Older veterans' future use of VA health care services

Abstract

This study is a secondary analysis of the Harris Survey of Aging Veterans (SAV) and is designed to identify variables that may be associated with older veterans' future use of the Veterans Administration (VA) health care system. Using regression and discriminant analysis techniques, the study identifies variables that may predispose older veterans to use the VA health care system in the next 10 years. The results indicate that older veterans may elect to use their health care benefits on objective criteria consistent with their health and financial resources, e.g., past use of veterans benefits, expected health status, and private insurance coverage. These variables suggest that the VA's recently enacted means test and the removal of automatic age eligibility will disenfranchise few older veterans.