Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Providers Failing To Follow Up With Troops At Risk For Suicide
USA Today: Troops At Risk For Suicide Not Getting Needed Care, Report Finds
Pentagon health care providers failed to perform critical follow-up for many troops diagnosed with depression and post-traumatic stress syndrome who also were at high risk for suicide, according to a new study released Monday by the RAND Corp. Just 30% of troops with depression and 54% with PTSD received appropriate care after they were deemed at risk of harming themselves. The report, commissioned by the Pentagon, looked at the cases of 39,000 troops who had been diagnosed in 2013 with depression, PTSD or both conditions. USA TODAY received an advance copy of the report. (Brook, 8/7)
In other military health care news —
Modern Healthcare: House Committee To Explore Care For Veterans During Field Hearing
The House Veterans Affairs Committee will be using the August recess to hear from the people. Committee Chairman Rep. Phil Roe (R-Tenn.) scheduled a field hearing for Aug. 10 in Duluth, Minn., to get a sense of how the Veterans Affairs Department can improve access to care, especially in rural areas. Among other things, the committee will look at how the VA can improve capacity at its medical centers and clinics. The committee will also delve into the Choice program, which allows veterans to seek care at non-VA facilities. (Weinstock, 8/5)
