It's anyone's worst nightmare.
Having to be rushed a hospital without health insurance, but it's a worry uninsured veterans no longer have to face.
"It's a relief you know because golly we worry enough already," said Michael Self, an uninsured Veteran who served in Korea and Vietnam.
That's because of a recent change to the already established Veterans Emergency Care Plan.
The new changes allow any uninsured veteran to be treated at a non-VA facility without having to cover the expenses.
"In the past they would only pay for the veteran up until he became stable, but now with the new change they have they will be continue to pay for the hospital stay up until he is transferred to a VA hospital," said Jimmy DeFoor, the Abilene Veterans officer.
Which is an added relief to the thousands of veterans around Abilene that would normally have to travel for hours to receive care.
However, there is a catch, not everyone is covered.
"Those that are affected are those that do meet all of the guidelines," said Defoor.
Veterans still have to qualify according to the millennium health care act which has five essential rules:
1.) Qualifiers must be actively enrolled in VA healthcare.
2.) They must have been seen by a veterans doctor in the past 24 months.
3.) They can only be treated at an approved emergency facility.
4.) Have no other form of medical insurance.
5.) And it must be for a life threatening condition or situation.
Either way, many see it as a necessary change.
"This nation is finally saying thank you to the vets and they're showing it in ways that are going to benefit them," said veteran Richard Bowen.
Having to be rushed a hospital without health insurance, but it's a worry uninsured veterans no longer have to face.
"It's a relief you know because golly we worry enough already," said Michael Self, an uninsured Veteran who served in Korea and Vietnam.
That's because of a recent change to the already established Veterans Emergency Care Plan.
The new changes allow any uninsured veteran to be treated at a non-VA facility without having to cover the expenses.
"In the past they would only pay for the veteran up until he became stable, but now with the new change they have they will be continue to pay for the hospital stay up until he is transferred to a VA hospital," said Jimmy DeFoor, the Abilene Veterans officer.
Which is an added relief to the thousands of veterans around Abilene that would normally have to travel for hours to receive care.
However, there is a catch, not everyone is covered.
"Those that are affected are those that do meet all of the guidelines," said Defoor.
Veterans still have to qualify according to the millennium health care act which has five essential rules:
1.) Qualifiers must be actively enrolled in VA healthcare.
2.) They must have been seen by a veterans doctor in the past 24 months.
3.) They can only be treated at an approved emergency facility.
4.) Have no other form of medical insurance.
5.) And it must be for a life threatening condition or situation.
Either way, many see it as a necessary change.
"This nation is finally saying thank you to the vets and they're showing it in ways that are going to benefit them," said veteran Richard Bowen.
