Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Veteran Health Care 'Whenever, Wherever They Need It': Use Of Telemedicine Spikes 17%
More than 900,000 veterans used telemedicine services from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs in fiscal 2019, up 17% from the previous year, the agency announced Friday. The VA has been bolstering its telemedicine services in recent years, introducing new avenues for virtual care and proposing a federal rule to ease licensing restrictions for providers. (Cohen, 11/25)
About 5 million vets live in rural America and when it comes to health-care, there can be both literal and logistical obstacles. The Department of Veterans Affairs thinks telehealth clinics may help. (Price, 11/25)
A new study into whether military toxic exposures cause cancer and other illnesses could make it easier for veterans to get their medical expenses covered, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs secretary said Monday in Kansas City. (Gutierrez, 11/25)
Doris Stevens’ son, a Navy veteran who traveled the world for work and pleasure, suddenly stopped answering her phone calls in 2016. Stevens said she spent years trying to find out what happened, appealing to authorities to no avail. Earlier this month, Stevens received a grim answer when maintenance workers found Ronald Wayne White dead on the floor of his apartment in a Dallas suburb. (11/25)
