31,000 Wounded Civilian Workers Fight For Care

The biggest secret about Iraq and Afghanistan has been the civilians deployed with the troops. When they are wounded or killed, no one ever counts them as the price of either occupation.
According to ICasualties.org, as of today Reported Deaths: 4274 in Iraq from the US alone and a total of 4,592. Afghanistan has coalition forces deaths at 1,133, 678 were US forces.
Would people still be talking about the low death counts if they had to add in the contractors? Begin with adding 1,400 and then add in 31,000 wounded.

Wounded Civilian Workers Fight For Care
AIG, Other Insurers Routinely Deny Medical Claims Of Contractors Injured In Iraq, And Afghanistan, Probe Finds

April 17, 2009


(CBS) Much has been written about the struggle of U.S. veterans to get the proper care from the military's V.A. hospitals, but another class of returnees from the battlefront is facing similar difficulties obtaining care for injuries sustained in the war zone: civilian contract employees who suffered wounds while supporting the military's war efforts.

In an alarming article co-written by T. Christian Miller of ProPublica and Doug Smith of the Los Angeles Times, insurance companies responsible (under taxpayer-funded policies) for the treatment of civilian workers injured in Iraq and Afghanistan are reportedly routinely denying medical claims for basic care, as well as artificial limbs, psychological counseling and other services.

The same companies - primarily American International Group (AIG) - reaped hundreds of millions of dollars in profits from these insurance policies.

At least 31,000 civilians have been injured while providing support services to the military and U.S. State Department. More than 1,400 have died.

Injured Iraq war veterans have sued the Department of Veterans Affairs claiming they were denied timely services for medical and mental health problems.

Meanwhile, the military struggles to cope with soldiers who come home suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), which affects one in five service members returning from Iraq or Afghanistan, according to the Pentagon.

But unlike veterans who are provided with care by the military, the civilian wounded have to go it alone - battling a federally-run insurance system that is laden with high costs and delays.
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http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2009/04/17/national/main4951906.shtml