Our Health Policy Matters

“In 2011, mental disorders accounted for more hospitalizations of U.S. service members than any other diagnostic category.” – Armed Forces Health Surveillance Center Medical Surveillance Monthly Report, June 2012 Recently, my daughter Elizabeth told me about a friend who stopped in to see her at the mall where she works while attending college.  Like her, he’s in his early twenties.  They worked together at a toy store a few years ago, and she hadn’t seen him since then. He had enlisted in the army.  He was deployed overseas twice, and served a tour in a war zone.  He sustained a minor physical injury, now healed, while serving. She said that he seemed a little down in the dumps when she saw him.  He told her that he is having trouble with his relationships since his return, but doesn’t think there’s anything wrong with him.  He’s pretty sure he doesn’t have PTSD, and sees no reason to seek counseling or other mental health supports. Ins...

“In 2011, mental disorders accounted for more hospitalizations of U.S. service members than any other diagnostic category.” – Armed Forces Health Surveillance Center Medical Surveillance Monthly Report, June 2012 Recently, my daughter Elizabeth told me about a friend who stopped in to see her at the mall where she works while attending college.  Like her, he’s in his early twenties.  They worked together at a toy store a few years ago, and she hadn’t seen him since then. He had enlisted in the army.  He was deployed overseas twice, and served a tour in a war zone.  He sustained a minor physical injury, now healed, while serving. She said that he seemed a little down in the dumps when she saw him.  He told her that he is having trouble with his relationships since his return, but doesn’t think there’s anything wrong with him.  He’s pretty sure he doesn’t have PTSD, and sees no reason to seek counseling or other mental health supports. Ins...

It is worth noting on this “traditional” Memorial Day of May 30 th that over 6,400 service people have lost their lives so far while fighting our two most recent wars. Unless we put more money into health and mental health care, many thousands more will eventually lose their lives fighting the physical and mental effects of these wars. This past weekend, we learned that 45% of returning Iraq and Afghanistan War veterans are seeking compensation for service-related injuries .  The challenge of finding the billions of dollars needed to treat these men and women will test us as a nation.  It will likely stoke the fires of yet another protracted battle about “public option” health care in America. This fight is about to take place because of two reasons. The first is that the percentage of veterans seeking compensation is twice what it was in past wars.  “Invisible” injuries with behavioral manifestations, like PTSD and traumatic brain injury, accou...

It is worth noting on this “traditional” Memorial Day of May 30 th that over 6,400 service people have lost their lives so far while fighting our two most recent wars. Unless we put more money into health and mental health care, many thousands more will eventually lose their lives fighting the physical and mental effects of these wars. This past weekend, we learned that 45% of returning Iraq and Afghanistan War veterans are seeking compensation for service-related injuries .  The challenge of finding the billions of dollars needed to treat these men and women will test us as a nation.  It will likely stoke the fires of yet another protracted battle about “public option” health care in America. This fight is about to take place because of two reasons. The first is that the percentage of veterans seeking compensation is twice what it was in past wars.  “Invisible” injuries with behavioral manifestations, like PTSD and traumatic brain injury, accou...