Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Research Linking Agent Orange, Hypertension May Finally Pressure VA To Act
ProPublica: New Study Could Pressure VA To Expand Agent Orange Benefits
A new study has found a close relationship between Agent Orange exposure during the Vietnam War and high blood pressure, a conclusion that could lead the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs to dramatically expand the number of veterans eligible for compensation. The study, published last week by VA researchers in the Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, found a higher rate of hypertension among members of the Army Chemical Corps who handled Agent Orange during the war compared to those who didn’t. (Ornstein, 11/15)
In other veterans' health care news —
New Hampshire Public Radio: Veterans Court Provides (Sometimes 'Bumpy') Road To Recovery
[Diane] Levesque shepherds veterans like Dominiq through the system, connecting them with resources like rides to appointments. She also monitors their progress. Neither she nor the court issues a guarantee that any given participant will avoid jail. They have to follow the program they agree to. (Biello, 11/15)
The New York Times: Under Donald Trump, Harsh Critic Of V.A. May Become Its Leader
On the campaign trail, Donald J. Trump savaged the Department of Veterans Affairs, calling it a “disaster” and “the most corrupt agency in the United States.” He vowed to fire many workers at the department in an effort to fix a health care system fraught with delays. As he transitions to the White House, he has tapped the agency’s harshest critics to advise him. (Philipps, 11/15)
