US veterans with no health cover nearly 1,700,000
According to the report most of the vets have jobs.
In 2000, 9.9% of vets were uninsured, in 2003 the figure rose to 11.9% - an increase of 235,159. 30% of veterans under 25 and 10% of those 45-65 have no health cover.
At a news conference, Dr. Steffie Woolhandler of Harvard Medical School, said "Like other uninsured Americans, most uninsured vets are working people. And uninsured veterans are denied the care they need -- turned away because they can't pay."
In January 2003, the US government suspended eligibility for Category 8 veterans (middle income veterans earning $25,000 plus per year). The report was highly critical of this move.
Dr. Sidney Wolfe, Director of Public Citizen's Health Research Group, said "The armed services are aggressive in encouraging people to join the military to serve their country and to be all you can be. But after leaving the service, almost 1.7 million veterans do not have the right to health care, in a way, being discarded by the government after serving their country. Without access to health care, no one can be all that they can be."
In this study, no health care cover means - no private insurance, no access to Medicare or Medicaid or to any Veteran programs either.
SUA cu veteranii de sãnãtate nu acoperã aproape 1700000 - US veterans with no health cover nearly 1,700,000 - articole medicale engleza - startsanatate