The Department of Veterans Affairs is denying over 35,000 combat veterans health care enrollment because of an error in its computer system, and nearly half of the veterans have been waiting for coverage for more than five years.
According to a document leaked to the Huffington Post by VA whistleblower Scott Davis, a recent analysis conducted by the agency indicates that 35,093 combat veterans who applied for health care with the VA are currently designated with “pending” status for enrollment because they did not complete a “means test” that examines their household income.
However, such a test is not required for combat veterans specifically, as is stipulated by the VA on its website. Veterans who served in combat operations are automatically eligible for five years of free health coverage with the VA, a privilege that expires after five years.
Among the combat veterans being incorrectly denied coverage–most of whom served in Afghanistan or Iraq–16,000 have had a “pending” status for more than five years, indicating that their eligibility for free coverage has expired.
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