HEALTHCARE IN THE UNITED STATES

SPECIAL POPULATIONS

VA, my experience with the VA changed to excellent from 2009–2016. I moved to Italy in 2016 and Germany from 2018 to the present. I haven’t had any visits with VA clinics during this time. However, I would add, it would be great for the VA to have more facilities accessible for veterans to utilize while working overseas.

First person perspective vignette collected and created by D. Howe, 2020.

For your consideration: Mr. B. notes that after 2009, he had excellent care with the Veterans Administration. With so many negative stories in the media over the past few years, were you surprised to hear about Mr. B.’s positive experience with the VA?

The VA offered Mr. B. the opportunity to seek care outside of the VA health system to expedite his ability to see a doctor, but it would require a $25 copay. Once or twice, this fee may seem nominal, but for complicated health issues that require frequent medical visits, the copay fees can add up quickly. For veterans unable or unwilling to pay the $25 copay, their care may be delayed while waiting for an appointment with the VA. This scenario then becomes an access issue noting that those with money tend to receive quicker and better care.

In consideration of the many sacrifices our military members give in service, should all healthcare services be free to retired veterans? Should retired veterans have to pay copays to receive timely care? What solutions would you offer? Discuss and share your ideas.

Health issues affecting military veterans depends upon many unique factors, such as the era in which they served and their type of service (war or peacetime). The Veterans Administration (VA) has a specific site, “Veterans health issues related to service history,” which covers all wars, from World War II (1939–1945) through Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan (2001–2014). Each era has a link to specific health conditions, criteria for eligibility, and the steps needed to seek care. For example, World War II notes such conditions as noise, radiation, mustard gas, and extreme cold, and Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) notes burn pit smoke, extreme cold, extreme heat, explosions, noise, and depleted uranium. In total, seven war time eras are presented for veterans to review. Other types of impact areas include mental health, military sexual trauma, substance abuse problems, exposure to hazardous materials, and women’s healthcare needs (VA, 2019).

According to the United Health Foundation (2019), military returning from recent Gulf Wars have emerging health needs due to unusual combat-related circumstances. Our military members are experiencing more frequent and longer deployments exposing them to extreme stress in combat. As a result, extraordinary numbers of veterans are presenting with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) (United Health Foundation, 2019). Less

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