MILITARY UPDATE
Combat-disabled veterans may soon move to front of line at VA clinics
Military Update focuses on issues affecting pay, benefits and lifestyle of active and retired servicepeople. Its author, Tom Philpott, is a Virginia-based syndicated columnist and freelance writer. He has covered military issues for almost 25 years, including six years as editor of Navy Times. For 17 years he worked as a writer and senior editor for Army Times Publishing Co. Philpott, 49, enlisted in the U.S. Coast Guard in 1973 and served as an information officer from 1974-77.
By Tom Philpott
Gordon Mansfield's legs are paralyzed from a wound suffered at Ia Drang, the Vietnam battle depicted in the movie, "We Were Soldiers."
In June, on orders from his boss, Anthony Principi, secretary of Veterans Affairs, Mansfield wheeled himself into six separate VA clinics in Florida. With service record in hand, he told staff members he recently had moved to the area and, as a combat-disabled veteran, sought VA healthcare.
Four of the six clinics turned him away.
"They couldn't take care of him. They were too booked," said Principi, anger in his voice. "In one of the four clinics, one of my clerks told him, 'Mr. Mansfield, you have to understand that Congress created all veterans equal, so that if some affluent retiree who may have spent one year in uniform came in before you, we have to take him first.' "
In July, Mansfield, who is assistant VA secretary for legislative affairs, was denied access to care at two more clinics in Colorado.
"One clinic told him to go to Salt Lake City ... from Colorado Springs to get his care!" Principi said. "And we're talking about a guy who is 100-percent, service-connected, combat!"
That is going to change, Principi vowed during a July 26 interview.
"There is no place in the VA for that. If we can't take care of our service-connected disabled first, then, as far as I'm concerned, we may as well close the doors, because that's why we exist," said the VA secretary.
Before October 1998, most VA patients had service-connected ailments or low incomes. Then Principi's predecessors in the Clinton administration opted to use new authority under the Veterans' Health Care Eligibility Reform Act of 1996 to open VA hospitals and clinics to all 25 million veterans, whether or not their ailments are tied to military service.
Principi can use the same authority to tighten access, probably for veterans not yet in the system, starting with Category 7 vets, those who are not poor and have no service-related ailments. He also wants to prioritize care by "triaging" enrollees so those who are service-connected disabled move to the front of appointment schedules.
"Our demand has exploded," said Principi, a combat-decorated Vietnam veteran. "They are knocking our doors down."
One reason is the open enrollment, which can lead to free or deeply discounted medications. Another factor is that the VA has transformed itself in recent years into a community-based healthcare system with more than 850 clinics across the country, thereby broadening access to care.
The income threshold for free drugs is the VA pension rate, which for a single veteran is $9,556. The rate is higher if a veteran needs aid and attendance, or has dependents. Regardless of income, veterans seeking treatment for service-connected disabilities and veterans with service-connected disabilities rated at 50 percent or higher also can get free medications.
Even as the overall veteran population falls, down 5 million since 1980, demand for VA healthcare soars. In 1995, VA hospitals and clinics treated 2.5 million veterans. Last year, the number hit 4.2 million.
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Correction: In a previous version of this column, VA officials provided the incorrect income threshold to receive free VA medications. The income threshold for free drugs is the VA pension rate, which for a single veteran is $9,556. The rate is higher if a veteran needs aid and attendance, or has dependents. Regardless of income, veterans seeking treatment for service-connected disabilities and veterans with service-connected disabilities rated at 50 percent or higher also can get free medications.
