VA medical care

In the years since U.S. troops have been fighting in Afghanistan and Iraq, many have returned with injuries related to their tours of duty and have sought treatment at medical facilities run by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.

Veterans who met recently with U.S. Rep. Jo Ann Emerson in Poplar Bluff, Mo., regarding the John J. Pershing Veterans Hospital there said the medical center's care was adequate, but red tape and the fact that 90 percent of the hospital's doctors are foreign-born and have difficulty speaking -- or understanding -- English are major problems.

One veteran described the red tape he was facing trying to establish that a hearing problem was related to his tour of duty in Iraq. Because of combat conditions, soldiers may not have a paper trail that would verify their claims.

Other veterans said the communication gap with foreign-born doctors results in problems both with diagnosis and treatment. Both Emerson and Nancy Arnold, director of medical center, agreed that this concern needs to be addressed.

Most Americans understand the realities of health care these days, including the upward spiral in costs. And most of them believe men and women who have served their country in the military deserve the best care the VA system can provide. It will be up to legislators like Emerson and health-care administrators like Arnold to see that those expectations are met.