Obama To Visit Phoenix VA Hospital Where Scandal Began
In related news, NPR examines how the Veterans Choice Act is working and the Arizona Republic takes a look at how the VA system's culture may be changing.
The Washington Post:
Obama To Visit VA Hospital In Phoenix, The Heart Of Last Summer’s Scandal
The president’s visit comes two months after he was criticized by Congress and veterans groups for not talking with Arizona veterans during a visit to the state, where he previewed his housing policies. Some members of Congress slammed Obama because he drove right past the hospital without stopping during that visit. The scandal over the medical center’s delays in providing care for veterans, some of them struggling with cancer, suicidal thoughts and other issues, sparked an investigation. It led to revelations that the problem was not limited to the Phoenix facility and that similar lapses were seen at scores of VA facilities. (Thibodeaux and Nakamura, 3/10)
The Associated Press:
Obama To Visit Phoenix VA Hospital That Sparked Scandal
President Barack Obama will visit the Arizona veterans' hospital that prompted an overhaul of veterans' health care and led to the resignation of the VA secretary, his first visit since reports of mismanagement surfaced nearly a year ago. (3/10)
NPR:
Veterans Choice Act Fails To Ease Travel Burdens For Vets In Need Of Care
Veterans who need to see a doctor often have to travel long distances – 40 miles or more – to get to a Department of Veterans Affairs facility. So last year, after scandals involving long wait times for vets, Congress tried to make getting care easier. The Veterans Choice Act gives veterans the option of using a doctor outside the VA system if VA facilities are more than 40 miles away, or there's more than a 30-day wait for an appointment. (Walsh, 3/11)
Arizona Republic:
VA Crisis Slowly Changing Health-Care System For Veterans
The Department of Veterans Affairs' crisis in health care came to a head in April 2014 at a meeting of the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs. Chairman Jeff Miller, R-Fla., told his panel, "It appears as though there could be as many as 40 veterans whose deaths could be related to delays in care" within the Phoenix VA Health Care System. The Arizona Republic reported the news the next day, along with allegations by a key whistle-blower. The Republic had been investigating the matter since late 2013. (3/10)
And from Wisconsin -
The Center for Investigative Reporting:
Wisconsin VA’s Opiate Overprescription Harmed Patients, Report Finds
Doctors at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs medical center in Tomah, Wisconsin, engaged in unsafe clinical practices while the hospital leadership created a culture of fear that compromised care and harmed the staff, according to a preliminary report released today. (Glantz, 3/10)
