More Than 70 Members of Congress Demand Cognitive Treatment for Troops With Traumatic Brain Injuries

[w8liftinglady]

http://www.propublica.org/article/more-than-70-members-of-congress-demand-cognitive-treatment-for-troops-with

A bipartisan group of 74 lawmakers issued a letter <1> Friday demanding that the Pentagon's health plan cover a treatment for brain-injured soldiers known as cognitive rehabilitation therapy.

Rep. Bill Pascrell <2>, D-N.J., and Rep. Todd Platts <3>, R-Pa., the leaders of the Congressional Brain Injury Task Force, cited an investigation <4> by ProPublica and NPR revealing that Tricare <5>, an insurance-style plan covering soldiers and many veterans, had relied on a controversial study to avoid paying for the intensive and often expensive treatment.

"We hope that you share our concern that service members returning from the battlefield cannot wait to receive treatment for their injuries," the letter states. "It is our hope that there exists some contingency plan to provide cognitive rehabilitation for service members who are returning home today."

Official Pentagon figures show that nearly 200,000 troops have suffered traumatic brain injuries since 2001, though our investigation <6> found evidence suggesting the true toll is far higher. Although the majority of soldiers recover from the most common form of head trauma, known as mild traumatic brain injury or concussion, some suffer lifelong mental difficulties, with trouble remembering words or following directions.

[aquart]

1. Why do they even have to ask, let alone demand?

They were damaged wearing our uniform. We OWE THEM. Not conditionally, not partially. WE OWE THEM. Totally.

[leftstreet]

2. "Congressional Brain Injury Task Force" omg there are no words

:cry:

[jwirr]

3. The military has refused to recognize many problems that vets come

home with. For instance, they used to lose the paperwork on an injured vet so they would not have to pay disability for an wound received during combat. My grandson-in-law came home from the ME with a shattered should. They called me from Germany when they left and I told them to get the paperwork. Stateside they were discharging him and the doctor left the room after the interview - gsil crabbed the original papers on the desk stuck them under his shirt and walked out.

A year later sure enough they had - lost the papers. When he brought the originals to the VA agent in our area the guy smiled and said, "This one I am going to win." And he did.

Edit to say that they will do anything to deny service if they can.