One of the big obstacles that many veterans across the country unfortunately know all too well is that they may not always have access to the health care they need. Luckily, the state of New Jersey recently passed a law that should help them clear some of those hurdles.
The law, known as A-3749, will require the state's Department of Military and Veterans' Affairs to establish a program to help veterans get to their medical appointments when they have conditions related to their service, according to a report from the New Jersey state house. Specifically, the state will reimburse those veterans for the travel costs they take on out of pocket to make those appointments.
"Many veterans are unable to take advantage of helpful treatment programs in New Jersey because of the difficulty in arranging transportation," said Legislative Assembly Democrat Pamela Lampitt, who represents Camden and Burlington. "This law will promote transportation assistance to veterans in order to ensure our veterans have the access to quality care they deserve."
This kind of help may go a long way for many veterans in the state, and could also inspire similar programs in other states as well. That, in turn, could be invaluable to many veterans with health issues who may be struggling financially.