Lack of health care killed 2,266 US veterans last year: study

[Generic Other]

WASHINGTON (AFP) – The number of US veterans who died in 2008 because they lacked health insurance was 14 times higher than the US military death toll in Afghanistan that year, according to a new study.

The analysis produced by two Harvard medical researchers estimates that 2,266 US military veterans under the age of 65 died in 2008 because they lacked health coverage and had reduced access to medical care.

That figure is more than 14 times higher than the 155 US troop deaths in Afghanistan in 2008, the study says.

Released as the United States commemorates fallen soldiers on Veterans Day, the study warns that even health care provided by the Veterans Health Administration (VA) leaves many veterans without coverage.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/healthusinsurancemilitary

[tblue]

1. Unforgivable. No excuse for this. Put the uninsured vets on Medicare right now!

Obama should make a speech about this TONIGHT and put all the vets on Medicare immediately. What this data is saying is this is an emergency. It's life and death!

[C_Lawyer09]

2. Message to all vets friends relatives and those whom want to help

Info for all that read this post. Please advise any vet or anybody who knows a vet that is suffering in any way, please immediately visit or call a local VA, and if that doesn't work AM Vets, Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) or American Legion Post. All but the smallest of towns usually have at least one of these service organizations. If you can't provide or don't know this information, call one of the closest recruiting offices. If you feel like you are getting the run around, ask to speak to the Station Commander.

[Generic Other]

3. Hell of a sad reminder on this day

so many needs unmet in this country! Thanks for sharing info.

[Name removed]

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[mdmc]

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