| Copyright 2007 Colorado Veterans Alliance |
VETERANS WAITING FOR CARE AND BENEFITS
More than 1.51 million troops have served in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Over 26,000 troops have been wounded in action, and almost
45,000 veterans have been diagnosed with PTSD. Since 2001,
138,000 veterans have received benefits from the Department of
Veterans Affairs.
But many of these troops and veterans are being forced to wait
months and even years for medical appointments and disability
pensions. Some veterans with serious mental health problems have
committed suicide while waiting for emergency counseling, and
others have fallen into debt awaiting government compensation for
their injuries.
A major cause of the delays is the maze of paperwork troops and
veterans must navigate to get care or benefits. The Department of
Defense (DOD) and the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) have
separate health care systems and separate disability benefits
systems, each with an exceptionally complicated and confusing
bureaucracy.
CARE AND BENEFITS FOR WOUNDED TROOPS
The medical care offered through the Department of Defense (DOD)
is some of the most advanced in the world. But some wounded
troops are suffering delays in treatment because the military does
not consistently use a digital medical records system. Moreover,
troops too wounded to continue their service must chaperone
complicated paperwork through an incredibly arduous and confusing
process of medical evaluation. Veterans' advocates believe the
Army is taking advantage of troops' confusion to lower their disability
ratings and save money.
A DIFFICULT TRANSITION FROM THE DOD to the VA
When these injured troops leave the service, they are transferred to
the VA system. Other troops with less acute injuries, like
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder or hearing loss, also apply to the VA
for their care and benefits once they have left the service.
Unfortunately, the transition from DOD and VA is far from seamless.
Paperwork regularly gets lost in the shuffle, and the transition to a
local VA facility can mean a lower standard of care.
CARE AND BENEFITS FOR VETERANS
Recent changes to VA eligibility rules have restricted access to VA
health care, and contributed to the 1.8 million veterans who lack any
health insurance. Once in the VA system, veterans face more delays
and bureaucratic hurdles. Tens of thousands of veterans are
waiting, sometimes six months or more, for their first primary-care
appointment to be scheduled. The backlog is especially severe for
veterans seeking mental health treatment. A VA official has admitted
that mental health and substance abuse care are "virtually
inaccessible." The VA disability benefits system is also massively
backlogged. There are over 378,000 pending disability claims,
including 83,000 that have been waiting six months or more.
The public outrage over bureaucratic neglect and shoddy conditions
at Walter Reed Army Medical Center shined light on the many
problems facing wounded troops and veterans. New commissions
have made a wide array of recommendations to resolve these issues,
but whether these recommendations will be effectively implemented
remains to be seen.
More than 1.51 million troops have served in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Over 26,000 troops have been wounded in action, and almost
45,000 veterans have been diagnosed with PTSD. Since 2001,
138,000 veterans have received benefits from the Department of
Veterans Affairs.
But many of these troops and veterans are being forced to wait
months and even years for medical appointments and disability
pensions. Some veterans with serious mental health problems have
committed suicide while waiting for emergency counseling, and
others have fallen into debt awaiting government compensation for
their injuries.
A major cause of the delays is the maze of paperwork troops and
veterans must navigate to get care or benefits. The Department of
Defense (DOD) and the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) have
separate health care systems and separate disability benefits
systems, each with an exceptionally complicated and confusing
bureaucracy.
CARE AND BENEFITS FOR WOUNDED TROOPS
The medical care offered through the Department of Defense (DOD)
is some of the most advanced in the world. But some wounded
troops are suffering delays in treatment because the military does
not consistently use a digital medical records system. Moreover,
troops too wounded to continue their service must chaperone
complicated paperwork through an incredibly arduous and confusing
process of medical evaluation. Veterans' advocates believe the
Army is taking advantage of troops' confusion to lower their disability
ratings and save money.
A DIFFICULT TRANSITION FROM THE DOD to the VA
When these injured troops leave the service, they are transferred to
the VA system. Other troops with less acute injuries, like
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder or hearing loss, also apply to the VA
for their care and benefits once they have left the service.
Unfortunately, the transition from DOD and VA is far from seamless.
Paperwork regularly gets lost in the shuffle, and the transition to a
local VA facility can mean a lower standard of care.
CARE AND BENEFITS FOR VETERANS
Recent changes to VA eligibility rules have restricted access to VA
health care, and contributed to the 1.8 million veterans who lack any
health insurance. Once in the VA system, veterans face more delays
and bureaucratic hurdles. Tens of thousands of veterans are
waiting, sometimes six months or more, for their first primary-care
appointment to be scheduled. The backlog is especially severe for
veterans seeking mental health treatment. A VA official has admitted
that mental health and substance abuse care are "virtually
inaccessible." The VA disability benefits system is also massively
backlogged. There are over 378,000 pending disability claims,
including 83,000 that have been waiting six months or more.
The public outrage over bureaucratic neglect and shoddy conditions
at Walter Reed Army Medical Center shined light on the many
problems facing wounded troops and veterans. New commissions
have made a wide array of recommendations to resolve these issues,
but whether these recommendations will be effectively implemented
remains to be seen.
| Our Mission: To ensure the enactment of policies that properly provide for our Troops and Veterans, keep our military strong, and guarantee our national security for the purpose of a stronger America. CVA uniquely empowers Veterans to use their credibility and experiences to speak truth to power, shape public opinion, and place a priority on these issues. |
| COLORADO VETERANS ALLIANCE |
| "The willingness with which our young people are likely to serve in any war, no matter how justified, shall be directly proportional to how they perceive how the veterans of earlier wars were treated and appreciated by their nation." - George Washington |
