Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Whistleblower Investigation Finds Veterans Are Being Sent To Collection Agencies Because Of Deeply Flawed System
The Wall Street Journal: Slow VA Payments Left Veterans Facing Collection Agencies
A whistleblower at the Department of Veterans Affairs spurred an investigation that found hundreds of millions of dollars in improper travel claims and a deeply flawed system used when veterans seek care outside the VA, according to an internal VA investigation made public Thursday by the Office of Special Counsel. The top federal whistleblower-protection agency, which ordered the VA to conduct the investigation after reviewing the whistleblower’s allegations, called the hundreds of millions spent on improper travel claims a “gross waste of funds” and expressed concern that the VA has known since 2014 that veterans are being sent to collection agencies because of problems with the system used by the administration to pay private doctors. (Kesling, 12/13)
ProPublica: Inside Public Housing Where Cockroaches Drop From The Wall And Kids Are Getting Sick
Taft Homes has failed three of its five most recent inspections by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. The Peoria Housing Authority has delayed major repairs at the property even as it has paid hundreds of thousands of dollars over more than a decade to consultants and developers for plans that have yet to materialize, records and interviews reveal. Peoria’s case is extreme. But in many ways, the Taft Homes exemplifies the plight of publicly subsidized housing throughout Illinois. (Parker, 12/12)
The Hill: Memo Reveals Improper Medical Care By ICE Led To Deaths, Surgery For Child's Partial Forehead Removal
A memo from an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) whistleblower alleges that four migrants died in U.S. custody after receiving “grossly negligent” medical care, in addition to two who received preventable surgeries and two who were given incorrect medication. One of the preventable surgeries included an 8-year-old boy who had to have part of his forehead removed, according to the internal complaint, BuzzFeed News first reported. (Pitofsky, 12/12)
WBUR: While Others Wait, One Teen In Boston Is Granted Medical Deferred Action
Months after federal immigration officials reinstated deferred action for medical cases, a family in Boston who feared they'd be removed from the U.S. — even as their son continued to need life-saving treatments — now has clarity.Originally from Honduras, the Sanchez family came to Boston three years ago seeking proper health care for their 16-year-old son, Jonathan, who has cystic fibrosis. About three weeks ago, Jonathan, his mother and father received news that the government had approved their application for so-called medical deferred action. (Dooling, 12/12)
