VA accused of ‘breaking the law’ aimed at cutting wait times, avoiding delayed care - WFLA
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (WFLA) – Startling data leads some to suspect the United States Department of Veterans Affairs is not following a federal law that was put in place to give veterans a choice if they wait too long for appointments, have to drive too far to a facility or if certain quality of care standards are not met.
Community Care was put on the books with the Choice Act in 2014 after several veterans died while waiting for medical care on secret wait lists in what became known as the Phoenix scandal.
But as reported last year by the 8 On Your Side investigators, the VA was accused of “cooking the books” by manipulating wait times statistics to avoid allowing veterans to get care from civilian doctors.
The VA used a term called the patient preferred date, which actually was the date VA personnel decided was appropriate for a veteran to be treated. That allowed to agency to delay starting the calendar clock and control what was a 30-day window before veterans would be reffered to private sector doctors.
In 2018, Congress approved the Mission Act that required the clock to start on the patients’ date of request. The regulation also change the wait time limit to 20 days for primary care and 28 days for specialty care.
But after a number of sources who work for the VA claimed Community Care does not provide primary care to bay area veterans, 8 On Your Side requested data through the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA).
Darin Selnick, senior advisor for Concerned Veterans for America who helped write the Mission Act, said their are indications across the country that the VA is “breaking the law.”
He said 8 on Your Side’s findings support that claim.
“The numbers that you’re producing?” Selnick said. “Veterans are getting left behind. They’re getting delayed care. There’s no doubt delayed healthcare kills.”
Kevin Cramer, a veteran who served in Afghanistan, said he was told by Bay Pines VA personnel that primary care is not part of Community Care.
“I was really shocked,” Cramer said. “I thought the doctors were looking out for me and it didn’t turn out that way.”
Tonight at 6 p.m. on WFLA, 8 on Your Side takes our findings to a local lawmaker, and you’ll hear why some claim the VA is not following the law.
source: https://www.wfla.com/8-on-your-side/investigations/va-accused-of-breaking-the-law-aimed-at-cutting-wait-times-avoiding-delayed-care/
Your content is great. However, if any of the content contained herein violates any rights of yours, including those of copyright, please contact us immediately by e-mail at media[@]kissrpr.com.