelstein, the co-author of the analysis and associate professor of medicine at Harvard, commented, “On this Veterans Day we should not only honor the nearly 500 soldiers who have died this year in Iraq and Afghanistan, but also the more than 2,200 veterans who were killed by our broken health insurance system. That’s six preventable deaths a day.”
Unfortunately, health insurance is just one of many serious problems vets face. Up to one-in-five veterans of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan suffers from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, while male vets face suicide rates double the national average. And, as the VA under President Obama recognized, veterans still account for up to a quarter of all homeless.
The fact that even veterans cannot receive adequate health care demonstrates that the current system is broken and in need of dramatic overhaul. A robust public option will guarantee that vets and all working-class Americans will be able to afford quality health insurance. Still, the study’s authors warn that the health care legislation “would do virtually nothing for the uninsured until 2013” and would “leave at least 17 million uninsured over the long run when reform kicks in,” leaving many veterans without care.
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And those against the public option are usually so quick to claim the VA doesn’t work and that someone needs to think of the troops.
Wrapping yourself in the American flag while legislating directly in contradiction to the needs of those who have gave their blood for their country makes you a hypocrite.
November 10th, 2009 at 1:52 pmRepublican Party, “So?”
November 10th, 2009 at 1:52 pmSad, but this won’t bother the rightwingers in the least.
They’re pretty much all tough with the talk but nowhere to be found when it comes to serving their country in the military.
Besides, they only like veteran’s dying when they’re doing it in wars they’re (the GOP) too chickensh*t to show up for.
November 10th, 2009 at 1:53 pmGood job of framing it and wrapping the flag around it.
Only I hope that this isn’t then mis-interpreted to say the VA does a bad job. Instead, it is because not every vet can get in the VA. It happens when your illness is strongly related to your service.
November 10th, 2009 at 1:53 pmStudy: 2,200 Vets Died Last Year Because They Lacked Health Insurance
Just another indictment on how much the garbage GOP “supports the troops” …………
November 10th, 2009 at 1:58 pmDespicable. Outrageous. Unacceptable!
Republics spend a lot of time exhorting support for our troops.
Unfortunately, they are just empty rhetoric to garnish votes.
Health insurers aren’t at all patriotic; they’re profit mongers.
Republics shout down women in the House of Representatives over an issue that’s legal while holding ‘press conferences’ that encourage dimwits to portray our President as a Nazi.
Meanwhile, they carry crosses & flags to deflect attention from the fact they’re the problem, not the solution. Most never even served in the military, but consider themselves ‘expert’ on military matters. (See Cheney, Limpballs, Insannity.)
America has had as much Republic freedumb as She can stand.
November 10th, 2009 at 1:58 pmThis comment has been voted down. Click to read.
Sure, that 3000 people died on 911 was rational for the scam for profit in Iraq.
They dont care that tens of thousands of people die each year from flu, industrial accidents, lack of insurance cancer from tobacco and many other things. If they did the sociopathic aristoi would have to declare war on themselves and kill their God – - fiat.
November 10th, 2009 at 2:00 pmRepublicans to Veterans: Drop dead. Soon.
November 10th, 2009 at 2:01 pmOnly I hope that this isn’t then mis-interpreted to say the VA does a bad job. Instead, it is because not every vet can get in the VA. It happens when your illness is strongly related to your service.
November 10th, 2009 at 2:01 pmMost of the time anyways. some of these guys can’t get in because they just don’t have the room.
Anyone who completed their military service and was honorably discharged is eligible for VA benefits. I suspect that the military is still doing to soldiers what they did to me when I was out-processed—LYING. I was told that I was not eligible for veteran’s benefits and never would be.
As much as I’m in favor of single-payer, this problem can be solved by informing veterans of their rights and providing funding for their care.
November 10th, 2009 at 2:02 pmLondra kulesi muhaf?z? says:
——————————————————————————–
Are you azzholes watching the Fort Hood Memorial. Take a good look at what that unholy bas tard, Hasan has wrought! Explain again to those families filing in how Islam is the religion of peace!
FUC K muhammad and the goat he rode in on.
November 10th, 2009 at 2:00 pm
Get Chimpy and Company to visit each and every grave site , well over a million and still counting right now , and have them explain how noble and CHRISTIAN Bush’s Idiotic Iraq Adventure is , you stupid bastard ………..
November 10th, 2009 at 2:03 pmLOL – the dipsh*t @7 is pretending he cares about our troops.
Too funny.
November 10th, 2009 at 2:04 pmHmmm, the Troll has a Muslim sounding name…WTF?
November 10th, 2009 at 2:05 pmIt’s Turkish , actually , Zim ……….
November 10th, 2009 at 2:06 pmWow, that’s great Londra.
I’m sure you expressed the same outrage during the Va Tech massacre, the current serial killer from Cleveland, as well as the hundreds of war veterans who have committed suicide (and even murder) since returning home from Iraq.
Or…
Are you hear just to disrupt and not contribute?
November 10th, 2009 at 2:06 pmhear = here.
I’ve just dumbed down to Londra and Twajie level
November 10th, 2009 at 2:08 pmLondra kulesi muhaf?z? says:
Are you azzholes watching the Fort Hood Memorial. Take a good look at what that unholy bas tard, Hasan has wrought! Explain again to those families filing in how Islam is the religion of peace!
Yeah, George W. Bush’s BEST BUDDIES are the Saudis that FINANCE Al Queda.
And he sux their dix for OIL (being the TREASONOUS WHOREBAG he is).
November 10th, 2009 at 2:08 pm“Only I hope that this isn’t then mis-interpreted to say the VA does a bad job”
From everything I’ve heard, the VA does a pretty good job. One problem, related to not enough funding, is that there aren’t enough VA medical centers, and many vets have to travel almost prohibitively far to get to their nearest VAMC.
One of the major problems that I have with this legislation is that it won’t kick in until 2013 – do the aholes in Washington (Rs and Blue Dogs in particular) not understand that human beings, veterans and civilians, are dying by the tens of thousands each year? WTF is wrong with them? Or are they just envisioning that the political scene may have changed by 2012 and they can tank the whole healthcare reform idea by then?
November 10th, 2009 at 2:08 pmRepublican Sen. Coburn is STILL blocking the Veterans legislation currently in the Senate.
Proof that the GOP is the party of “We hate our veterans, but we’ll refuse to admit the truth!”
The Republican party has their base wrapped around their fingers, and believing their lies about how they supposedly support the troops. The only support they offer is to send Americans overseas to die for lies! THAT is the truth!
November 10th, 2009 at 2:09 pmMCMetal says:
It’s Turkish , actually , Zim ……….
Thanks, McMetal. Does that mean we can smoke ‘it’?
November 10th, 2009 at 2:09 pmHi Londra kulesi muhaf?z?
November 10th, 2009 at 2:11 pm#20 – ncbrickhome says:
——————————————————-
“Yeah, George W. Bush’s BEST BUDDIES are the Saudis that FINANCE Al Queda.
And he sux their dix for OIL (being the TREASONOUS WHOREBAG he is).”
November 10th, 2009 at 2:08 pm
You’re wasting your breath. “Londra kulesi muhaf?z?” has swallowed the right-whiners lies hook, line & sinker. He (she?) is a right-whining lemming who refuses to believe the truth about the right-whiners. “Londra kulesi muhaf?z?” loves to believe the lies over the truth.
November 10th, 2009 at 2:11 pm.
Shorter Sen. Tom Coburn (R-OK:
.
November 10th, 2009 at 2:11 pm.
Dear Landry,
But God blessed America, YES?
Praise jebuss!
.
November 10th, 2009 at 2:13 pmBTW Loserda
Make the same statement/feel the same way about Tim McVeigh , Terry Nichols and Christianity after they destroyed the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building and annihilated TWELVE TIMES as many Americans than Hasan did , you GOP leg humping ignoramus ?
November 10th, 2009 at 2:14 pm“…Harry Reid called Sen. Tom Coburn (R-OK) ‘illogical’ for holding up a veterans care bill…”
EXCUSE ME! EXCUSE ME, PLEASE!
Sen. Whimpy Reid DOESN’T HAVE TO “HOLD” THE BILL.
Shame on Reid, cowardly finger pointer.
November 10th, 2009 at 2:14 pmRepugs will hardly be swayed by this statistic. See, they love to wave the flag, wear flag pins, but that doesn’t cost any money.
They praise the soldier for “preserving freedom and democracy” around the world, but words are cheap, too.
When they have to allocate funds for veterans, whether it be in equipment or health care, they are pretty stingy.
They have no quarrel with starting wars and then making sure that the defense contractors can continue profiteering, in which their political advocates get a cut.
They b!tch and moan about expenditures for people, but when it comes to tax cuts for their wealthy constituents and donors, they are quick to sign on.
Meanwhile, as our current Neros fiddle, more of us will die.
November 10th, 2009 at 2:15 pmLondra again manifests his pre-exsisting condition:
Being willfully stupid, hateful, and ignorant.
November 10th, 2009 at 2:17 pmZimzone says:
——————————————————————————–
MCMetal says:
It’s Turkish , actually , Zim ……….
Thanks, McMetal. Does that mean we can smoke ‘it’?
November 10th, 2009 at 2:09 pm
Unfortunately , no ………..Actually , Londra kulesi means “Tower of London”
November 10th, 2009 at 2:17 pm“I’ve just dumbed down to Londra and Twajie level”
You, DRxJ? Never!
November 10th, 2009 at 2:18 pmLondra kulesi muhaf?z? says
November 10th, 2009 at 2:00 pm
Explain again to those families filing in how Islam is the religion of peace!
_____________________________________________________________
Condemning an entire world religion based on the actions of one violent misguided individual makes as much sense as condemning all of Christianity based on the actions of Scott Roeder or Eric Rudolph.
Now, do you have anything to contribute that’s actually ON TOPIC? If not, just go away.
November 10th, 2009 at 2:18 pmTo my Father and Brother and all Veterans,
November 10th, 2009 at 2:19 pmI am in awe of your service and sacrifice in keeping our Country safe and free.
Thank You for your service.
Republican’s don’t give a damn about vets…
…just our troops…as long as they’re killing stuff and they’re making war profits.
November 10th, 2009 at 2:20 pmRepublics are pro-life until birth. After that, we’re all just cannon fodder for the latest ‘war of corporate necessity’.
They want to breed soldiers, not citizens.
November 10th, 2009 at 2:23 pmThis comment has been voted down. Click to read.
missmolly,
I guess Landry thinks Scott Roeder was anti-christian too…
… Seeing that he killed Dr. Tiller while Tiller was in a Christian Church.
I guess Landry thinks all abortion killers are anti-Christians, NO?
.
November 10th, 2009 at 2:26 pm“…and the senate will surly follow”
I love typos. I surely hope that the surly senate does follow! ;)
November 10th, 2009 at 2:29 pm.
Vets and health care is like Halaburton/KBR/Blackwater being held accountable for poisoning/killing/raping/kidnapping…
… Congress will continue to fall short!
.
November 10th, 2009 at 2:30 pmLondra kulesi muhaf?z? says:
“Explain again to those families filing in how Islam is the religion of peace!
FUC K muhammad and the goat he rode in on.”
As long as there is religion there will never be peace.
November 10th, 2009 at 2:30 pmand btw, FUC K you!
I think it’s telling with regard to who cares more about veterans that Obama put a former general in charge of the VA. George W. Bush only cared enough to staff it with a political hack.
November 10th, 2009 at 2:31 pmHey Slappy,
November 10th, 2009 at 2:31 pmHow about staying on topic for once instead of going off on a non-sensical rant like you usually do. It would be helpful.
Thanks.
SlappyBastinado says:
——————————————————————————–
November 10th, 2009 at 2:24 pm
How did a moronic , backwards-ass ingrate like yourself , end up in such a nice , progressive area like Washington ?
I feel great sorrow for them …….
November 10th, 2009 at 2:32 pmLondra kulesi muhaf?z? @ 7 flagged for racism.
November 10th, 2009 at 2:32 pmRegarding Coburn and the hold:
From the website of the United States Senate:
So what is preventing the spineless Reid from just ignoring the hold?? This is maddening!! Tomorrow is Veteran’s Day, for crying out loud!
Senator Reid, on behalf of all my fellow veterans, IGNORE COBURN’S HOLD!
November 10th, 2009 at 2:32 pmLondra kulesi muhaf?z? says:
Are you azzholes watching the Fort Hood Memorial. Take a good look at what that unholy bas tard, Hasan has wrought! Explain again to those families filing in how Islam is the religion of peace!
FUC K muhammad and the goat he rode in on.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I’m sure Jesus would be proud of the message you carry.
November 10th, 2009 at 2:33 pmThe “patriotic” rethugs only care about the veterans when they’re fighting in the war. Once they’re home, they couldn’t care less. Much like their “pro life” stance-they only care about a fetus until it is delivered and breathing….after that they couldn’t care less. These “patriotic” thugs really are disturbed and pathetic.
November 10th, 2009 at 2:33 pm“Surly doesn’t car about anyone but Surly”
November 10th, 2009 at 2:35 pmThis is more than immoral, it is evil. We send these brave young men and women to fight war only to leave them by the wayside when they return. Coburn should hang his head in shame.
November 10th, 2009 at 2:35 pm“care”
November 10th, 2009 at 2:36 pmSpineless bastardo can’t acknowledge the subject matter of this thread but has the gaul to lump together vets and global warming to create some hodpodge of right wing talking points.
Veterans have given more to this country than most can imagine and they deserve the best care at affordable prices. This wouldn’t come close to honoring their sacrifices but can be a start in showing our gratitude.
November 10th, 2009 at 2:36 pmdbad@50, LOL! I love the Simpson’s. Remember Selma’s reply, “Sorry, Surly.” Surly, “Shut-up”
November 10th, 2009 at 2:37 pmIsn’t illogical Coburn’s middle name?
November 10th, 2009 at 2:42 pmThe same to you Londra kulesi muhaf?z?
Signed
Jesus.
November 10th, 2009 at 2:45 pmfrom the Committee on Education and Labor
on The Affordable Health Care for America Act [H.R. 3962],
http://edlabor.house.gov/blog/2009/10/affordable-health-care.shtml
look under
November 10th, 2009 at 2:46 pmAdditional Information: “Top 14 Provisions That Take Effect Immediately“
MC….shirley you remember as I have stated before….I live high in the Willapa hills…..far from the rest of civilization (almost) off the grid and comfortably self reliant. I paid for my own road and receive no police, fire, ambulance or mosquito spraying that I pay for, no kids in school and on and on…but yet I pay and freely. When global warming comes….I am prepared. I know the rest of you will live on forever but I will not. If I cant fix a boo-boo with an aspirin, Jack Danials or a Buck knife….or my chain saw turns on me…I’m screwed….what are YOU so afraid of??????????
November 10th, 2009 at 2:49 pmdass you a funy gi
November 10th, 2009 at 2:50 pmSlappy. whats your point? So you ran away to live all by yourself, so what? What is the point you are trying to make? Not everyone can be a hermit, or for that matter would want too.
November 10th, 2009 at 2:53 pmslappy didn’t have a choice. He can’t get along with others.
November 10th, 2009 at 2:54 pmWe’re not afraid of you, Slappy, but you should be afraid of earthquakes. 8.0 on the Richter a 150 years ago, eh?
November 10th, 2009 at 2:57 pmWhat’s your plan when the West Coast joins the great Pacific?
SlappyBastinado says:
November 10th, 2009 at 2:57 pm“or my chain saw turns on me…I’m screwed….what are YOU so afraid of??????????”
Your chainsaw will start turning you on.
“MC….shirley you remember…”
And stop calling MC “Shirley”!
P.D., when I see the word ’surly’, I can only think of the Simpson’s!
November 10th, 2009 at 2:58 pmThe world thanks Slappy for retreating to the boonies. Now, if only the squirrel running his generator would die.
That is how you get your power, right Slappy?
November 10th, 2009 at 2:59 pmright zooey, and slappy never drives on a public highway or went to a public school or drank clean water.
He’s a self made man….
November 10th, 2009 at 3:01 pmangels88….its kinda like this…..see the story on the top of the page??????? If the vets had had health care they would be alive today…right? So if ALL Americans, 306,000,000 of us HUGE numbers will live on and on and on….they need places to stay and live and with global warming coming use some logic!!!!!!!!!!! YOU maybe moving into MY neighborhood.
Fred THAT WAS my choice! Sheeesh!
November 10th, 2009 at 3:01 pmI need to take issue with this statement in the story:
I thought everyone’s odds of dying were 100%…that statement needs clarification.
November 10th, 2009 at 3:02 pmSo you live isolated because you don’t like people? Never would have guessed that….
November 10th, 2009 at 3:03 pmZooboy….I know its hard to believe but we have wind and the sun here in the hills…………
Fred…..water????????? 5 feet of it falls from the sky every year here son????????? WTF?
November 10th, 2009 at 3:03 pmslappy, the notion of a self made man is a joke on you. You have taken from us in the past. You are a leech who doesn’t contribute but takes.
There is no such animal as a self-made man. You embarrass yourself.
Oh, keep drinking that rainwater, it seems to be improving your iq.
November 10th, 2009 at 3:06 pmFred…..just the ones I want to deal with……..don’t you wish you had that choice? I can turn YOU off and on with just one click and your gone…..buy, buy….
November 10th, 2009 at 3:07 pmslappy, why don’t you care about our vets?
November 10th, 2009 at 3:07 pmslappy, maybe you should have finished school. It’s bye bye. I’m not buying what you’re shovelin.
November 10th, 2009 at 3:08 pmFred….before I go Buy, Buy way down at the local store…..I think I said we need to build new hospitials and housing for them…….where did you get that I don’t dare to care?
November 10th, 2009 at 3:09 pmIt doesn’t matter if you live on the grid or nearly off it like slappy here. You were able to make that choice because there are veterans who have given up their freedoms so others may keep theirs.
In my opinion they should have free healthcare. Short of that, they deserve quality, affordable healthcare.
Slappy, are you willing to deny veterans this?
November 10th, 2009 at 3:10 pmBy the way, I am going bye, bye to buy, buy from a bi believe it or not so bye.
November 10th, 2009 at 3:11 pmIt’s obvious to all except the ignorant like yourself that you don’t want to discuss it. You feel like you are important, more important than the discussion.
We disagree. You are nothing.
November 10th, 2009 at 3:11 pmKeep the beavers out of your rain barrel slappy, Jack Daniels won’t cure giardia…
November 10th, 2009 at 3:11 pmhelen……why do you assume I am not a vet?
November 10th, 2009 at 3:12 pmSlappy I seem to remember you on this blog telling us that global warming was a left wing hoax. Now you are here telling us that you are ready for when global warming hits? Try keeping your lies straight.
November 10th, 2009 at 3:13 pmSlappyBastinado says:
November 10th, 2009 at 3:13 pm“By the way, I am going bye, bye to buy, buy from a bi believe it or not so bye.”
Need a new chain for your Husqymama?
Slappy might be able to create his own power with the sun and the wind, but he can’t say he’s “off the grid” while he’s ON the internet.
November 10th, 2009 at 3:16 pmStihl
November 10th, 2009 at 3:20 pmVets lacked health insurance? But not, obviously, access to gub’mint health care via the VA:
You didn’t think this through very well, did you?
November 10th, 2009 at 3:21 pm.
@85 and here comes the trainwreck troll
November 10th, 2009 at 3:24 pm“Being uninsured raises a person’s odds of dying by 40 percent.”
____________________________________________________________
Can we qualify this somewhat, TP? The truth is that the “odds” of any given person dying, insured or not, is 100%. Eventually.
What we need to focus on is the odds of dying prematurely, or dying from a preventable or treatable condition. And uninsured people die in this manner at a much higher rate than insured people (although at the rate insured people are getting their policies rescinded and claims denied, that gap may be closing).
Let’s make sure we make the point accurately. The last thing we want is some troll coming in here accusing our side of implying that adequate health insurance guarantees a person will never die.
November 10th, 2009 at 3:24 pmMissmolly @87.
November 10th, 2009 at 3:25 pmToo late. SlappyBoy and Trainwreck are already here.
SlappyBastinado says:
Stihl
You’ll get caught one day.
November 10th, 2009 at 3:27 pmSenator Coburn, here’s wishing you a nice case of STD, the incurable kind.
November 10th, 2009 at 3:27 pmYour Karma, jackass.
SlappyBastinado says:
you calling willapa off the beaten path mmmmmm is that in washinton state?
November 10th, 2009 at 3:28 pmslappy, I never once indicated whether or not you are a vet. I was asking you to make a stand on the subject matter of the thread. Do you, or do you not support affordable healthcare for veterans?
November 10th, 2009 at 3:31 pm“Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid called Sen. Tom Coburn (R-OK) ‘illogical’ for holding up a veterans care bill…”
November 10th, 2009 at 3:33 pmImmoral is a better descriptor.
Grow a spine Harry.
First, providing that statistic is true, then it’s shameful and pathetic. Our veterans should not have to worry about health insurance at all. But while you’re throwing blame around, try to remember that one of Obama’s first moves was attempting to take away the care veterans have.
Second, have any of you that have been criticizing Republicans bothered to read the linked article? Doesn’t look like the Dems are offering up a solution for this problem either:
November 10th, 2009 at 3:36 pm
locomotivebreath1901 says:
As a Jethro Tull fan, I resent anything this troll has to say.
November 10th, 2009 at 3:36 pmJane E. Schneider says:
locomotivebreath1901 says:
As a Jethro Tull fan, I resent anything this troll has to say.
yes Ian would not like him using this name,,,,, being a large jethro fan myself.
November 10th, 2009 at 3:38 pm“Study: 2,200 Vets Died Last Year Because They Lacked Health Insurance”
’splain this one Rushpubs!
I Double-Dog-Dare-Ya.
November 10th, 2009 at 3:46 pmgetOverIt says:
First, providing that statistic is true, then it’s shameful and pathetic. Our veterans should not have to worry about health insurance at all. But while you’re throwing blame around, try to remember that one of Obama’s first moves was attempting to take away the care veterans have.
LOL>>> well that is small compared to the billions the great war fighter GWB and company took from the VA before sending us off on a war of choice. And think out loud dose not mean that its what they are trying to do.
November 10th, 2009 at 3:46 pmthe only problem the VA has id two fold>>>> one under funded under staffed and over worked.
getOverIt says:
“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.”
Of course it won’t. The current legislation does little to help anyone.
Reading the comments posted on this thread, I find criticism leveled at both Republicans and Democrats.
November 10th, 2009 at 3:51 pmAt least the Democrats are trying to achieve some measure of reform.
The Republicans are merely obstructing. If the Republicans controlled Congress or the White House, we would see absolutely no attempt at reform.
It wouldn’t even be brought up.
#85 – locomotivebreath1901 says:
—————————————————
“You didn’t think this through very well, did you?”
November 10th, 2009 at 3:21 pm
Not entirely true.
All veterans can go to a VA hospital, but if they make more than a certain amount (usually $60,000 annually) they have to pay for 100% their service.
Unless they fall into a category where their service is covered by the VA: retiring at the end of 20 years, have a disability when they retired from the military, or they have conditions related to when they were in the service.
I’m a veteran, and have direct experience visiting the VA, that’s why I know about these clauses that are only known to those who do research rather than cite news reports that were made to support an agenda.
November 10th, 2009 at 3:57 pmPilotshark says:
GWB has nothing to do with this post, but that fact aside, I’ve never been a supporter of Bush or the war. It was foolish and unnecessary and needlessly claimed the lives of many of our children…as has the stupidity continuing in Afghanistan, thanks to Obama.
And if you believe that “thinking out loud does not mean that its what they are trying to do” then you are a pretty naive fellow. Why would he even “think out loud” about that at all? Hmmm….could it that if he didn’t get an adverse reaction that he would have taken the next step? No, I’m sure he was just “thinking out loud.”
November 10th, 2009 at 4:01 pmFor anyone who’s interested there are many more then the reported 2,200 for last years goes much higher when you count the 6 years during the Bush/Cheney Administration. Americans weren’t allowed to know because it would up set them. Now I notice they aren’t giving a count of those who are still suffering and likely to kill themselves in the future because of stress and nightmares of what they saw and did. Senator Coburn and his fellow Republicans and some Democrats can be proud they played a large part in soldiers death and future deaths if this Health Care Plan doesn’t pass. Yes this is an example of what America means when the famous phase ” WE SUPPORT OUR TROOPS” just don’t ask for anything.
November 10th, 2009 at 4:44 pm“GWB has nothing to do with this post, but that fact aside, I’ve never been a supporter of Bush or the war. It was foolish and unnecessary and needlessly claimed the lives of many of our children…as has the stupidity continuing in Afghanistan, thanks to Obama.”
GWB and his wars and lack of support for troops and veterans has everything to do with this post. These vets didn’t just start dying due to lack of healthcare on 1/20/09. And, while I am unhappy with the continuation of both wars, no one in their right mind can totally blame President Obama.
November 10th, 2009 at 4:59 pmVets lacked health insurance? But not, obviously, access to gub’mint health care via the VA:
“Veterans were only classified as uninsured if they neither had health insurance nor received ongoing care at Veterans Health Administration (VA) hospitals or clinics.”
You didn’t think this through very well, did you? — LocomotiveBreath1901
******************************************************
Frankly, LB, it seems to me as if you’re the one who didn’t think this through very well. With all due respect, what part of the following paragraph do you not understand?
While most veterans are eligible to receive excellent care from the Veterans Administration, those who were not injured in combat and whose income is above a certain threshold are often ineligible…”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, a professor at Harvard Medical School.
What this means is that many veterans who were unfortunate enough (at least in this context) to serve during peacetime and/or who were stationed stateside or otherwise outside of a combat zone may not have been eligible to receive medical care from the VA because they never served in combat (and hence were never injured) and because their incomes exceed the need-based eligibility requirements, which explains why they’re not receiving ongoing treatment from the VA. So how could such a person be receiving, as you put it, “access to gub’mint health care”? There are probably more people like that than you think, because the monthly premiums even for basic major medical insurance are not exactly cheap and they’re on the increase — and people who are working on a part-time or contract basis are often ineligible for coverage through their employers (which is precisely the reason why some companies, especially in rural or semi-rural areas, are doing it) yet not necessarily making enough to pay for insurance in addition to their other expenses.
November 10th, 2009 at 5:03 pmBluestocking, my husband Wayne is a Cold War vet, he certainly isn’t eligible for VA benefits. The only time he might have been ‘in harm’s way’ would be when there was that horrible crash at the air show at Ramstein Air Base–fortunately,he was home on leave with me at the time, otherwise he would have been by the beer tent.
November 10th, 2009 at 5:24 pmJane E. Schneider says:
P.D., when I see the word ’surly’, I can only think of the Simpson’s!
November 10th, 2009 at 5:28 pm—-
Since you love typos, thought you should know “Simpsons” doesn’t have an apostrophe. Love ya!
Aksarben60, I noticed my error right after I posted it, I guess I should have posted a correction. And I always get infuriated when I see plurals spelt with ‘apostrophe-s’! My bad. :(
November 10th, 2009 at 5:41 pmI hear ya, Jane. I get aggrivated with “over apostrophe usage” (I just made that up). LOL
November 10th, 2009 at 5:41 pmYeah, I guess TP gave us that ‘preview’ thingy for good reason… :/
November 10th, 2009 at 5:48 pmI’m a Cold War vet. Started getting VA care in 1999. Never payed for an appointment. Before I got my disability rating, I made some co-pays for meds. I wonder if this varies by state.
November 10th, 2009 at 6:34 pmDisgusting. “Means tested” VA benefits?
Did these guys possibly serve our country within a reasonable probability, or did they 100% serve?
This is absurd that any Vet would be denied healthcare from the VA.
Once again, when millionaires write legislation, they write legislation that millionaires write.
November 10th, 2009 at 7:25 pmThe truth is certainly out: it’s the GOP that hates the troops.
November 10th, 2009 at 7:56 pmDisgusting. “Means tested” VA benefits?
Did these guys possibly serve our country within a reasonable probability, or did they 100% serve?
This is absurd that any Vet would be denied healthcare from the VA.
Once again, when millionaires write legislation, they write legislation that millionaires write. — Rodeskawler
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I hear you, believe me. One of the many signs which indicate how misplaced our priorities have become is the way in which we have been treating our nation’s veterans over the past few years — many of whom have paid a steep price both physically and emotionally to help keep this country safe. In fact, let me take Hellinabucket’s suggestion about free health care for veterans one step further — since Congresscritter salaries are already three times the national median income (which if I’m not mistaken puts them in the top ten percentile) and since many of them receive additional income from speaking engagements and so forth, I think it’s about damn time that they started paying for or at least contributing to their own health care costs. There’s very little reason to believe that the Founding Fathers intended politics to be a lifelong career anyway — and perhaps if these people were required to do this, they might start to get a better perspective of what many of their constituents have to face. If they did that, maybe this might even encourage their constituents to start respecting them and taking them seriously again!
However, let me play “devil’s advocate” for a moment (I often find it hard to resist). Rightly or wrongly, life deals in realities. In order to have a hope of getting it to where we want it to be, first we have to meet it where it is — and the fact is that the VA is a governmental agency which has had to face the reality of budget cuts more than once over the past few years (”Support The Troops” be damned). As a result, they have to turn people away by necessity rather than by choice so that they can stay within their budget and still provide adequate care to the most needy veterans — namely, those who received debilitating injuries in combat and those in financial need. I very much doubt that they wouldn’t do this if circumstances didn’t compel them to do so — I feel confident that if it were up to them and they had the funding and resources to do so, every veteran who truly needed it would be able to receive good health care. Sadly, this is not the case — and worst of all, just as has been happening increasingly within the civilian population, the ones who are falling through the cracks and suffering the most are those in the upper-working/lower-middle class who are scraping by and making too money to be called poor yet not enough to have any real financial security.
November 10th, 2009 at 9:52 pmI had a really disturbing experience a few years ago. I tried to organize the local retired military to throw their support [over 100 people] to improving veterans’ benefits when a change in legislation was pending.
Not only did I get no support, but I got hate e-mails from angry retirees who expressed their unwillingness to provide care for veterans who “only served a couple of years” even though they were disabled or otherwise had healthcare needs.
I was so disgusted with the reactions, especially from these fellow military men. Usually when you hear an attitude like that it’s from someone who drove a desk for 20 years.
No one wants to pay a nickel to support anyone. So much for all that ‘thank you for your service’ nonsense. These are the same people who are against healthcare for everyone. Of course, they think they’ve got theirs and they ‘worked’ for it.
November 10th, 2009 at 11:17 pmThe DAV does good work. Many retirees volunteer to help all veterans and don’t cop attitudes.
November 11th, 2009 at 1:42 amSlappyBeggerino
Why do you bother. No matter how much you beg there is no pity for you here. Your post is sewered. You are ignorant. Your begging is just pathetic and no one is giving you anymore pity. Its too much like giving a crack addict a rock
November 12th, 2009 at 8:00 amLondra
FUKC off and DIE. Just kill yourself you ignorant and putrid pile of dogshit
November 12th, 2009 at 8:02 am