Hello Fellow Netizens!
***NOTE: I would first like to wish everyone a wonderful weekend to officially welcome the summer season! I would also like to dedicate this article to all our brave soldiers who died in the line of duty while serving our country, as well as to all their loved ones. I hope you all join me in remembering their sacrifices this Memorial Day and continue to thank those still alive for their service.
Healthcare in the United States is hard enough to manage, let alone fix. I have written several articles on this matter over the past year, so this may not be a surprise to many of you. Unfortunately, that means no one is spared, and that includes our veterans. These brave individuals who signed up to serve and protect our nation should receive the best medical care our country has to offer. However, some of the same issues plaguing every American’s access to medical care have also impacted many veterans throughout the years.
Waiting in Line
A majority of veterans utilize healthcare services provided by the US Department of Veteran Affairs (VA). The VA has multiple facilities throughout the country that offers a wide range of healthcare services, from primary and mental healthcare to specialty providers. While the Department has built its reputation as caretakers for our nation’s veterans, it has not done so without being embroiled in accusations of mismanagement and negligence. Most famously, a scandal involving the Phoenix VA in 2014 highlighted serious issues in providing veterans with adequate and timely medical services. As many as 40 veterans died as a result of delayed healthcare intervention, with many waiting as a long as one year to be seen by a medical provider (imagine if you had to wait a few months, let alone a whole year, to see your primary care provider or a specialist).
Jump to 2024, and it seems that things have improved; according to a news release from the VA in May, for new patients in April 2024 there was an 11% decrease in average wait times for VA primary care and a 7% decrease in average mental health wait times compared to same time last year. This translates to an average of 22 days to see a primary care provider, and 17 days for a VA healthcare specialist according to an article focused on the issue. The VA credits this more recent improvement to Access Sprints, an initiative that improves access by adding changes like opening more appointments for veterans to sign up that includes evening and weekend slots. We need to take take into account that these improvements come with a simultaneous increase in the number of veterans enrolling into the VA. With the passage of the Honoring our Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics (PACT) Act in 2022, a record 401,000 veterans have enrolled within the past year due to expanded qualifications such as exposure to toxins during one’s service time.
Healthcare Equity
Wait times are not the only issue facing veterans. Just like for civilians, healthcare disparities are ever-present and significantly impacts the well-being of many veterans. One study in 2021 noted several differences between white veterans and veterans of color. Examples include worse self-rated health, greater VA healthcare utilization, and more combat exposure reported by veterans of color compared to their white counterparts. The Associated Press published an article in 2022 that reported Black veterans had higher denial rates for disability compared to all their racial/ethnic counterparts. These disparities mirror civilian gaps in healthcare, and share the same systemic causes like historical racial discrimination. It should also be noted that people of color make up 27 percent of all veterans, according to census data collected from 2021.
Women and LGBTQIA+ veterans have not been spared either; politically charged medical services like abortion and transgender care have been repeatedly threatened by right-wing representatives. One article highlights how contentious these issues have been, where funding for the VA has been used as a political backdrop to push ideologies that interfere with the healthcare of veterans throughout the country. I recommend checking out this article from TruthOut to read further on this specific topic; I would just highlight that issues of cultural incompetence within the VA system, a lack of VA-based OB/GYN specialists and conservative discrimination are all common themes that prevent women and LGBTQIA+ veterans from receiving the care that they deserve. These issues should be a major concern to tackle, considering that the number of non-cis male veterans is rising every year (see below for data on female veterans).
Where Do We Go From Here?
After reading all of this, you may be wondering: “Well, what can I do?”. The biggest action item that anyone can do is advocacy. We need everyday citizens, not just military members and their families, to speak up for our veterans to improve their access to healthcare. One of the ways you can do this is to spread awareness about coverage for VA-based healthcare, such as talking to veterans about the PACT Act (to learn about if a veteran qualifies under the PACT Act, click here). Having access to VA services has been linked with better outcomes for veterans; one study found that those who utilized VA health benefits alone were less likely to be worried about paying medical debt or forego medical care compared to veterans using private insurance with or without VA health benefits.
Another way to advocate for veterans is to support the mission of the VA and limit political interference over its budget. Contact your local representative (mail, phone, email) to let them know that our veteran’s healthcare should not be interfered with by conservative rhetoric, especially for lifesaving services like reproductive and gender-affirming care. Advocacy groups like the Modern Military Association of America and the Center for Women Veterans (under the VA) have great resources for anyone interested in learning more about how to promote the needs of women and LGBTQIA+ veterans.
As we remember those who have fallen in the line of duty this Memorial Day, let us also not forget those patriots who are still currently with us. I wish you all a safe holiday, and until next time fellow Netizens!
PS: Unfortunately I was unable to add the issue of mental health in this article (I plan on doing so in a future post since it is a very extensive topic), but it is worth noting that many of our veterans also suffer from mental heath conditions. If you or a loved one with military service has been affected by mental health concerns, click here to visit the VA’s website with resources to help.
Featured Photo: Photo by Brett Sayles: https://www.pexels.com/photo/man-standing-on-stage-facing-an-american-flag-1340504/
Disclaimer: This article reflects the author’s own opinions and statements. They do not reflect the opinions or stances of any organization affiliated with the author.