Debt Relief for Veterans

I was recently shocked to read that U.S. military veterans are carrying billions of dollars in medical debt. We must provide full debt relief for veterans.

I had always assumed that the Veterans Administration was a rare American example of single-payer generosity.

But here is what I found out.

#1 – If a veteran has a service-connected medical condition; and they are more than 50% disabled; and they have very limited means; then all their care at VA facilities may indeed be free.

#2 – However, things get very complicated after that.

If a veteran’s health concern is not related to military service, the vet can be on the hook for copays for care received at the VA. The copayments can add up fast.

#3. If the VA does not provide a certain service, or has a long waiting list, it can contract with other providers,

However – if the veteran has not seen a VA doctor in the last 24 months, their claim for reimbursement may be denied. This has been happening thousands of times a year.

#4. If a veteran uses a non-VA emergency room, their bills might not be covered.

The VA annually denies over $3 billion in ER claims made by veterans.

Fortunately, there has been some recent debt relief for veterans. Since the start of the pandemic, the VA has cancelled approximately $1 billion in copayments for over 1.5 million veterans.  The VA has also made it easier and faster for lower-income veterans to get their medical debts forgiven.

The lesson is this: be cautious about any single payer health plan that is pinching pennies!