Misdiagnosed vets would get VA benefits under bill by Klobuchar, Walz

The U.S. military wrongfully discharged 31,000 veterans after incorrectly diagnosing them with either personality or adjustment disorder instead of post-traumatic stress disorder, according to a study from Yale University. Because the military doesn't consider personality disorders to be connected to military service, these veterans are not eligible for all of the benefits that PTSD sufferers receive.

U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar and U.S. Rep. Tim Walz have introduced legislation that would make it easier for veterans to contest this kind of discharge and qualify for Department of Veteran Affairs services.

"Without a proper diagnosis, veterans dealing with combat or other trauma often languish without treatment as their symptoms intensify," writes MPR News reporter Jess Mador. "An MPR News examination of VA data showed that the number of Minnesota veterans diagnosed with adjustment reaction or personality disorder has risen sharply over the last decade. Since the start of the current conflicts in 2003 through 2012, that was more than 133,000 veterans."

Klobuchar and University of Minnesota psychiatry Prof. Michael Miller join The Daily Circuit to discuss the proposed legislation.