Patricia Kime

Patricia Kime is a senior writer covering military and veterans health care, medicine and personnel issues.


  • New studies focus on service dogs and PTSD
    New studies focus on service dogs and PTSD

    A study of 100 post-9/11 veterans at Purdue University is designed to see if a dog trained to help a veteran with PTSD influences medical symptoms, social anxiety, relationships and more.

  • Tricare reform for Guard, reserves being pushed
    Tricare reform for Guard, reserves being pushed

    A proposal to overhaul Tricare may not be forthcoming but a pilot Tricare Choice program may be in the works

  • Veterans Affairs nominee: ‘The VA needs change’
    Veterans Affairs nominee: ‘The VA needs change’

    Dr. David Shulkin said the VA’s failings in the past year – appointment wait times, bloated construction costs, lack of accountability and more – and its fledgling transformation efforts have created a ripe environment for “dramatic change.”

  • Helping corpsmen, medics land civilian health jobs
    Helping corpsmen, medics land civilian health jobs

    Medics and corpsmen who served in Iraq and Afghanistan find that state-based credentialing and licensing requirements are inconsistent and don’t necessarily take the troops’ vast experience into account.

  • Tricare pharmacy pilot included in 2016 defense bill
    Tricare pharmacy pilot included in 2016 defense bill

    Lawmakers are interested in learning whether establishing a “preferred” retail pharmacy network for Tricare beneficiaries to use in filling drug prescriptions — including for chronic conditions — could save the government money.

  • Senator unveils bill to help vets’ caregivers
    Senator unveils bill to help vets’ caregivers

    Sen. Patty Murray has introduced a bill to extend benefits to those who help injured or ill veterans of all eras — not just post-9/11, Iraq- and Afghanistan-era veterans.

  • VA Choice Card eligibility expands
    VA Choice Card eligibility expands

    Rules governing VA’s choice program are changed to expand program to more veterans.

  • Troops get malaria during Ebola deployment
    Troops get malaria during Ebola deployment

    Five soldiers who are believed to have contracted malaria probably weren’t taking their anti-malarial medications.

  • Lawmakers want DoD, VA pharmacies to match meds
    Lawmakers want DoD, VA pharmacies to match meds

    Legislation calls for the formularies of both departments to match medications for pain management, sleep disorders, psychiatric conditions and other illnesses.

  • Tricare reform not in House plans this year
    Tricare reform not in House plans this year

    The committee will not include recommendations from the Military Compensation and Retirement Modernization Commission to move non-active-duty Tricare beneficiaries to civilian health insurance plans.