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VA Ordered NOT to Diagnose PTSD!
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VA Ordered Not to Diagnose PTSD
This is a disgrace. Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW) and VoteVets.org have discovered that the VA is instructing its staff to avoid diagnosing soldiers returning from Iraq and Afghanistan with PTSD: Both CREW and VoteVets have issued spot-on statements on the matter: Melanie Sloan, executive director of CREW, said today: It is outrageous that the VA is calling on its employees to deliberately misdiagnose returning veterans in an effort to cut costs. Those who have risked their lives serving our country deserve far better. First and foremost, they have a right to expect that they receive diagnoses and treatment based on their symptoms and not on the VA’s budget. The VA should immediately reverse this and any other similar directives. Jon Soltz, an Iraq War Veteran and Chairman of VoteVets.org, added: This is an issue I take personally. I know of many people who received a diagnosis of ‘Adjustment Disorder,’ who strongly felt they had PTSD, many of whom confirmed that suspicion with an independent diagnosis. Many veterans believe that the government just doesn’t want to pay out the disability that comes along with a PTSD diagnosis, and this revelation will not allay their concerns. It is crucial that we quickly get to the bottom of this, and ensure that misdiagnosing veterans is not part of some cost-cutting policy. According to a study by the RAND corporation, approximately 300,000 veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan display symptoms of PTSD, or nearly 20% of veterans. PTSD is highly stigmatized within the military (in which is is viewed as a sign of weakness). Soldiers are encouraged to "tough it out" rather than seek proper car. That's why only half of those 300,000 veterans have ever sought treatment. This move by the VA makes worse and already bad situation in which soldiers are not receiving the proper care from an injury that is as serious as any physical wound. Earlier this year Senators Clinton and Obama met with young veterans to discuss their issues, and PTSD came up a number of times. Here's a chance for them to show those veterans their support. Michael Connery is the author of Youth to Power: How Today's Young Voters Are Building Tomorrow's Progressive Majority. He blogs about progressive youth organizing at Future Majority and is an adviser to a number of progressive youth organizations. © 2008 Independent Media Institute. All rights reserved. View this story online at: http://www.alternet.org/bloggers/w... Posted on 05/16/08, 10:05 am |
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That is astounding, considering how treatable it is and how cost-effective good treatment is. This is going to bite the VA in the butt when they start having to fork over for treatments they could have avoided otherwise, like alcoholism treatment and hospitalizations after suicide attempts.
Idjits. 
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What CRAP!!! If that good for nothing Bush would just STOP this war we would have money to help those who served this country. My APOLOGIES for this horrid treatment the troops deserve better!!
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We have the money NOW. The VA system is the best in the country. In fact they could be preventing most cases of PTSD with proper demobilization and debriefing of the troops while they are still there. But what would a moron who went AWOL for a year and a half while he was in the military's "Champagne Battalion" for the sons of the rich know about that?
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Just like former working americans who are now disabled why should they (our government) care? their usefulness is gone...they are now a liability...until this thinking changes are country will not heal! Are greatest natural resourse, our people, have become a liability. It is so sad-How did we come to this?
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In the past, there was no such thing as health insurance and doctors charged what patients could afford. Strangely, it was the introduction of health insurance that allowed MDs to charge fee for service and started attracting money-mad dinkweeds into the profession instead of humanitarians to wanted to alleviate suffering.
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I agree this is a disgrace. Makes me angry that our soldiers are not being provided for. Doesnt surprise me Ive heard horrors of how our veterans of years are treated the same way. Always makes me think if it were a member of their family wouldnt they want them taken care of.
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Yeah, but the government expects the families to do that caretaking, as if WE were the one who got their arms and legs blown off.
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Ijust heard the head of Iraq Veterans Against the War that said that.... MORE IRAQ SOLDIERS HAVE KILLED THEMSELVES …
Q: Do you plan to vote in the 2008 Primary and General Election?
our health care crisis? i'll vote for Hillary, thought I'm not 100% sure.
