Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Patient At VA Hospital Shoots Doctor While Undergoing A Psychological Evaluation
The Associated Press: FBI: Vet Shoots, Wounds Doctor Before Mental Health Check
The FBI says a 59-year-old U.S. Army veteran has shot and wounded a doctor just before a mental health evaluation at a U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs hospital in Riviera Beach, Florida. The FBI told news outlets Wednesday night that Larry Ray Bon, of Michigan, arrived at the West Palm Beach VA Medical Center that morning and was combative for hours. They say he was about to undergo the evaluation that evening when he pulled out the gun and shot the doctor in the neck. (2/28)
The New York Times: Patient Shoots Doctor At Florida Veterans Affairs Hospital, Officials Say
The F.B.I. took over the investigation of the shooting because it occurred in a federal building, Agent Leverock said. Mr. Bon was scheduled to appear in federal court on Thursday. The West Palm Beach V.A. Medical Center, about 75 miles north of Miami on Florida’s eastern coast, is a general medical, psychiatric and surgical facility, according to its website. The 153-bed facility opened in 1995 and “provides health services to veterans throughout South Florida,” both at the main facility in West Palm Beach and six contractor-operated outpatient clinics, a 2017 report said. The facility also operates a 108-bed “community living center” and a 13-bed “blind rehabilitation service,” according to the report. During the 2017 fiscal year, the facility served about 60,000 veterans, the report said. (Jacobs and Stevens, 2/27)
In other veterans' health care news —
WBUR: VA Expands Vets' Access To Private Care But Gives No Plan To Pay For It
The law expands a popular caregiver program and will examine VA's aging infrastructure. But the most controversial plank is a drastic increase in the number of veterans who will be eligible to use a private health care provider and bill the VA, in what's known as the Veterans Choice Program. (Lawrence, 2/27)
