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Health Insurance Coverage for Veterans, Military with PAH
For those who have served in the military, did you know that the Pulmonary Hypertension Association has been advocating for improved health insurance coverage for veterans and military personnel who have pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH)? Share with us your military experience and if this would benefit you.
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8 Replies
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@texas2018 I was wondering if you have any input on this topic? How are you doing? We haven’t heard from you in a while.
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I think this is great and I know that we have several Veterans here with us. Maybe they will share some experiences. Ron was the first one I thought of, too. I haven’t seen him post lately, Hope he’s doing ok.
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What would really be a plus for us veterans would be for the VA to explore possible service-connected causes for it. When we get a disability rating for a certain condition many doors open that are very beneficial. Smoking is all they seem to use for a reason. Yes, I’m certain smoking would be right up there, but exposure to oil field fires, burn pits, etc. are also good root causes. Many people would also be interested to know that when I was in, our C-Rations included a small pack of… you guessed it, cigarettes.
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Wow @exjarhead57730 I hadn’t thought of that. Do you think personally there might be a connection to your PH and your military experience? If not the VA I wonder if there are PH studies out there that would be willing and able to take on this research. I’m guessing probably not and that it would have to be a direct VA involved study. Have you discussed this with anyone?
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I personally do think that my condition could be service-related. I worked on fighter aircraft that did close air support missions in Vietnam. My primary care physician mentioned that I should look into possible exposure to agent orange. Even though the war was just over at that time, I spent many hours inside the fuselages of these F4 Phantoms. Due to the sensitive avionics inside these aircraft, they couldn’t be cleaned very well. What makes this issue even harder to prove, I started life in the Marine Corps as an Admin Clerk. I cross-trained to a J79 Jet Engine Tech later and from what I can retrieve from my record, it doesn’t reflect it. I do have photos.
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Steve, cost might be an issue but have you considered seeking legal advice? That being said, at some point it’s best to reserve your emotional energy to keeping yourself well and treating the disease. I say this from experience. My son’s PH is idiopathic and in the beginning I experienced a lot of emotional distress on wanting an answer to how my son developed this disease. Eventually I had to let go of the why and just focus on taking care of him. Easier said than done, I know.
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Thank you @ksmith610 for your response! My husband was in the Navy and my dad the Marines. The military took good care of my husband when he was in a serious car accident while in the Navy. It sounds like they are taking good care of you too! I’m impressed that the VA opened a PH clinic. Your point about being extremely involved in your own care is an important one. Even my son who was 8 years old when diagnosed learned early the importance of self advocating. Thanks again for your input.
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Steve and Kevin, thank you both for your service. My husband is a Navy Vet and we never had any issues. I now am covered under his current employment because for PH, it offers better choices for myself. I have known a few Veterans who have had issues with having a PH doctor accessible to them. This was several years ago and I’ve heard that the coverage for PH has improved. I am grateful for any moves in a positive direction if this means others receive better care.
Thank you both for sharing your experiences.
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