Q: My insurer won’t cover my prescriptions for Viagra or for any other ED drug. However, I read recently that the Defense Department spends millions each year to cover the cost of ED drugs for both active-duty servicemen and veterans. Why do they get coverage when civilians can’t?
A: According to a report in an article posted at MilitaryTimes.com in 2015, the Pentagon paid more than $84 million to purchase erectile dysfunction drugs for its active-duty troops, dependents, and veterans. Nearly half of that sum — $41.6 million to be exact — went toward Viagra.
However, much of those expenditures went to cover the cost of ED drugs for servicemen — both active-duty and veterans — who were suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder or PTSD.
Sexual dysfunction is rampant among both male and female service personnel who have PTSD. In men, the most common form of PTSD-related sexual dysfunction is ED, while in women, it is vaginal pain. It is estimated that up to 85 percent of the servicemen suffering from PTSD also suffer from erection problems.
And their inability to have sexual relations with their intimate partners tends to exacerbate their symptoms of PTSD. Helping them to regain erectile function is just one step on their road to recovery.