Court rules vets home lawsuit can go forward

[unhappycamper]

Court rules vets home lawsuit can go forward
By William H. McMichael - Staff writer
Posted : Friday Dec 14, 2007 17:04:58 EST

The residents of the Armed Forces Retirement Home in the nation’s capital got an early shot of holiday cheer Friday: the possibility of better medical care sometime down the road.

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit reversed a lower-court ruling that dismissed a class-action lawsuit filed by residents over the quality of medical care provided at the home. The reversal means that the suit will go forward in the lower court.

In 2005, residents of the home sued the chief operating officer and the secretary of defense, asking for an injunction to compel the home to provide a primary treatment room staffed by an on-location physician and primary health care for residents 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

It also asked that the home be able to provide “the medications required for the treatment of residents ... X-ray, electrocardiogram, lab work and other services”; annual physical and mental exams; and other services, such as transportation.

The suit was aimed at countering several 2003 cost-saving measures that residents say eroded available health care on the 272-acre campus. The cutbacks allegedly included the unavailability of physicians and dentists, neglect of patients and delays in obtaining prescription drugs.


Rest of article at: http://www.armytimes.com/news/2007/12/military_retirementhome_healthcare_071214w/