U.S. Rep. Joseph Crowley, center, joined veterans in Sunnyside to speak about a bill the lawmaker said could help save former military members’ lives. Photo by Phil Corso
In order to save lives, U.S. Rep. Joseph Crowley (D-Jackson Heights) wants veterans to speak up.
Crowley joined with some of Queens’ finest veteran heroes Tuesday morning to introduce legislation he drafted that would require doctors to ask patients if they served in the military so they could properly approach very veteran-specific illnesses. The Serving America’s Veterans Effectively Act was drafted with vets in mind, marking veteran status in a patient record so doctors can take issues like brain injuries or post-traumatic stress disorder head-on.
The congressman said implementing such a law could help a doctor connect the dots between various symptoms that might have otherwise seemed unrelated before the information was provided.
“When it comes to the health of our veterans, knowing is half the battle,” Crowley said. “This simple question can make all the difference when it comes to caring for a veteran. As part of a patient’s medical history, veteran status can provide critical information to physicians that could inform treatment recommendations, similar to knowing whether a patient has a family history of certain conditions.”
Crowley introduced the legislation at the Sunnyside-based John V. Daniels VFW Post 2813 standing beside some borough veterans and community leaders, including Vietnam Veterans of America President John Rowan, Community Board 2 Chairman Joe Conley, Frank Fazzio of the Maspeth-based American Legion and post Commander Michael Smith.
Rowan, who himself has seen the after-effects of military-related illnesses like those associated with exposure to Agent Orange, said it was in veterans’ best interest to be vocal about their service when seeking health care. He said if he were a coal miner, a doctor would check his lungs right away – and it should be no different for those who served this country in the military.
“Knowing if a patient served in the armed forces provides health care providers with a better understanding of how to treat them and alerts physicians to be on the lookout for specific conditions,” Rowan said. “I wad proud to work with Congressman Crowley on developing a commonsense measure that will have a profound impact on the health of veterans and I thank him for his commitment to those who have sacrificed so much for our country.”
Crowley said the bill would add veteran status under the patient information required by Medicare’s electronic health record program that incentivizes doctors to use digital records to manage health information. As an added perk, Crowley said the bill would also order the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to find ways to improve care and treatment through various outreach efforts. A grant would also help fund organizations that educate health care providers on veteran needs, the representative said.
“This is about creating a more productive doctor-patient relationship with our veterans and helping our health care providers address their unique health needs,” Crowley said. “The wounds of military service may come in many forms, and it’s crucial we make sure that our medical professionals are prepared to treat our returning veterans.”
By Phil Corso
