As a result, thousands of our state's veterans and their families are going without the security of good health coverage that most other Alabamians enjoy. Bentley so far has declined to close the coverage gap in Alabama. Some veterans without serious service-related disabilities may wait a very long time for an appointment. The system that went into effect after the 2001 terrorist attacks means many veterans must pay for their care on a sliding fee scale. While the VA offers care for veterans who are no longer actively serving, it does so based on a complicated priority system. These veterans often struggle to get health care, even as many face health problems that may hamper their ability to work. Many veterans work one or more part-time jobs with no benefits, according to a 2012 Urban Institute study. While the veterans and their family members usually work, many veterans returned home from their deployment to find a stagnant job market during and after the Great Recession. Once they return to civilian life, though, too many veterans lack affordable health insurance. Many veterans who deploy through the National Guard or reserves have VA health coverage that begins shortly before deployment and continues for a short time afterward. Out of this group, 10,600 Alabama veterans and 3,200 of their family members would qualify for coverage through Medicaid expansion. About 27,000 Alabama veterans and 13,500 of their family members lack health insurance coverage, according to 2013 estimates by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the Urban Institute. The coverage gap for veterans is larger than many Alabamians realize.
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