Vietnam veterans are receiving more compensation for diabetes than for any other health concern‚ including post–traumatic stress disorder‚ hearing loss, or war wounds.
Because of health concerns related to exposure to the defoliant Agent Orange‚ 270‚000 Vietnam veterans are receiving compensation for diabetes‚ according to Department of Veterans Affairs records. This accounts for more than one–quarter of the 1 million Vietnam veterans currently receiving disability checks. The VA announced on Aug. 30 that it will add heart disease‚ Parkinson’s disease‚ and certain leukemias to the list of conditions that might be connected to Agent Orange. The new rules will go into effect in two months‚ unless Congress intervenes‚ and will cost an estimated $42 billion over the next 10 years.
Boston Globe (08/31/10)
Source: http://www.diabetes.org/news-research/news/diabetes-in-the-news/diabetes-now-tops-claims-list.html
