By Adrian Culea
A new study published by Harvard University shows startling results regarding veterans and health care. The number of veterans without health insurance is now 1.8 million, the study concluded.
The number of uninsured veterans has increased by 290,000 since President George W. Bush took office nearly seven years ago.
Similar studies report 8.5 percent of Vietnam veterans are uninsured, while 12.9 percent of Persian Gulf War veterans remain uninsured. Results from a June 2007 Physicians For a National Health Program study revealed 44.5 percent of veterans between the ages of 18 and 44 were also uninsured. Nearly one in three of the uninsured veterans suffer from at least one chronic condition which limits their daily routine.
The reason behind this dip in numbers originated in January 2003, when the Bush administration limited access to health care for veterans whose injuries were not service related, and to those making less than $30,000 a year. According to the California Health Line, the administration removed benefits from some in order to sustain benefits for the increasing number of veterans. USA Today reported that Harvard’s study showed the rate of uninsured veterans were growing twice as fast as the uninsured.
Dr. Rosanna Perotti, an associate professor in the University department of Political Science found the actions of the Bush administration “not surprising,” adding, “If benefits have been constricted it’s been in keeping with the Bush administration’s concern with social spending.”
Most uninsured veterans are caught in a catch-22, USA Today reported. Many of the uninsured are too poor to afford private coverage but do not qualify for Medicare or any other government issued benefits.
Congress tackled the issue this past week. The Democratic majority attempted to attach a Veterans Affairs (VA) bill to the discussed Labor Health and Human Services Bill, according to a Politico.com report.
Republicans went on to claim the merging of the two bills would violate Senate rules. The motion to join the two bills did not garner enough support, however, and they were separated.
Senator Trent Lott (R-Miss.) accused Democrats of blackmailing “the President and Congress into passing fiscally irresponsible legislation.”
“Even as the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan have stretched our VA to its breaking point and the number of uninsured veterans has skyrocketed, President Bush and Republican senators are saying we must choose between supporting our veterans and taking care of other health and education needs of Americans,” Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) said in a statement.
Many believe these cases will bring universal health care to the forefront in the upcoming presidential election.
Already a few of the Democratic frontrunners are vowing reform to not only the health care system in general, but also health care for veterans whose benefits have already been put in limbo under the current administration.
“Personally I favor broader access to health insurance and greater government involvement,” Perotti said, adding that universal health care would lead to a “more equitable society.”
“I think it’s unfair because veterans have gone through warfare, whereas active duty soldiers may or may not have gone through combat,” said Rondolf Moreno, a University Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) cadet who will be an active duty Army officer upon graduation.
“Veterans need benefits to support themselves and any injuries they may have sustained in combat,” he said.
This story was supplemented by wire reports.