The airwaves are full of the pundits talking about the critical issues facing the ’08 election, but candidates are rarely asked about the health of veterans – a responsibility that will become costly in the face of a nationwide prescription drug bill that amounts to more than Iraq war spending and health administration costs that are Herculean compared to Canada.
That reality is: Iraq War veterans share essentially the same health coverage as civilians. And, they're almost as likely to be uninsured; one in every eight uninsured individuals, according to a Harvard study, are veterans. While many assume that the United States Armed Forces would provide their war veterans with solid treatment, this is sadly not the case for many veterans. Veterans often turn to private insurance companies for their coverage, often at high expense.
Earning Too Little for Comfort, Yet Too Much for Coverage
Failing to provide war veterans with appropriate medical coverage causes tremendous difficulties in the lives of veterans and their families – and it is important to understand the economic realities veterans face. Economics can prompt a person to enter the military just as much as patriotism. Men and women who live in low-income areas of the country, with few opportunities, may be prompted to leave for the military, as it offers higher salary and benefits than any job in their area. However, once their service is complete they’ll and return to civilian life and the civilian working world, which is increasingly not offering enough health coverage to comfortably support their family and pay for high-cost insurance policies.
Unfortunately, the problem is that many veterans earn too much income to qualify for military-sponsored insurance. They are caught in an economically dangerous middle ground that affords them few options. Some veterans that receive healthcare benefits find that the coverage is not extended to their families. For example, one veteran from South Carolina receives free healthcare because he suffered extensive physical harm in Iraq. However, his family is not covered under the policy, and they cannot afford to have their own insurance because he is unable to work.
The Costs of Insurance for Civilians and Veterans
Despite having put their lives on the line for their country, Iraq War veterans do not receive special benefits from insurance companies – but instead are often charged higher rates. In fact, having fought in war can even make it more difficult for veterans to find affordable insurance because they represent higher risks to the insurance companies. Veterans might have sustained injuries, illness, or mental health disorders during their service – which cause many insurance companies to charge higher premiums to offset the needs of their medical risks. This means that it can be even harder for veterans to get affordable insurance than civilians.
The Government Owes Iraq War veterans More
It is not the responsibility of health insurance companies to offer Iraq War veterans special policies or reduced rates because of their services. Corporations do not report to any power other than profits. Veterans represent a risk to increased profits, and thus, by the nature of business fundamentals, they are not subject to affordable policies. The government, however, does have a moral responsibility. After all, it is the government that decided to send these men and women overseas to fight in a war that many Americans consider unjust.
When one considers that the U.S. government is already investing trillions of dollars in the war, and have committed over $500,000 per household – five times the average American's mortgage commitment – veterans' benefits are a pittance. Unfortunately, many government leaders seem to think that the government should act like a corporation. Instead of seeing valuable human lives, they see the cost of giving them medical attention. Perhaps this is the cost of choosing government officials that have previously been the heads of corporations, instead of those that have a true moral compass that prompts them to care for those who risked their lives for America.
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