EDITORIAL: Vets deserve more than a celebration

Nov. 11--Some of us say "thank you for your service" when we see someone in a military uniform or wearing a ball cap proudly displaying what war they served in.

Others generously give of their time to help veterans service organizations place flags on the graves of fallen servicemen and women. Or they make time to listen to the stories of veterans who simply need a bit of personal contact.

Hopefully many of us will take time out from our busy weekends to attend today's 11 a.m. ceremony at American Legion Post 6 on East Lincolnway.

All of these are nice gestures, of course, appreciated by those who have bravely put their lives on the line to protect our freedoms. But this Veterans Day, we encourage readers to consider another way to help -- by advocating for better access to affordable medical care for all of our veterans, especially those dealing with serious health issues after serving overseas.

Four years ago, our nation was shocked to learn that officials with the Veterans Health Administration were manipulating patient wait-time data to hide the fact that veterans were forced to wait weeks or even months to see a doctor. Americans were outraged that our veterans were being treated so shamefully.

Thankfully, Congress was spurred to take action.

The Veterans Choice Act of 2014 let veterans who had to travel more than 40 miles to access a VA facility, and those who faced wait times of longer than 30 days, access care from private physicians. Three years later, the Veterans Choice Improvement Act allowed the government to pay private service providers directly for veterans' co-pays and deductibles, rather than making the veterans pay and then seek reimbursement.

Unfortunately, a new investigation earlier this year found that some corruption continues, resulting in VA staff in some locations postponing or cancelling appointments for veterans seeking new mental health or specialty care services.

Thankfully, these reports are the exception, not the rule. And those who have sought treatment from the VA facilities in Cheyenne and Sheridan report that the care is top-level.

But that doesn't mean Wyoming residents are off the hook. There's always more to be done to improve veterans' health care, and Steve Kravitsky has another project we all can get behind.

The director of the Wyoming Veterans Commission, who served as commander of the 90th Missile Wing at F.E. Warren Air Force Base until his retirement, is trying to right a wrong that exists only in Wyoming. Unlike everywhere else in the country, veterans here have no access to a subsidized long-term treatment facility.

Mr. Kravitsky says veterans who have service-related disabilities requiring skilled nursing care, but who don't qualify for care at a VA medical center, are entitled to a per diem of $107.16, or approximately $40,000 per year, that could be used if we had a state veterans skilled nursing facility.

Since the Veterans Commission's main objective is to connect veterans with the benefits they have earned, it's asking lawmakers during next year's general session to commit the estimated $7 million in state funds needed to try to leverage the feds to fund the remaining 65 percent of such a facility.

How can you help? By contacting your local legislators and encouraging them to find the money for this worthy project. (Unfortunately, Mr. Kravitsky said even if this effort is successful, the earliest the VA would be able to release grant funds is 2021, and it could be as late as 2023.)

But wait, there's more. Hans Ritschard, who served as the commander of the 90th Medical Group at F.E. Warren (base medical director) before he retired, said we also should encourage all local medical providers to accept TRICARE, the health insurance retired veterans can enroll in to supplement their Medicare coverage. And we can advocate for more advances in telehealth that would bring quality care to veterans where they are, rather than requiring them to travel to a specific location, often long distances away.

We also can make a special effort to refer veterans in obvious need of specialized treatment for the "invisible wounds of war," to address mental health, post-traumatic stress, traumatic brain injury care and other concerns.

Thankfully, Wyoming's congressional delegation has done a good job of supporting legislation to help our veterans. In September, Congress agreed to fund the VA Mission Act, which is designed to make it even easier for veterans to access covered care through non-VA service providers. It also provides incentives for recruiting new doctors to the VA, which has struggled in this regard.

But this work isn't done. We shouldn't rest easy until every veteran is given the care they are entitled to without having to wade through layer upon layer of bureaucracy.

So sit down and write a letter or email message, won't you? It's a small way we can help repay those who sacrificed so much for us all.

WE WANT TO KNOW WHAT YOU THINK: Contact us via email at [email protected].

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