CIR: VA paid out $200 million in wrongful death settlements since 2001

[unhappycamper]

http://www.thenewstribune.com/2014/04/04/3132958/cir-va-paid-out-200-million-in.html?sp=/99/296/331/354/

CIR: VA paid out $200 million in wrongful death settlements since 2001
By ADAM ASHTON
Staff writer
April 4, 2014

~snip~

The revelations come as the department faces intense scrutiny from members of Congress over the number of preventable deaths at VA facilities. The House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs has scheduled a hearing on preventable deaths for April 9.

In September, the committee held a hearing to examine patient deaths at VA hospitals in Pittsburgh, Atlanta, Dallas and Jackson, Miss.

At the hearing, lawmakers accused the agency of failing to discipline officials responsible for unnecessary deaths, pointing out that it has instead provided performance bonuses to these executives.

For example, after an outbreak of Legionnaires’ disease at the agency’s hospital in Pittsburgh left six veterans dead and at least 21 ill, the VA regional director, Michael Moreland, received a nearly $63,000 bonus.

[yeoman6987]

1. I go to the VA in Baltimore

I have never had any issues with them. They are very professional and want to do the best job they can. Sorry to see that not all VA's are the same.

[Victor_c3]

5. That is absolutely true, not all VA facilities are the same

I currently go to the one at Castle Point, NY and it is very different than the one I used to visit in Delaware a few years back. The people at Castle Point are very professional and seem concerned, but it is a much larger facility and it is easier to get lost in the system there than at the smaller VA facility I used to frequent in Delaware.

Overall, I have nothing bad to say about the VA. I absolutely love the people that I interact with frequently. I truly believe they are concerned over the well-being of vets like myself and I'm grateful to receive the help I get from them.

[Jackpine Radical]

2. But think of all the money the VA saved

by not having to pay out the health care & disability benefits for the dead vets. Surely that would have been a lot more than that measly $63,000 bonus.

(BTW, I'm at 60% & have appealed. I think they're waiting for me to die before I cost them any more money.)

[unhappycamper]

3. A good friend of mine is a Vietnam vet who has been going to the VA

for his PTSD for over 8 years.

Two years ago he was officially diagnosed with PTSD and his file was sent to Philadelphia. He's 62 and has shitloads of medical problems.

If he dies before he gets his PTSD award, though shit - his family will (also) get nothing. Sometimes I think the VA goes out of its way to avoid paying vets for the injuries (both hard and soft) they incurred while serving.

[Victor_c3]

4. I used to go to the VA in Wilmington, DE which is about 40 minutes south of Philadelphia

I don't know if it is possible for him to switch VA facilities, but the one in DE, is about 40 minutes south of the one in Philadelphia. From guys that I've talked to, they are night and day different. At least when I went there regularly between 2007 and 2010, the VA facility there was amazing.

As an OIF veteran with a 70% PTSD rating, I'll vouch for the VA in Wilmington, DE. They were more than fair with me and I feel that they gave me the benefit of the doubt when it came to my CP&E. The mental health people there were awesome.

[unhappycamper]

6. Boston has some REALLY good VA hospitals.

His problem is not the Boston VA, it's the guys who sign off on disability ratings.

If/when his disability is 'approved' he has 8 years of E-7 pay coming his way.