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Fix the VA Don’t Break It
One of the biggest problems tracking reports across the country is that there are days when I get hit with more news than I can stand. It makes my head hurt to think of how far we’ve come, then get whacked with one bad news report after another.
Florida
More South Florida war veterans at risk of HIV infection
More war veterans at risk of HIV infection after VA hospital error
A dozen more South Florida veterans were being notified Tuesday the colonoscopies they had at the Miami VA hospital might have been with improperly cleaned equipment. It’s the third time such notices have been made.BY FRED TASKER
FTASKER@MIAMIHERALD.COM
The Veterans Administration said Tuesday it has found another 12 South Florida veterans who never were notified they might have received colonoscopies with improperly cleaned equipment at the Miami VA hospital as far back as 2004. It’s the third such notification, totaling nearly 2,500 veterans.
The VA, which last year said it had taken extensive steps to prevent another such notification error, again blamed the way in which the hospital keeps medical records.
VA officials said this error was discovered when the Miami U.S. Attorney’s Office, gathering information related to veterans who have filed lawsuits in the matter, asked the Miami VA hospital to recheck its records. While the VA hospital has electronic medical records, it said the errors were found by checking supplemental paper log books.
It wasn’t clear why the 12 new names would be on paper but not electronic records. Notification to the 12 veterans began Tuesday; by late afternoon all but three had been reached, a spokeswoman said.
Scott wants to privatize veterans homes
posted by aaron deslatte on February, 8 2011 1:31 PM
TALLAHASSEE — Gov. Rick Scott’s $65.8 billion spending pitch to lawmakers includes privatizing veterans homes, mental health facilities and developmental disability centers, which the governor’s budget staff has concluded will save $103.9 million.
Scott health-care policy coordinator Jane Johnson said the governor’s office was still working with Veterans Affairs director Bob Milligan on the specifics of how to hand veterans homes over to private enterprise, a concept she called “public instrumentality.”
“The homes would be operated as a private entity and the employees would not be public employees,” Johnson told the House Health Care Appropriations Committee on Tuesday.
On this Scott is as bad as Bachmann. He can get cheers in Eustis at a Tea Party event but when he wants to cut the budget off the veterans’ backs, he can’t donate enough money to make up for it. Maybe this is what was behind his huge donation to the Wounded Warrior Project.
Florida governor gives $200k for wounded vets
The Associated Press
Posted : Wednesday Feb 2, 2011 12:39:27 EST
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Gov. Rick Scott is donating $200,000 raised during his inauguration events to the Wounded Warriors Project.Scott said during a ceremony Wednesday at the governor’s mansion that he visited the group’s Jacksonville headquarters while campaigning and was impressed with the work it does to help wounded veterans.
Scott said, “You could just see that lives were changed through Wounded Warriors.”
Scott, a Navy veteran, also said that his administration will put a strong focus on military issues.
What he said with this donation doesn’t measure up to what he said about the budget. But then you’d have to remember that Scott was involved in private healthcare so he’d know how much money private companies stand to make off veterans. What he doesn’t say is that providing care to veterans would still be funded by tax payers but the veterans would not be served with their unique needs.
Ohio
535 Veterans possibly exposed to HIV and Hepatitis by dentist in Dayton
VA Dentist May Have Exposed Veterans To HIV, Hepatitis
DAYTON: 535 Vets Possibly Infected At Dental Clinic
Jill Del Greco, Reporter
Posted: 10:30 am EST February 8, 2011
Updated: 11:28 pm EST February 8, 2011DAYTON, Ohio — More than 500 local veterans may have been exposed to diseases like HIV and Hepatitis.
On Tuesday, officials at the Dayton VA Center said 535 veterans may have been exposed to infectious diseases during visits to the dental clinic over the past eighteen years.
A testing clinic has been set up on the grounds of the Dayton VA Center effective immediately.
Missouri
Federal Investigation Begins Into Missouri VA Center
Tuesday, February 08 2011
(St. Louis, MO) — The U.S. Secretary of Veterans Affairs will discuss conditions at a St. Louis VA hospital this week.Members of Congress are hoping to get answers about the the John Cochran VA Center.
The Department of Veterans says John Cochran is the worst VA hospital in America in some areas, and among the very worst in many others.
You can read more and find links at my blog Wounded Times Blog
Another story on Cochran VA Medical Center.
Lawmakers seek action on Cochran VA Medical Center
By Robert Koenig, Beacon Washington correspondent
Updated 10:56 am, Tue., 2.8.11
WASHINGTON – Disturbed by reports of continued problems at the John Cochran VA Medical Center in St. Louis, all four U.S. senators and six House members from Missouri and Illinois are asking the Department of Veterans Affairs to investigate and “find solutions” to the safety issues at the hospital.Russ Carnahan
In a letter sent Tuesday to Veterans Department Secretary Eric Shinseki, the lawmakers urged the VA to address concerns about patient safety as soon as possible. “Potential problems in quality management cause grave concern, not just for veterans served by Cochran, but the entire community,” they wrote.
“We offer to work with you and area veterans to find solutions to these concerns so that we can restore the trust of our veterans and bring [Cochran], and all area VA facilities, to the highest level of quality customer service and safety.”
The lawmakers asked the VA to list measures taken to prevent future contaminations and to report any health problems discovered as a result of the most recent incident. They also requested to be informed of the results of instrument handling reviews conducted in response to an incident last June that caused the VA to suspend services in the dental clinic.
The letter was signed by Sens. Dick Durbin, D-Ill.; Claire McCaskill, D-Mo.; Roy Blunt, R-Mo.; and Mark Kirk, R-Ill. House members signing the letter included U.S. Reps. William Lacy Clay, D-St. Louis; Russ Carnahan, D-St. Louis; Jerry Costello, D-Belleville; John Shimkus, R-Collinsville; and Blaine Luetkemeyer, R-St. Elizabeth.
Laredo Veterans Health Clinic
Veteran’s upset over V.A. Clinic Service
Feb 8, 2011
For years, the United States has been criticized for the way they have handled their war veterans. Local veterans are up in arms as frustration builds over what they say is a lack of quality service at the Laredo Veterans Health Clinic.Laredo war veterans thought their fighting days were over after putting their lives on the line for their country, but they are in another battle over what they say is a lack of quality health care. Vietnam veteran, Jesus Guerra, says, “We went to war because we believe in freedom. We merit respect and services and we aren’t getting them.”
On Tuesday morning, clinic administrators met with a committee of Laredo war veterans to discuss possible improvements for the clinic that has had countless complaints of poor customer service. With plans to expand the clinic in the works, Congressman Henry Cuellar says there needs to be some changes. Currently the clinic is understaffed after unexpected departures from numerous employees. While they do say they plan to hire a new physician in about a week, V.A. officials refused to discuss the state of the Veteran’s Clinic on camera – leaving some veterans wondering about the future employees of the clinic.
The congressman says Laredo’s war veterans have earned the right of quality health service, and there is no room at the clinic for any employee who stands in the way of that right. He goes on to add, “If somebody is misleading the veterans there at the clinic I think its time for that person to go and find a new job. I don’t want people to think I’ve got a government job and I can do whatever I want to.”
These stories made their local news as if they were only local issues, but the truth is, they are national issues. They are not just about veterans from one state but about veterans after they served this one nation. Why should care depend upon where they live? Why should one state take better care than other states do? Why should it take longer to have a claim approved in one state than it does in other states?
These problems are easy to ignore if they remain local issues but when you look at what is going on across the country, it is clear there is a huge problem. The VA has an obligation to provide care to our veterans no matter where they live. Fixing the VA is about taking care of all veterans now or tomorrow people wanting to privatize the VA will win and veterans will lose.
Short URL: http://www.veteranstoday.com/?p=79721
Posted by Chaplain Kathie on Feb 9 2011, With 0 Reads, Filed under Veterans Affairs. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. Both comments and pings are currently closed.
COMMENTS
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If something stays broke for 40 years, we can safely assume it is performing exactly the way it was intended, or that those in power have no intention to fix it.
I suggest we do away with the VAMC system and give veterans a Medicare B type card. It could not possibly be more expensive than the current VA system, and the quality of care could not possible be any worse.
All in favor?
Glenn, I am not in favor. In Orlando we only have a clinic but they’ve been great with my husband. We’re looking forward to the new VA hospital in Lake Nona opening so that he won’t have to travel to Tampa for some care. It was the same story in Massachusetts. Great care and that was going back to the days when my Dad went. All in all, it depends on where a veteran lives and that is clearly wrong.
The next thing you have to consider is that the GOP have been trying to gut Medicare and Medicaid, Social Security along with the VA. Where would veterans be then? If you let them take away the VA now, what is to stop them from taking care of veterans tomorrow?
The first time the government starts turning over VA care of any kind to private
organizations or states, such as the Governor of Florida wants, that will be the
end of the VA system. Do any of you really think this is just for concern for the
veteran? Lets get real. It’s the damm money in their state’s coffers they are
after. They see billions of government dollars pouring into state coffers and they
already have their system set up to embezzle or waste it all. The hell with Florida and other states who try this. The veterans had better get off their asses
and start doing a little yelling. If their congressman and senators don’t listen,
push to vote their asses out. The VA system is the best damm medical system for
vets in this country.
Very true. When you hear them it sounds as if putting the VA into private hands will save a lot of money but the truth is, it will just make a lot of providers rich. Tax payers will still have to pay for it until they GOP cut veterans from the budget all the way.
Scott was in the healthcare industry, so he knows how much money this would be worth to private companies. This isn’t about the budget. It’s about getting more money to corporation pockets no matter what it does to veterans.
The bureaucracy, the backlog of adjudication applications still using paper instead of digital records keeping, the antiquated methods it maintains its own book keeping are repairable. With a 21st century DIGITAL overhaul of the entire way the DVA administrates its health care system throughout its medical centers, vet centers and other programs would not only speed up all its internal processes, but improve efficiency and SAVE the taxpayers millions because at long last, the ability to track where the money goes for each facility and program will be more transparent and easier to investigate discrepancies, trends AND successes.
It seems funny to me now that the GOP is in power in Congress and are the same GOP that entered into two ILLEGAL WARS for nothing but Greed and Lining their own Pockets… It’s ok for them to send our young men and women to do their dirty work, but it’s not ok for them to take care of the health needs of the same men and women… The Va system has been around for a very long time and has always been run subpare compaired to private Hospitals, it’s only in the last 10 years or so that the VA System has been improving, but still has a ways to go… But it’s the best we have as Veterans.. It’s the assholes in Washington and the GOP that need to be improved, they rather send billions to some off the wall countries, than keep the money here to improve our way of life… F–k it’s our money, it’s the tax money we put into our Government, and we should be getting the best care of anywhere in the world…We Veterans should be looked up to and have cash falling out of our pockets, not some damn people in other countries… The problem is that our Hired Hands in Washington can’t find enough ways to steal any of that money if they’d put into the VA System and other places that’s sole purpose is to take care of Veterans… Damn it people, why do we have so many Veterans living in the F–K’s streets, what’s wrong with this picture???
We all need to get off our high horses and start doing something about the peeople incharge that work for us and start doing something about helping Veterans in every possible way… If these jokers like the WEEPER and his banker buddies in congress cut anything concerning the VA, we need to let them know LOUD AND CLEAR we won’t put up with their shit, let alone let them stay in office either…
We are a bortherhood and sisterhood, we know how to fight our enemies, and I know we all still have some fight left in us… Hell we have to fight for our survival when it gets down to it…
We have to let them know we won’t be shit on by them….
God Bless this Great Country of ours…
I took the oath to defend her from all enemies foriegn and in Washington…
One of the questions GOP voters have a hard time with is blind support of Republican politicians. While there are some good, the bulk of them vote against veterans. All of this is public record but veterans have a hard time coming to terms with the fact what comes out of someone’s mouth does not make it true.
McCain is a great example of that. He has voted against veterans but they supported him just because he’s a Vietnam Vet, disabled, was a POW and claims to support veterans. His voting record proves his words are empty.
When the Tea Party folks came out proudly saying they wanted to go after the VA, Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security, GOP voters still backed them ignoring what they planned to do once in office. Now we see that while there were many other battles to fight to get veterans the care they earned, we now have a battle we shouldn’t have had to fight against politicians wanting to cut the budget by cutting veterans off from what they were promised and owed.
It is amazing to me that men and women can serve side by side, be willing to die for another and work together no matter how they vote or where they’re from. As you said, as brother and sister but folks in Washington would rather fight each other. There are some things that are clearly right or wrong and politics shouldn’t get in the way.
Veterans Administration is guilty of Veteran genocide, in the fact of massive suicides from lack of compassion, rejection, government workers from janitors to the doctors who get pay whether they preform their work or not, and is guaranteed a paycheck.
The VA should shut down the hospitals, and issue veterans a health card for the veteran to get quality care, and in the meantime the government would save a lot of tax money on out of date buildings, and personal, who cannot hold a job in the real world.
Some of the existing hospitals could be used as nursing homes under private care givers. I am giving my opinion with over 42 years of dealing with the VA.Their is too mus pork involved with veteran care, and a majority of veterans get minimal care. I am 100% disabled, and I go to private hospitals for surgery, and would never let the butchers in the VA touch me. There are a few good doctors and facilities but they are far in few between. The Veterans Administration is beyond repair, and the needs of the veterans need a different direction to get health care.
Sorry that you’ve had such a bad experience but it is not all VA hospitals just as one state approves claims faster than others.
Private care is up to the company that owns them, so not a good idea. We’ve seen too many private hospitals shut down plus they are for profit meaning it would cost the tax payers more money to pay for the care the veterans would get. The other option talked about a lot is Medicare which most people do not know is used to pay for medical care not service connected, or private insurance that is also used.
The majority of veterans do not get minimal care, but again, it depends on where you live and that is wrong considering all of you served the same country.
We have a lot of work to do to fix what is wrong but in the long run fixing it will not only save lives but save money instead of turning it over to for profit companies looking to cash in on veterans.
What a bunch of crap you are spilling. VA hospitals saved my brothers life from
throat cancer and is currently doctoring another one for prostrate cancer at 85
years of age. There are some doctors in every hospital (and other medical
personnel) who are not as qualified as others. Read the papers and see how
many people have died in civilian hospitals as a result of negligence. A hell of
a lot more than has been reported, and I will bet on that. If you are 100%
disabled, I will make a bet you have been in VA hospitals more than once.
Obviously, you are still alive so I think your crap is just that. They aren’t
perfect, but do away with them and you will be the first to bitch. I bet on it.
I agree about some Va Hospitals, Long Beach here in southern California is a butcher shop, same with the Whilshire Hospital in Los Angeles… I go to Loma Linda, and they have saved my life twice in the past 10 years I’ve been going there… I have a saying I use a lot, and that is I wouldn’t take a dead dog to either one of those… Now there is one near San Diego, that is suppost to be the best in the whole VA system, and excellent for cardio care, haven’t been there yet, but I have talked to many Vets that have, seeing I have problems with my heart as well.. But like I said Loma Linda Is right up there for care, and for new equipment, and doctors, and most staff… Their ER IS TOP OF THE LINE…
So you can’t sit there and say that the all the Hospitals and care that Most Vets get is bad, I will argue with you on that all day long… I’m also 100% service connected and all my care and Meds come from Loma Linda…
God Bless America and her Veterans…
Can you read that Palin, and Bachman, and you jerkoff Mcain???
The REAL issue is very simple: The Veteran’s (my) idea of “fixing the VA” is the exact OPPOSITE of the government and VA’s idea of fixing the VA.
I want them to fix things in FAVOR of us Vets. They want to fix things so fewer of us will receive the benefits we paid for with our dedication, service, schooling, etc – some of us with our blood and lives.
That’s the problem. My Regional Office told me not a month ago when I tried to add medical records to my file which had magically appeared in my mail one day (after 25 years of trying to get them) that: “You have to understand, hon. We are NOT here to help you! Just the opposite! Don’t leave those here – they will NEVER get into your file!”
And: In a Dec phone call I asked, “Don’t you folks READ our medical files?” I was LAUGHED at and called crazy! “We don’t have the time for that! If you’ve been denied ONE time, you get an auto denial back! What is WRONG WITH YOU?!”
Think about this – There is NO way to make a government official DO THEIR JOB! They don’t see their job as “helping” anyone! They are the ENEMY and we are at WAR again!
Email me if you don’t believe what I’ve said: Broncorider@gmx.com
I still believe in what is possible. To make a long story short, one of my best friends felt the same way until the day she died. Capt. Agnes “Irish” Bresnahan believed in “us” doing the right thing so much so that even as she fought to have her own claims honored, as PTSD and Agent Orange ate away at her, she went to Washington to testify. She fought for all veterans as much as she fought for herself. She never lost faith no matter what happened or how long she had to keep fighting.
A couple of years ago, she was in Washington for a hearing on her case. She was happy that she finally had time to see the Memorials. The next day, she died in Washington. She is now resting in Arlington but I have a feeling she’s still watching what’s going on and I bet she still believes that this fight is not only worth it, but is possible to achieve.
I spent twenty years as dir of a county veterans office. In that time I had plenty of problems that I dealt with at our local VAMC. For the most part I have most good things to say about their dealings with veterans. I do, however, have a problems with the big bonuses the upper management, i.e., dir., assoc. dir., chief of staff, dir of nursing receive which is never published in local newspapers. I also do no like the VA’s policy of when a MD screws up, he/she is transferred to another VAMC. In the twenty years spent in my profession, I saw five MDs that I know of, screw up and get transferred. I have ways of knowing this and although I could name names, I do not feel that would solve anything.
There are many, many good people who work the trenches at ‘VA hospitals. These are the ones who get an atta boy, a certificate, a $100 bill and their picture in the paper. The upper managements bonuses, as I said previously, are received in silence. Incidentally, I went to the Freedom of Information Act to find this out.
Incidentally, Chaplain Kathie, keep up the good work!!
Shud, thanks for writing and you are spot on. For the most part, people “working” for the VA are wonderful and really care, then there are others there for the buck. I also have a huge problem with the lack of accountability. Too many times I’ve read about veterans with botched operations, diagnosis delayed or completely wrong and medication problems. Allowing the guilty doctors to just go somewhere else is much like the priests being allowed to transfer so they can harm someone else in another place.
But this does not just happen in the VA
One case that stands out is Sgt. Carmelo Rodriquez. He made the CBS news. He went to see military doctors when he was in Iraq. He was told the thing on his body he worried about was a wart. It was skin cancer. You can read the rest here and see what he looked like right before he died. CBS News had gone out to interview him but he died just before the interview.
http://woundedtimes.blogspot.com/2008/02/death-of-marine-carmelo-rodriguez.html
The problems with the VA and the DOD will not be fixed until people are held accountable for what they do or don’t do.
Thank you for being there all those years trying to do the right thing for veterans. They sure do need more like you.
Shud, I do hope you at least wrote those names and insidents down someplace.. Don’t let all that information blow in the wind.. Somewhere there is a VETERAN that could use that info to win their case against the VA… Records don’t lie, if they are saved, or given to the right people…
I know here in Southern California all the VA Hospitals have huge duck ponds, and I often wonder, how much money is spent on them and the ducks, that could be used to help a Veteran somehow… And I don’t feel there should be any kind of bonuses given to any Government employees, if you a bonus, get a private job and earn it… It’s our tax money, and giving bonuses like you mentioned should be against the laws of this land…
Thank you for your service at the VA, I hope you were one of the good ones…
God Bless America and her Veterans
Capt. Kathie and others –
Thank you for your replies. I was referring to the Veteran’s Administration. I’ve had my dealings with incompetent doctors at VA hospitals too. I have a good one now, but fought for years with a couple who should never have been in practice.
While I didn’t know “Irish” I knew of her. Actually, I think we communicated via email a few times in distant years. She was a terrific lady and I hear about her often from other Vets. I know that she is greatly missed. Those who knew her personally are fortunate.
My issues with the Veteran’s Admin go back about 25 years. After leaving the Army due to illness and not being able to accept my promotion to E7, I am still fighting for Service connected disability. I haven’t worked in more than 25 years due to illness and injuries obtained while on active duty.
The VA does NOT help Veterans! That’s the bottom line. All the publicity, lip-service, etc. means nothing while they continue to deny an average of 85% of claims. And now they want to cut the budget for Vet service and benefits – while we have 2 wars going on.
What they do to Vets needs to made public. Most people don’t know – they believe the rhetoric in the media.
Again – thank you for answering me! Your article is a very good one – and I hope to read more from you. Keep it up! You give us all a valuable voice!
Take care -
We’re doing the best we can on this site to make sure what is going on is made very public. Comments like your’s helps deliver the personal side of the issue. It’s terrible that any veteran would feel as if they have to fight a battle against the VA, but it happens all too often for far too many reasons. The point is to fight the battles so that fewer will have to fight later on down the road. Just think of how much has been accomplished since Vietnam. Vietnam vets came home and fought to have PTSD treated and compensated for. Because they fought for Agent Orange to be treated, the list of illnesses is still growing. Gulf War Vets had to come home and fight for Gulf War Syndrome to be taken care of and they are still fighting but they also had the Vietnam veterans right by their side. Now Iraq and Afghanistan veterans are coming home and fighting to have their service honored as well. They have the VIetnam veterans and the Gulf War veterans fighting right by their side. Sooner or God willing later, they will be joined by another generation having to fight as well. We’ve never managed to get it right but because veterans didn’t give up, we’re a lot closer than ever before.
Don’t give up. My husband’s claim took six years so I remember all the heartache and frustration along with financial suffering. As bad as it was for us, I can’t image how hard it has been on you but don’t give up.
One thing I missed is that in my twenty years of service, I saw many, many good MDs forced out of the VAMCs they served because they wouldn’t take the crap the Chief of Staffs or other supervisors dished out.
Chaplain Kathie -
Thanks! You are right. When I first began this battle in 1988, the VA refused to accept my civilian medical records. Today they do. Things do change – however slowly at times.
Thank you for your kind words. My financial struggles are only a part of the picture, as I’m sure you know. And I’m sure you’ve heard the stories before. A friend of mine waiting for what he hopes is a positive decision on his SC claim was made homeless yesterday.
I am a Vietnam Era Vet. I was the first female to join my unit after their return from Nam. I had just turned 19 years old. I know well the battles of PTSD – I also have it. From holding young men on a party room floor who didn’t know where they were – to my own battles with nightmares and not sleeping, PTSD has been a part of my life from the day I joined that unit in July 1974.
Thank you too for your encouragement. It is sad that we view battling the VA as another call to war. But it is true. And it’s more than just money we are after – it is the recognition of what we gave to our Country as well.
I’ll end this thread for now with the hope that I helped contribute a little to your terrific article. Now I’m off to read the one you posted today!
Be Well -