Daily HealthBeat Tip

Help for Native vets

From the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, I�m Ira Dreyfuss with HHS HealthBeat.

American Indians are more likely than other Americans to have served in the military � 24 percent of Indians have worn the uniform, compared with 19 percent for Americans in general.

But this doesn�t mean Indian and Alaska Native vets receive all the health care they earned from their service. HHS� Indian Health Service spokesman Thomas Sweeney:

"As veterans who fought for this country, they�re entitled to all the services that can be offered. But for many reasons, this often isn�t known or understood by Native veterans." (nine seconds)

A case in point � Native vets may think they only can get care from Indian Health Service clinics when they also can get care from VA facilities, which may be closer to them.

The Indian Health Service has a link on its Web page to help Native vets see their care options.

Learn more at www.hhs.gov.

HHS HealthBeat is a production of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. I'm Ira Dreyfuss.

Last revised: January 11, 2005

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