Everyone has been talking about what will happen with healthcare reform in the United States. Some people like the current law, known as the Affordable Care Act, the way it is. Some people want it revised, and others want it completely replaced. Everyone has their own reason for wanting what they do. No matter what happens with healthcare, there will be winners and there will be losers. Often times, people are only paying attention to how it will affect them personally. If you or someone you love served our country, you are probably wondering – what could happen to healthcare for veterans in the future?
American Health Care Act to Impact Healthcare for Veterans
It is hard to say what will happen with healthcare for veterans. Just like everyone else, veterans are anxiously waiting to see what will happen next. But, let’s start with the basics. Currently, there is the healthcare law called the Affordable Care Act, or casually referred to as Obamacare. Federal lawmakers are trying to get rid of that law, and implement a new one called the American Health Care Act. The main difference between the two laws is that the new law won’t force Americans to have insurance by making them pay a tax. It could, however, lower the quality requirements currently placed on insurance companies. The American Health Care Act already passed the House but still needs to pass the Senate before it becomes law, so there’s likely plenty of time before major changes happen. Already, experts are studying the law and early predictions indicate that as many as 24 million Americans could lose insurance by 2026 if it passes. So, what does that mean as far as healthcare for veterans?
The Struggles with Healthcare for Veterans
Bottom line – some veterans could lose insurance coverage. Veterans could be included in the 24 million who could lose insurance because not all veterans only seek healthcare at the VA Hospital. A lot of times veterans can’t get treated fast enough at the VA, because of very long wait times and staff shortages.
Therefore, many veterans who aren’t receiving health insurance from an employer or the VA health system are using another form of government health insurance. If the government changes the rules as far as health insurance eligibility, veterans, too, could lose the coverage that they have now. Or, if they don’t lose coverage, they might have less coverage under the new law. For example, the new law removes the requirement that Medicaid cover services such as mental health and substance abuse – health issues that are common with veterans. Experts are also hinting that the American Health Care Act could strip current language that says veterans who are eligible for VA medical services but not enrolled in them could receive healthcare tax credits instead. The tax credit is designed to relieve pressure on the VA hospitals, by giving veterans financial assistance to get care elsewhere.
The Affordable Care Act and Healthcare for Veterans
All of that is what could happen, but there are also numbers out there showing what has happened. The Affordable Care Act seems to have helped a little bit as far as access to healthcare for veterans. Some studies show that almost half a million veterans gained health care coverage during the first two years the law was in effect. Check out these numbers:
- There are currently an estimated 22 million veterans in the U.S., and about 1 million of them didn’t have any health insurance between 2010-2013.
- Almost half of all veterans are enrolled in the VA health system, while many others receive health insurance from an employer or Medicare.
- Two years after the Affordable Care Act went into effect, 429,000 veterans under the age of 65 gained coverage, which was a 40 percent drop in veterans without insurance.
Hope for Healthcare for Veterans
Despite the current struggles surrounding healthcare for veterans, the VA Health System has been around since the 1800s, and today it is the nation’s largest integrated health system. It is owned and operated by the federal government. The VA Health System will likely see its own healthcare reform in the years to come. What do you wish would change about healthcare for veterans?
