1.0KFF Health Newshttps://kffhealthnews.orgbrilabuskeshttps://kffhealthnews.org/news/author/brilabuskes/Advocates Want To Make Sure Veterans' Unique Needs Aren't Lost As Congress Addresses Opioid Crisis - KFF Health Newsrich600338<blockquote class="wp-embedded-content" data-secret="7RiEyDBXI6"><a href="https://kffhealthnews.org/morning-breakout/advocates-want-to-make-sure-veterans-unique-needs-arent-lost-as-congress-addresses-opioid-crisis/">Advocates Want To Make Sure Veterans’ Unique Needs Aren’t Lost As Congress Addresses Opioid Crisis</a></blockquote><iframe sandbox="allow-scripts" security="restricted" src="https://kffhealthnews.org/morning-breakout/advocates-want-to-make-sure-veterans-unique-needs-arent-lost-as-congress-addresses-opioid-crisis/embed/#?secret=7RiEyDBXI6" width="600" height="338" title="“Advocates Want To Make Sure Veterans’ Unique Needs Aren’t Lost As Congress Addresses Opioid Crisis” — KFF Health News" data-secret="7RiEyDBXI6" frameborder="0" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" scrolling="no" class="wp-embedded-content"></iframe><script type="text/javascript">
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Veterans can have chronic pain and wounds from the war that need to be treated by opioids, but they are also twice as likely as nonveterans to die from an accidental opioid overdose. Advocates see Congress' efforts to address the crisis as a good start, but warn that lawmakers still have blind spots when it comes to treating veterans. In other news, a program that allows veterans to seek care outside the VA, which President Donald Trump and other Republicans have championed, is falling behind in its implementation.