With many hot-button issues in the field of veterans’ health care, many believe one crucial aspect often goes neglected: the health care of female veterans.
As a higher percentage of soldiers are returning from Iraq and Afghanistan, an increasing number are women. In fact, over 390,000 of the veterans treated at VA facilities are women.
But the shortcomings in women’s health care aren’t related to funding; over $1.3 billion has been devoted to female veterans’ health care in the last six years. Yet reports of poor management and execution across the board have compromised the quality of care for women. What does this look like logistically?
§ Approximately one-fourth of VA medical centers do not employ a full-time gynecologist.
§ 5 percent of veterans’ clinics in rural areas do not employ a designated women’s health care provider.
§ Reportedly, over half of breast cancer screening results are not returned within the VA-mandated two-week window of time.
§ A significantly higher portion of veterans who are waitlisted are female. This means their waiting time can be 90 days or longer.
§ Female veterans of childbearing age were far more likely to be given medications that can cause birth defects than they would receive through a private HMO.
As official efforts to ensure quality health care for veterans increase across the board, we hope these statistics will improve drastically to give the individuals who have served our country the health care they deserve.
If you’d like more information on veterans’ health care or believe you’re eligible to receive VA benefits, the Charlotte Veterans Benefits Lawyers of Jan Dils, Attorneys at Law, can help. Call 877-526-3455 or click here to schedule your free initial consultation today.
