2,266 Veterans Died In 2008 Because They Were Uninsured

According to a study released by the Harvard Medical School, 2,266 veterans under the age of 65 died last year as a result of not having health insurance. Researchers emphasize that "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 1.46 million working-age veterans that did not have health insurance last year all experienced reduced access to care as a consequence, leading to "six preventable deaths a day."

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 report 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."

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 still without care.

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Comments

[tompoe]

11:19 AM on 11/15/2009

Title 38, Section 340 addresses VA Pensions, and who is entitled. VA form 21-8940 provides application and needs to be filled out to apply for VA Pension. The VA program called, Total Disability Based On Individual Unemployability, or TDIU, gives veterans the necessary qualification to receive $11,181 a year, if they become disabled due to inability to be employed. It is an obvious choice for those who have reached homeless status. This program is reviewable, and veterans that wish to leave when they get reintegrated and productive can do so. So, why isn't this program saving those 2,000 plus lives each year? What's wrong with this picture? Dr. Himmelstein needs to update his report.

[sstv]

07:55 PM on 11/11/2009

This is absolutely disgusting!

[Mainbob]

07:30 PM on 11/11/2009

Here is interview today of Dr. Steffie Woolhandler, professor at Harvard Medical School and co-author:
http://tr.im/2266vets She also goes on to say that the current bill passed by the house is worse than what we have now and that there are NO cost controls. Hey, we need to get *Medicare for All* and save substantial money. Feel free to call me a socialist... I grew up in a family of 24 children!

[hellboundtrain]

07:47 AM on 11/12/2009

The exact same health protection that is given to the representatives by the American people should be granted to each and every citizen; nothing less!

[el sistema]

06:40 PM on 11/11/2009

According to the Republican view, it's better to die being uninsured than to live being insured by the government.

[hoobit]

10:17 PM on 11/11/2009

You might have uncovered a *great* truth, there, el sistima. Yes, I believe you have.

[Veman]

05:02 PM on 11/11/2009

Thank you - to all the vets out there for the sacrifices you've made! Now lets bring your brothers and sisters in arms back home and make YOU and YOUR families' well being a priority! On JAN 15th 2010 - AMERICANS WILL MARCH ON WASH DC IN NUMBERS HERETOFORE UNSEEN TO DEMONSTRATE OUR SUPPORT FOR THE FUNDAMENTAL CHANGES WE STILL BELIEVE IN AND WANT TO SEE OUR POTUS & REPS FIGHT FOR. In today's political environment, perception and image (TV to be precise) are everything. We need to show our numbers, our vigor, and our commitment to REAL, SUBSTANTIVE, AND FUNDAMENTAL (not incremental) CHANGE in a way that will capture the national media's attention and call attention to our discontent. TheTeaParty movement has created the misperception that "Millions" of Americans are fed up with Gov't (specifically Obama). THE REALITY, however, is that many more of us voted for our President b/c we hoped for more from our government. More compassion, more diplomacy, more honesty, more protection, and more equality. IF YOU FEEL THIS A WORTHY CAUSE LET IT BE KNOWN TO FRIENDS AND FAMILY ACROSS THE COUNTRY - ON JANUARY 15, 2010, THE 1st ANNIVERSARY OF POTUS OBAMA'S INAUGURATION, AMERICANS FROM ALL OVER THE COUNTRY WILL DESCEND ON WASH DC IN THE STRONGEST SHOW OF SUPPORT EVER FOR A SITTING POTUS & THE POLICIES WE SENT HIM TO FIGHT FOR. SPREAD THE WORD!!!

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[CostaMolta]

07:36 PM on 11/11/2009

in the future will I support the draft. conscripted US Army. Yes. Not change, but hope

[Tulka2]

03:30 PM on 11/11/2009

The following is politically incorrect, but needs saying.

A citizen army is NOT the same as a professional (read "mercenary") army. A so-called professional army is only really possible in a time when there are no challenging jobs for a certain kind of under-capitalized young person.... when there is no decent health insurance outside of the armed forces.

For shame. For shame.

[Tuckerndfw]

03:58 PM on 11/11/2009

I agree with you and is why new recruits are paid about $30k a year, including benefits.

How many high school graduates (or GED) can hope to make $30k a year for an entry level job?

The first level of management (NCO) pays approximately $50k a year including benefits.

Not bad for a kid with no experience and who produces nothing.

[Tulka2]

04:08 PM on 11/11/2009

Do you think most Americans know that we never had a standing army till after World War II? This is the "military industrial complex" Eisenhower warned us of. Just recently General Colin Powell warned us against a "homeland security industrial complex".

I resent the Orwellian language that requires genuflection before a mercenary army as if they were their grandfathers' citizen army. A citizen army requires a citizenry who agree to sacrifice their children for a cause they all understand. This. This is an army hired by Haliburton. This is a military industrial complex that has finalized a military coup. When did this happen?

[hoobit]

11:20 PM on 11/11/2009

"Not bad for a kid with no experience and who produces nothing." ~ Tuckerndfw

~~~~~~~~~
"...who produces nothing"? IF that remark is meant to be *reflective of* the kid who HAS joined the military, Tuckerndfw, I find it *extremely* offensive.

If it IS directed at the now-military kid, you obviously have NO idea what all the men and women in uniform do; have NO awareness of the myriad positions they fill and the work they do in those positions.

"...who produces nothing"? ~ please look again, Tuckerndfw; look again closely at what all the men and women in uniform do.

Take a moment to look at what they ensure, what they contribute, what they discover, what they provide, what they explore, what they secure, what they produce (yes, produce!), and adjust your attitude accordingly, please.

If the (cited) statement is/was intended to be a comment about the now-military kid, I believe an apology to service member(s) might be in order.

[MOCONSERVATIVE]

03:08 PM on 11/11/2009

let me scoop HP...

Please insert "According to a recent Harvard study" before each

On Thanksgiving, it will be : "210,563 turkeys eaten in 2009 due to lack of health care."
On Christmas: "864 Elves died in 2009 due to loss of insurance during Christmas recession"
On Valentine's Day: "34,300 lovers alone due to lack of health care"
On St. Pats: "Irish lose 23, 200 due to uninsured bar brawls"
etc, etc.

[AtomicMan]

03:28 PM on 11/11/2009

Hollywood actors rise up due to the high cost of health care through their union - 1,241 foreign orphans become not covered

[Tulka2]

04:33 PM on 11/11/2009

Too droll for most.

[Tulka2]

03:32 PM on 11/11/2009

Here is a hard heart.

[MOCONSERVATIVE]

03:43 PM on 11/11/2009

Since you believe everything you read, try this one:

There will be more than 6 preventable deaths per day due to treatment rationing by the very government you love and trust so much, in order to keep costs anywhere close to where they are now.

[Larry Cohen]

02:58 PM on 11/11/2009

This is pure BS. Now this crap really upsets me. If a vet has a medical need that was caused by the military they have the right to get it treated by the VA. If they are at 50% or more than they have full medical from the VA. If they are homeless, the VA has domilicaries, now I have seen many supposed vets that were homeless and refused to go to the domiciliary. Why? because than they are expected to clean themselves up and be sober and learn a trade (that the VA happens to pay for). OMG, that is so terrible. A vet that has a medical condition that refuses to go and get help has no one to blame but themselves. I will be the first one to agree that the VA is not the greatest system, but to say that veterans are dying because they have no medical care is trash.

[Biggy]

02:43 PM on 11/11/2009

First of all thank you veterans for all of your service. We are all indebted to you. This report is a joke. Done by another bowtie. The questions I had for this Doctor are, what did they die from? Could they not make it to a hospital? Were they not eligible for Medicaid or medicare? What about other social programs? I have never seen a doctor refuse someone care because they could not pay for something? I think Walgreen and CVS have clinics that cost $55/visit.
I do not understand why people think they cannot get care if they do not have insurance. CASH is always king.
Do you know there are more deaths to cancer in the UK because people do not have access to cancer drugs? As a % of course. They have single payer. Why did the NHS provide them with those medications?
Just some questions I had....

[DreamerWeaver]

04:31 PM on 11/11/2009

The veterans in the article were not old enough for Medicare. Under 65. They were not combat veterans, and apparently that makes a difference on eligibility for VA medical center services. Outrageously! They had an income that put them above certain social services but they didn't have enough income to pay for the health care they needed. Postponed medical care leads to serious problems.

This is the shame of our nation. We ought to pay attention and not discount the messenger out of hand. I believe when we do some further checking on the story, it will be confirmed. Sadly.

There is another story today on Veteran's Day: 260,000 homeless vets.

[CostaMolta]

07:43 PM on 11/11/2009

Vets do need to have been hurt on the job, actively serving in the military, to get the free medical coverage. works for me

[nirek]

02:33 PM on 11/11/2009

To all my fellow veterans ; THANK YOU for your service to our country!

Nirek

[MOCONSERVATIVE]

02:29 PM on 11/11/2009

this bears repeating
----------------------------------------------------------------
XRaraavis:

Wait until we get to the cap and trade tax bill. We will learn how many Veterans were killed in the last year from Climate Change.

----------------------------------------------------------------

[Ken Maddox]

02:10 PM on 11/11/2009

On this Veteran's Day 2009, as our nation is debating whether to provide adequate health care to all citizens or to reserve it for the favored few, our veterans are languishing in despair and pain. These brave individuals, some hungry, afraid, and without hope need the nation to step up and do the right thing.
A nation that calls on its citizens to do duty in harms way and then refuses to care for that individual when he/she returns to us sick, impoverished, and/or injured is weak in many ways.
While the Insurance Cartels spend millions and millions to convince the people they don't want or need adequate health care for everyone, and seem to be convincing many of us. What are we going to do about our veterans returning to broken homes, lost jobs, and the pain of injury? What are you going to tell them to do. Go here fill out a form, maybe someone will notice. Maybe someone will care. Maybe someone will direct you to the proper place and person to receive treatment.
Damn it! Damn it people, these are the people who have sacrificed for you. They deserve proper treatment, housing, clothing, food, and whatever else it takes for them to be comfortable, to recover, to obtain employment, and to provide for their family.
They don't need forms to fill out, they need guidance, direction, training, and all manner of assistance. The people of this nation owe this debt to these people.

[wrightj]

02:00 PM on 11/11/2009

This news sickens me. All the more reason we need a single payer option for healthcare open to everyone no matter how much money you make. If that puts the healthcare insurance industry out of business - so be it. People are what is important, not keeping a worthless company making money off the backs of veterans and the working class.

[slithers]

02:02 PM on 11/11/2009

and the freedom and liberty of doctors is secondary. they should be forced to work for the government.

[GandenT]

02:25 PM on 11/11/2009

What do freedom and liberty have to do with anything in this debate? The doctors would be paid to do their jobs as usual. Why should they be forced to work for an insurance company? Your gripe is meaningless, despite being cloaked in liberal ideals

[CostaMolta]

01:54 PM on 11/11/2009

Leave it alone. they are in a better place now. RIP

[Tulka2]

04:23 PM on 11/11/2009

Ouch.

[booki]

01:51 PM on 11/11/2009

so sickening, heartbreaking. when the billions flow freely to Wall Street.
those who fought for us are not important enough.
the priority of your government......is warped. and you allow it!