Healthcare Disparities Among Veterans For Private Healthcare And The Community Essay

In today's society where opinion matters, people have been extremely vocal about the lack of support the government has provided to our veterans. Many feel as if the government should do more, while others feel as if they are doing enough. Everyone will have a difference of opinion no matter if they have severed in the military or not. No matter how one may feel, is extremely important to take care of our veterans. As they have sacrificed their lives, time, and family to protect our country. Contrary to one's belief, the government provides a substantial amount of programs, which support the veterans. Honestly more could be done. On any given day you could see women and men standing on the corner holding signs implying they are homeless veterans and will work for food. A few programs the government offers our veterans are funding for mental health services, The Wounded Warrior Project and Vocational Rehabilitation and Education, which will be discussed throughout this essay. When you research the programs, they make it sound as if all proceeds are going towards the best treatment and care money could buy.

Within the last ten years, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has begun to measure and collect data on gender-neutral health screenings to determine if there were any gender specific health disparities among the veteran population. The findings of the study showed some significant disparities between sexes. In an article recently written by Whitehead, Czarnogorski, Wright, Hayes, & Haskell (2014), and published in the American Journal of Public Health, disparities among women veterans were explored as well as the statistical data surrounding the inequities analyzed. There is an urgency needed in addressing these health disparities among women veterans, as they are the fastest growing new population within the VA health

What some the “symptoms” of veteran’s rights look like in regards to how they are addressed, are in multitude. They range in length from health care, education, to basic family needs. Overall, the American public does not pay attention to veterans, and this is mostly in part because the issues that plague our veterans are often deemed irrelevant by the average

According to the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs, there are more than 1,500 locations to receive treatment and care across the country, which divides up to approximately 30 locations per state. The lack of locations may limit some veterans from receiving the care they desire. “Veterans who utilize VA services have worse health status that the general population” (Nelson, Taylor, Lurie, Escarce, McFarland, & Finn, 2011). This implies that the services offered are not sufficient enough to meet the needs of veterans. According to Jack Downing, President and CEO of Soldier On, “Seventy percent of veterans drive twenty-five miles or more to a VA facility.” These facts prove that we need more access for veterans so that they can get the

Practically all older men used some health care, as did about three in four younger nonveterans or veterans not in VA care. West and Weeks (2009) states that Veterans in VA care were more

The VA (Veterans Affair) Health Care System is one of the largest, most advanced health care networks in the U.S. The VA Health Care System is the provider for veterans, retirees and their dependents and manages all their health care. The VA Health Care is actually one part of the Department of Veterans Affairs. There is also VA Benefits Administration which has to do with compensations and pensions. Then the other part of the VA is the National Cemetery Administration which is in charge of the cemeteries and providing burial and memorial benefits. All these parts make up the Department of Veterans Affairs. (VA History)

The article begins defining its demographic, rural native veterans. A veteran is any individual who has served in the military. Secondly, rural veterans include those living in counties with less than seven civilians per square mile (Veterans Health Administration 2008). Finally, native veterans include the following ethnic groups: American Indian, Alaska Native, Native Hawaiian, or Pacific Islander. According to the U.S. Census Bureau (2010) American Indian and Alaska Native (AIAN) veterans comprise the largest minority ethnic group in the VHA of 12 percent. The article, “Health Needs of Rural Native Veterans” addresses health care disparities such as poverty, limited access to care, and education that the identified population is

Contrary to the perception that our nation’s veterans are well supported in fact many go without the services they require of which they are

The Veterans Health Administration (VHA) was put under a microscope during the summer of 2014 after the public learned that dozens of veterans died while awaiting medical care in multiple veterans’ hospitals (Andrews, 2014a). After beginning an investigation, it was discovered that veterans were forced to wait exorbitant amounts of time in order to see doctors, specialists, have tests run, and receive other kinds of medical care (Andrews, 2014b). President Barack Obama and Congress took quick action to investigate the claims and provide new legislation to remedy the newfound, but long lasting problems.

Countless medically discharged or retired veterans of Operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom are entering the nation’s healthcare systems in large numbers attempting to seek medical or mental health care. Those that enter find a growing lack of concern for the inadequacy of the administrative system required to process their claims or support their growing addictions to medications prescribed by physicians unprepared for the level of damage sustained in combat. The Veterans Administration is consistently backlogged on both sides of their service departments. The disability and claims division provides a determination of whether a veteran has a service-connected injury and thus entitled to VA health benefits. The VA health care system is overworked and understaffed to provide care to a growing and aging population of veterans.

Have you ever wondered what it is like for Veterans needing medical care? Well, one can tell you that the Veterans have faced numerous amounts of challenges. Veteran Administration patients also receive help from non-Veterans, the ones who choose to try their best to help. In the past, Veteran Administration clinics have has money issues, trying to pay for the care the Veterans need. The politics surrounding the Veterans have seen many things including money issues, politics making things worse, even to facing challenges and people doing their best to try and help.

Veterans everyday face problems like these that can be helped and even prevented. These issues are blinded by society and I believe that these courageous Americans should have sufficient living conditions to live healthy and happy lives. I hope we can realize as a nation that our veterans are immensely important to us and the deserve more than what they are receiving. This essay opened my eyes to the many challenges veterans face in their everyday lives, I hope it did the same for

The forum was attended by several veteran organizations and their department heads which included: Vets Helping Vets (Hank Witter), Marion County Veteran Services (Jeff Askew), and Dr. Mark Knapp from the local VA clinic, and Phillip Han, provider network manager from Health Net. Throughout the forum, each of these representatives was able to discuss the issues that came up during the event.

Gender Differences – the differences that exist between men and women regarding VA health services use

The heart of a healthcare system is to ensure timely access to care and to ensure optimal outcomes in differing levels of disparity in healthcare. The Veteran Health Administration has made system wide transformation to expand access to care; however, women veterans continue to experience sub-standardized care as compared to men (Washington, 2011). Women veterans’ lack of substantial income, knowledge to Veteran (VA) eligibility and services, identified this group as a vulnerable population in the VA system. By utilizing the Behavioral Model for Healthcare Use, a conceptual framework, would aid in examining predisposed factors contribute to women veteran’s healthcare disparities. To increase quality and quantity of healthcare, this paper will propose two solutions that will identify potential modifiable barriers, and solutions to improve women veterans’ knowledge of available and affordable healthcare.