New VA Scandal: Agency Hid Hospice Wait Times
VA OIG just released a report showing VA employees were covering up yearlong wait times for veterans to receive in-home care including hospice services. “Omitting this information did not allow patients and family members to understand fully the situation and options,” the report said.
Two years ago, OIG called out 114 VA facilities for applying “more restrictive eligibility criteria” than was necessary. The watchdog blasted the agency for deliberately limiting access to home care.
These restrictions occurred after a five-fold increase in funding for home health services since 2010. Despite the money, veterans faced more than a year of waiting on average.
VA OIG Home Health Services Executive Summary
The VA Office of Inspector General Office of Healthcare Inspections conducted an inspection at the request of Senator Barbara Mikulski to assess the merit of allegations regarding access to purchased home and community based services (HCBS) at the Washington DC VA Medical Center (facility), Washington, DC.
We substantiated that the facility had wait times exceeding a year for patients needing homemaker/home health aide (H/HHA) services, a component of HCBS. The subject patient’s service-connected disability rating and diagnosis did not qualify for H/HHA priority consideration, so staff added the patient’s name to a wait list in October 2013, as required. However, the patient died in April 2014 before receiving H/HHA services.
The facility’s H/HHA budget and patient participants more than tripled over the past 5 years. The facility’s H/HHA spending amounted to $1.3 million for 148 patients in 2010 and grew to $6.7 million for 573 patients in 2014. Veterans Integrated Service
Network 5 staff became aware of growing HCBS electronic waiting lists (EWLs) and supplemented the facility’s HCBS funding with $2 million in June 2014. Subsequently, the facility reduced the H/HHA EWL, which had 584 patients in December 2013 to 0 patients in February 2015.
We also substantiated that multiple Veterans Health Administration facilities had patients waiting for HCBS. From mid-September 2014 through March 31, 2015, the national HCBS EWL totals grew from 1,721 to 2,566 patients. As of March 31, 11 facilities exceeded 75 patients on their HCBS EWLs, and 5 facilities accounted for more than half of the patients on the national HCBS EWL.
Incidental to our review, we found that local HCBS program managers did not comply with all elements of national and local policy regarding quality of care, patient communication, and electronic health record documentation. In addition, despite being required to use an EWL for HCBS patients since 2006, the facility used a manual wait list until early 2014.
We recommended that the Under Secretary for Health require facilities to develop action plans to address the care needs of patients on home health services EWLs. We also recommended that the Facility Director ensure (1) staff comply with all elements of national and local policies regarding quality of care, communication, and documentation related to purchased home and community based services and (2) that oversight and management of purchased home and community based services is adequate and in compliance with Veterans Health Administration policies.
I noticed that nowhere in the recommendations did it say “FIRE THIS PERSON BECAUSE THEY ARE INCOMPETENT”…Why is that…”Recommend” isn’t going to get the job done…When OIG has subpoena power and has the ability to “ORDER” change maybe something can be done…My other suggestion would be to take OIG COMPLETELY OUTSIDE the VA and make it a completely independent organization…
So, Ben. Do tell. Bob suggested I send you an email asking to rep a 92-yr. old WW 2 Vet in Chi-town and no answer. Are you swamped in work? The pleasure of a reply would be welcomed as it is rather an emergent situation. Or, pop banana smoke and give me the wave off.
Alex sends
11/17/2015
Dear Benjamin Krause,
You are the lawyer—get to work, Ha!
RK Caregiver, Inc. and Home Instead?
Home Health Agencies : R&K CAREGIVERS, INC 111 Olde …
http://www.careyellow.com/n/…/rk-caregivers-inc-111…/VA-1609007731
111 OLDE GREENWICH DRIVE
STE 101
FREDERICKSBURG VA22408
Registered Agent/Registered Office
KARL J KARCH
111 OLDE GREENWICH DR STE 101
FREDERICKSBURG VA 22408
SPOTSYLVANIA COUNTY 188
Status: Active
Effective Date: 8/17/2009
Home Instead
174 GARBER LANE
SUITE 3
WINCHESTER VA22602
Registered Agent/Registered Office
JARED H TRUBAN
103 N BRADDOCK ST
PO BOX 267
WINCHESTER VA 22601
WINCHESTER CITY 222
Status: Active
Effective Date: 2/27/2008
Note:
R&K Caregivers, Inc. is
HOME INSTEAD SENIOR CARE (SPOTSYLVANIA CO)
111 OLDE GREENWICH DRIVE
STE 101
FREDERICKSBURG VA22408
Registered Agent/Registered Office
KARL J KARCH
111 OLDE GREENWICH DR STE 101
FREDERICKSBURG VA 22408
SPOTSYLVANIA COUNTY 188
Status: Active
Effective Date: 8/17/2009
LEDA Enterprises, Inc. is
HOME INSTEAD SENIOR CARE (FREDERICK CO)
174 GARBER LANE
SUITE 3
WINCHESTER VA22602
Registered Agent/Registered Office
JARED H TRUBAN
103 N BRADDOCK ST
PO BOX 267
WINCHESTER VA 22601
WINCHESTER CITY 222
Status: Active
Effective Date: 2/27/2008
T&T Enterprise, LLC—- HOME INSTEAD SENIOR CARE (HENRICO CO)
Douloi, Inc.—- HOME INSTEAD SENIOR CARE (MONTGOMERY CO)
Lewis & Leigh, Inc.–HOME INSTEAD SENIOR CARE (PRINCE WILLIAM CO)
inFocus services, inc.—- HOME INSTEAD SENIOR CARE (STAUNTON)
Obviously something is not right here!
Sincerely,
Don Karg
@ Don Karg, after all we have gone through in the last month, I pulled some notes from August 2014. We relocated from NC to Virginia after my husband and I had been treated so very badly at the Fayetteville, NC VAMC. Dealing with the Home Based Primary Care Program. (HBPC) “Wait List.” We were told by Ms. Barbara Owens at the VAMC that Joseph’s Services would pick up here in VA once we got here for the H/HHA. Well it never happened, we had to pay out of pocket for help. But the agency that was supposed to pick up the services here in Virginia was Home Instead Senior Care, Fredericksburg, VA…I found my notes where I had spoken to Barbara Owens and though she was hesitant to give me the contact information she did. I called and spoke to Tracy, who by the way was one of the first people I spoke to when they finally started the services in our home. She was the person who would hank up the phone in my face. She and Kimberly.
She was also one of the people who terminated the Government contract that Ms. Marchelle Peyton, Branch Chief of the contracting office in Hampton, VA, stated could not be terminated by the agency contracting services from the VA, only the VA could terminate the services. Well that was a lie. I have the emails that were sent on two different days and a phone message.
Something else happened as well. The young lady Jessica McBrayer, who left the feces in my husbands bedside commode, the day before she walked out, said to me one day that she was going to walk out. I said so what will be your reasoning? She repeated the exact statement that the people at the Fayetteville, NC VAMC and wrote all over my husband’s file. She said she was in fear for her safety. So I said since I am sitting at least 12 feet from you what would you say I did? She was standing at the kitchen sink. You are telling me you are afraid you would cut yourself with a butte knife? That day I knew that they had put a plant in our home. She deleted all the text messages and phone logs from my cell phone between the two of us. She also deleted videos of my husband of days she was working with him. I know she did it because when I confronted her, she asked me why was I targeting those? I said it was because the info from your phone (text messages, telephone logs, emails and videos of you with my husband) were the only things deleted.
She also left my husband in the house alone because I was running late one day. My daughter was with me and Jessica was sitting in her car. I don’t think she knew my daughter would be with me. My daughter can witness a few things that happened in our home. I am trying to find us an attorney. I am not letting it go. They actually targeted us after we left NC and I have the documents in my husband’s medical records to show that and now the emails cancelling the contract.
Ms. Peyton’s info: [email protected]. 757-722-9961. Branch Chief. Got it from the contract.
Check these links:
https://www.eeoc.gov/eeoc/newsroom/release/12-13-10a.cfm
https://www.consumeraffairs.com/age/home.html
https://home-instead.pissedconsumer.com/
https://www.ripoffreport.com/r/Home-Instead-Senior-Care/Northbrook-Illinois-60062/Home-Instead-Senior-Care-DONT-USE-Doesnt-check-references-and-rips-off-employees-Lies-461184
https://www.glassdoor.com/Overview/Working-at-Home-Instead-Senior-Care-EI_IE592979.11,35.htm
https://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20091004212806AAIXyOK
https://www.bigclassaction.com/lawsuit/personal-care-services-home-instead-senior.php
There is more…
Thanks. Carolyn.
11/17/2015
Dear Benjamin Krause,
VA’s 144 facilities of home care “deliberately limiting access to home care,” and what else did they do?
The VA’s H/HHAs received a huge increasing of funding in 2010 and the rising costs matched the “five-fold” increase in patients [putting back to square one—nothing has changed].
Washington DC only did x amount, and has again not prepared for the future as the wait times increased to a year for these facilities [example Home Instead Senior Care/ R&K Caregivers Inc. in Fredericksburg, VA].
As for Health Care Providers deleting evidence; that is criminal act [B&E, Invasion of Privacy, covering up Criminal Activity, obstructing Justice, and there got to be a FCC Code]—Call the cops and make a police report! File a Civil Lawsuit!
Waiting for Government to react is worse than watching paint dry.
Redturtle984 stated “At VHA veterans come first (to the morgue)”; yeah so they can keep the Money!
Dr. Kimberly Baptiste played an evil game—take this woman down Carolyn Fields-Wilkins.
Sounds like the Nazi Government in Germany just after the War.
Sincerely,
Don Karg
@Don,
Hey, brother, I would love to see lots of VA pukes go down. Trouble is, our lawmakers aren’t making the Justice Department’s do their jobs. All one hears about are civil complaints being filed. Then it’s always against the VA, not specific individuals.
I believe the VA will never change until something so HORRENDOUS happens, they will then be brought to their knees.
@crazyelf says your right on
And this surprises you because? I mean its not like they did this before……oh wait, never mind.
@Daniel, namnibor, CorpsmanUp, Dan F & everyone else—
So, what the hell do you, and every swinging ____ on here, and other such sites, think should be done about it?
We all took the same oath as our elected and appointed officials took. When we joined our respective militaries. Is there anything in the Constitution or Bill of Rights that can negate irresponsible and illegal acts committed by these “posers” to get them out of office?
History has shown:
Revolutions are usually required for this wide scope of nefarious corruption.
The thing is, MANY of we fellow Veterans have been talking for a LONG TIME about how these current wars have their strategies back-assward.
We also have been talking about the “Trojan Horse Refugee Plan” for a few YEARS that these towelheads would more than likely employ…and here we are and they have been in our backyard much easier in last 7 years because of a pacifist POTUS.
This is a case in point of WHY ANY Commander In Chief should have military service experience.
Obama is not even moving back to his home town of Chicago after his term…his family is moving to NYC. I guess the streets in Chicago are no longer as safe as he would like people to believe they are…and my belief of why the current Chicago Mayor left the Obama Administration to try to keep a tight lid on it.
I am very ashamed of our so-called Leaders. The continue to fail and misrepresent us in favor of $$$$$$$$$.
I AM trying to help..I just am doing it through the proper channels as like I said before, if we cheat and break rules to get what we want, then what makes us any better then the people in the VA that we are complaining about?
The VA OIG is the prosecutorial arm. When IG does not pursue charges, but make recommendations, there is the problem. Legislation is key and the “We the People” hold jurisdiction over the Congress and POTUS , who is not acting in accordance of the law and has direct jurisdiction over the IG. The legislative branch cannot enforce the executive branch to nothing.
The way I see it is this. We have enough rules and regs to stop the madness right now. If they truly wanted to our government could put VA employees in prison!
Only, everytime some scandal comes into the light, some Congressperson or Senator says to the American people, “That’s Unacceptable” or some such drivel. Then says, “I’ve introduced a bill to correct the situation”.
“We the People” deserve more from them. In my opinion, they don’t care one bit for us. All they care about is how much $$$ they can stuff into their pockets.
Sorry, brother, but I’m in a real bad mood over all the shit our government ISN’T doing for veterans, taxpayers and citizens of this FREE country.
Last night on the news “Mayor Buddy Dyer” Orlando, Fl. claimed “Syrian immigrants had been relocated to Orlando.” Then, He admitted “They had been here for a few months now!” While this was going on, relocating them here – giving them houses to live in – food to eat, our veterans were living on the streets panhandling, no shelter and scrounging through garbage cans for food. That’s why I’m sorta pissed this AM!
Rant Over!!!
The VAOIG is an investigative arm, not a prosecutorial agency. They have to hand over investigative findings to the DOJ. In the past the DOJ has refused to prosecute the (very) few recommendations made by the VAOIG.
They still have primary oversight that makes the criminal referral. DOJ are the attorneys repping the government.
Problem is, the DOJ has taken the role of “hen-pecking” what cases they choose to actually take-on. It has absolutely nothing to do with upholding the law…it’s about this POTUS’s agenda, nothing less.
Current events with this war and world views are such now that it’s placing a HUGE spotlight and question of why Obama remains a passive and will not even call it what it properly is.
New Speaker of House, Rep. Paul Ryan just called for “PAUSE” on ANY reception of Syrian Refugees. President is holding a huge “phone conference” with the State Governors whom have outright refused to admit refugees and potential terrorists in respective States.
I know this is all political but guess what? This affects our Veteran’s Admn. because we need to ensure these future Veterans and current/past have the very BEST VA. Our VA needs to be properly prepared for what’s inevitable, an ugly assed “ground war”…of Biblical Proportions.
We should be outraged that our VA Sec. is not doing his job with godspeed for the above reasons stated.
President Obama has declare he has Executive Power to allow as many refugees in USA according to the powers enacted along with the Patriot act, et al.
Time to be ready men and woman, brothers, sisters. “Red Dawn”, in real life.
Ohio has let in 82 Syrian Refugees so far and we have had several Islamic State connected thugs from Cleveland and Columbus arrested in this year alone. This is real. Not exaggerated. While at war, why would we let the very enemy in and no real way to vet them? Who do we ask? Iran? Syria?
…right….
@namnibor,
Just think, if only 1% out of the 82 plus all the other groups brought in so far were to get together and declare Jihade (or whatever their word is for WAR!)!
There’s no way for anyone to stop them.
Like I’ve said,
1.) It’s hard to keep politics out of this equation.
2.) Something so HORRENDOUS is going to have to happen. To wake Americans out of their deep sleep! Maybe this is it. I don’t know. But our politicians (Governors, POTUS, Congress and Senate etc., etc.,) are sure taking lots of heat over this ONE ISSUE.
Maybe the citizens of America don’t want another –“Remember Bunkers Hill”, “Remember the Alamo”, “Remember the Maine”, “Remember Pearl Harbor”, “Remember the Gulf of Tonkin”, “Remember the Twin Towers”, to say just a few!
I think I’ve made a valid point.
Here’s my opinion. For whatever it’s worth.
When you have “elected” (POTU, Congress & Senate) and “appointed” (The heads of the VA, DOD, IRS, EPA, CIA, FBI, etc., etc., etc.) official(s) taking and taking from the taxpayers. With no one standing in their way to stop them. When you have a (self proclaimed imposter) POTUS, (a Ceasar), who believes he can do anything he wants, with his “Royal Pen & Phone, without clear transparency and accountability (as he has been ostracized many times now by the Supreme Court)! What makes anyone believe our elected or appointed officials will take charge and fix anything?
Right now, whether you want to admit to it or not, the United States of America IS IN A STATE OF WAR! The threat is even coming from some of our “Allies”! Countries that are “two-faced” and have been supplying arms, ammunition and, yes, even monies to the “Islamic State”, called ISIS! This professed imposter POTUS has “surrendered to ISIS”!
—————————
This just out last night on Newsmax . com
“DeLay: Obama has Surrendered to ISIS”
by Greg Richter
Monday, 16 Nov. 2015 @ 8:15 pm
There’s two videos in this article worth watching.
Plus, there are two “related stories” y’all may want to read.
1.) “Testy Obama Rips Critics Who ‘Pop Off’ With Opinions on ISIS”
2.) “Bratton: NYC Prepares as if It’s the Next Terror Target”
—————————-
Our government has proven time and time again now. All they care about is filling their pockets with taxpayers $$$$$ as quickly as possible. With absolutely no remorse. What about the PEOPLE of this country…the people who every one of those ingrates SWORE AN OATH ON TO DEFEND!
I’m completely disgusted with everyone in, not only Washington D.C., but with all the ingrates from the State levels on down.
It seems to me all these individuals are only out for themselves and not for the American Citizens. They talk a good game. But, in reality, what have they done to stop the madness? In my opinion, absolutely nothing.
Like Janis Joplin sang, “Freedoms just another word, for something else to lose!”
WAKE UP AMERICA. ARE YOU SO STUPID TO SEE WHAT’S GOING ON!
Just on the news last night Syria is getting every bullet from America!
@James,
According to our alleged POTUS, he’s not changing anything on how he’s dealing with ISIS.
POTUS has proven over and over again to be a sympathizer the very enemy base we have been at war with now for 14+ years. There was just talk that Obama can and WILL overrule Individual States that do not wish to have these Syrian Refugees.
Makes one wonder where the loyalties lay when this same President is more likely to use his DOJ for “Black Lives Matter” than for Veterans being killed by the VA’s craptastic medical service….or lack of any medical service.
Our President has absolutely any sense of ‘War Strategy’…in one interview, I remember him stating that (paraphrasing), “…it’s not much unlike offensive/defensive strategies in basketball…”.
No, MR. President, this is not anything like B-Ball. Chicago called and wants their Village Idiot Back.
POTUS getting a lot of flack for refusing to even UTTER the name, “Islamic Extremists”…something is definitely very wrong here.
I’ve read where there’s talk, from lawmakers, telling him to “resign” his position. If only that were true! I’ve also read many comments on Facebook. Where people believe he will institute “Martial Law” before his term is up. So he can remain in office indefinitely. This seems to be the consensus of the majority. At least through those who are well informed. I hope he doesn’t try. That will be his downfall. Of course, my feelings are that many lawmakers aren’t saying these things is because he uses the “Racial Card”! He’s done it before. Why not, he gets away with screwing the populous with it!!!
@namnibor,
P.S.
That’s because Obamy IS an “Islamic Extremist” !
P.P.S. namnibor,
Trump said when he’s elected as POTUS he “…will deport all the [Muslims] he (Obamy) brings in…” to America. That was said by phone conversation on a Sunday morning political show. Don’t remember which one…
Anyone who thinks the VA is fixable is delusional. If they parked an IG office in every VA it would still never fix the problem. Why? Because these people live in an alternate universe. A universe where there is no personal responsibility, no empathy for the veteran, no concept of right or wrong and no accountability.
But, but, but, the VA are specialists in the unique injuries and illnesses of veterans. Yea, right.
They need to do a top to bottom audit of Special Monthly Compensation T. Aid and attendance for veterans with SC TBI.
Congress passed an 8 line law to start it in Oct 2011 and the VA has made the majority of that money go into a black hole.
Congressman Lee Zeldin who sits on the VA House Committee can’t get anyone in Baghdad Bob McDonalds office to answer his letter on denying my husband SMC T while breaking laws, regulation Fast letters, Training Letters, losing info from SOCOM etc for going on THREE months.
Baghdad Bob refsues to return calls to that famous cell number for 6 months now.
I was told by one high level good person in the DC VA that when that law was passed the top brass saw it as a personal cash cow to divert the funds to other much more needed areas….yeah like moving funds.
Depending on how that funding is appropriated, using funds for X to pay for Y is against the law unless the agency goes back to Congress and gets permission to use X to pay for Y. That is dependent on Congress writing the appropriations law tightly enough to prevent that, and in Congress doing their oversight properly in insuring funding for X is used for X. There are examples of people being fired for not following appropriations law, and the possibility of going to prison if they do so willfully.
If the VA is using funds appropriated for Aid and Attendence for moving expenses, then it is likely against appropriations law and it is up to Congress to go after them.
The biggest problem we face is Congress is too lazy to conduct that proper oversight because of the size of the budget involved. They prefer to go after agencies with much smaller budgets. If you recall, the GAO used to do all kinds of audits of federal agencies, including the VA about 10-15 years ago, but you don’t hear much from them anymore, and I believe it is because too many in Congress don’t want to hear the answer.
Another method to kill you at home as well as on campus!
I am 100% SC veteran. I am honorably discharged from the USMC and the Oregon Army National Guard.
Last December I laid my Harley down and shattered my right tibia plateau and punctured my right lung lung. I was wheelchair bound and could not go to the toilet without assistance. VHA refused to speak to me about care because
{YOU WONT BELIEVE THIS}
(entered into my record),”…I advised Dr. SolePointOfContact not to engage in telephone conversations with this patient because he is recording his conversations and the likelihood of the conversations being redacted and used against Dr. SolePointOfContact in his future career is high.” {author note: I don’t blame you if you don’t believe me, but it’s right in my medical record and I have that as proof}
I had an external fixator attached to my bones outside my body to hold them in place while they healed, and they refused service because they were afraid I would at some point in the future use his words against him???? and they put it into my record???
To top it off, the Social Worker that my medicare paid for had a friend in VHA and three months after they picked me up from the pavement bleeding internally and near death, the SSDI paid worker arranged through the back-door for the VHA to pay for in home help that I really needed when I couldn’t wipe my backside for myself. It took social security to pay a worker to get a doctor in VHA that I never met from a distant clinic to authorize in home help. This doctor wrote one prescription for anti nightmare drugs, then I never heard from him again. I never met him.
So it took the Social Security Administration money to pay a social worker to come into my home, assess that I was eligible for VHA care, and arrange that care through their own point of contact, bypassing the draconian Dr. SolePointOfContact put in place by the infamous Roseburg Oregon Disruptive Behavior Committee.
It isn’t just workload. It’s who you know. It’s who scratches whose back. I lived, even though the essential anti-clotting medicine was delayed from VHA four days, thankfully no clots formed. I lived despite VHA. Clearly, the possiblity that I might “redact” a doctors words in the future balanced the scale against the possibility that I might die. At VHA veterans come first (to the morgue).
That is so messed-up! It amazes me why the VA cannot operate as efficiently as the Social Sec. Admn. does considering how many individuals it serves. Yes, it has it’s own issues, as my claim process was considerably harder and stressful with my SSDI claim, and I was doing my VA 100% Svc. Connected Disability Claim at the exact same time.
My VA Claim was easier because I had hard copy evidence of my military events, medical issues, that indeed proved svc connection and then have enough related non-svc connected medical issues made worse by my military crap.
The main problem is even though I had a paper trail of my civilian Dr.s and VA/military stuff, get this…the VA **REFUSED** to share any medical info nor even would fill out forms from Social Security. Cannot make this stuff up.
It took my Senator, whom at the time sat on the House Veterans Committee, and although I did both claims entirely myself, my Senator had to light a huge fire under the VA, and large fire under a Soc. Sec. Admn. Appeal Judge to review my case rather than the 3 years in future, as the backlog was at that time.
With the above mentioned, regardless of political party, go to all your State’s Senator/Rep’s web pages and there will be a place specific for Veterans needing assistance with the VA and other issues for Vets. Hope this helps. It sure did me, so it proves there are *some* politicians with integrity, especially if they are strong on Veteran’s issues.
Hope this helps you with a possible avenue not tried incessantly as of yet.
I believe you totally! But some will say on here that the disruptive committee is law and only punish veterans for their own welfare!
The committee may be as stated, but their use, is not to help veterans get better!
It’s meant to scare and punish veterans because the veterans, use their first amendment rights!
They used the phone recording as an excuse to punish you and denied proper care!
Because of what you might do! Yes I believe you!
Do any of you also believe him!
Wow!
Does the VA go way out of their way to contract with given companies/providers that are *only* as rude and self-serving as the VA itself is?!? Apparently so!
The VA constantly keeps getting caught acting as if the monies allocated FOR Veterans is nothing BUT the VA Employee’s allocations, and the VA continues to be self-serving even after National Scandal.
I highly doubt the VA fully understands what Hospice and the Dignity of Home Care is and it’s proven benefits that exist throughout the Civilian Medical Community….yet, the VA seems to selectively choose what they are going to do, regardless of “No Teeth VA OIG Recommendations”…why is it the VA OIG only always comes up with “Recommendations” that the VA will gleefully toss in the shredder as the VA OIG is leaving the facilities?
Deny, wait until they die…the VA’s secret mantra. This was found to be the case at 114 different VA Facilities across these United States.
Systemic FAIL!
@Carolyn Fields-Wilkins– You should consider going full-blown National News as in 60 Minutes, et al, with your truly alarming and angering story of what you all have been through and STILL continue to go through. Seriously!
It also sounds like the contracting company R&K Caregivers Inc. should NOT be allowed to have it’s contract with the VA. Full Stop!!
How does the VA get so much entirely wrong?!
I should have also mentioned VA Contractor “Home Instead Senior Care “.
Sounds like they totally have dropped the definitive of their so-called “care” by NOT providing or allowing the “HOME” component. Someone is making a lot of $$$ off these VA Contracts, while services are NOT being given.
Shame on VA! Shame!!!
(side note: OHIO Governor stated Ohio will NOT take any Syrian Refugees!!! That’s now 24 States, 26 to go)
Billions! Look the up. Nationwide sole source contract. There were 28 competitors and this company was already shown to have past performance. Go figure. ..
y’all ain’t gonna believe this.
Feinstein, the democratic b!tch from hell (Calif.), has actually gone against Obamy on this “Syrian immigration crap”! She flip flopped big time on this issue. Go figure.
As far as “VA contracts” go, in reality, how many contractors have ripped off the taxpayers through the VA?
Are there any contracts the VA has entered into that, at some point, hasn’t ripped off the taxpayers?
I also wonder who in VA gets kickbacks from all the contracts VA’s upper management enters into? That might be interesting to find out!?
There’s going to be more to this story than meets the eye!!
Back @ namnibor: I am sending this reporter who I found out about that wrote about procurement problems here in Virginia. He has been communicating. I tried contacting the one that did the interview with me earlier this year. She don’t respond. It was about the C-File that belongs to another Veteran. Guess she can’t do a repeat with the same person.
Thank you. I am trying to get it out there. The lady that had been working in our home from the agency left feces in my husband’s bedside commode. That day I had taken him to an appointment. Got back later to find that. Then she came in the next morning and walked out. I know it was all planned. This person had been in our home since January 2015. I learned someone had gone into my cell phone and deleted the call logs and text messages just from her. Where we had talked. Yesterday I saw where she also deleted videos of my husband when he was using the walker. All my other text messages and phone logs are still on my phone. She also got into my emails and deleted emails I had sent her. So I know she did it.
Oh Lord, I hope you made copies of those conversations you had with everyone concerned? Those (paper copies) CAN BE used in a court of law….let no one tell you different…
That’s terrible, I can only say sorry you had this happen to yous.
But until the oig reports thing’s to the justice department for prosecution, nothing is going to change!
Have you contacted the company or the VA about this?
@ 95 Veteran: Ironically, yes. But to the company, employee called the home of 2 disabled service connected Veterans on VETERANS Day a no mention of that day…the company does not care. As for the VA, the first time I called the contracting office, no one could locate contract. They appeared very concerned. But the last time I called. It was like I was doing something wrong.
I have written to everyone. Even called Senate Committee of Veterans Affairs. The guy who I spoke with seemed irritated. But said he was a Veteran. I cannot believe the attitude of the people I have spoken to.
Senator Tim Kane, staffer said they would look into it.
Thanks.
As I alluded to in my other comment, I would have been surprised if you said you contacted anyone that cared.
USA Today has been writing a good series on VA scandals. Perhaps you could go to one of those stories and email the reporters for them. Their email addresses are on their stories. Send them a to the point email on what your experience has been, and what you found when you contacted the VA about the contractor not doing their job. If they are interested, you could provide them more detail.
@91Veteran, Thanks, will look into that.
Wow! Just Wow! My husband was waiting for the Home Based Primary Care Program (the Fayetteville, NC VAMC) and was on the wait list for almost a year. He was approved. Disapproved, taken off the list, put back on the list and then all attempts were made to push him completely out of the VA system. Dr. Kimberly Baptiste called to come to our home out of the blue, right before the scandal broke in Phoenix. She then came to our home to supposedly evaluate my husband for the program in March 2013. She did not evaluate my husband. What she did do was accused me of causing her to be concerned for her safety, along with her fear for our 24lb terrier. She slandered, defamed and made me the villain. This caused my husband to have to go back on a “Wait List” for services he had already been approved for. However, he was then denied the program stating he was in need of a nursing home.
The Director, the Chief of Staff, and Dr. Baptiste’s boss all jumped on the band wagon, of the spouse making it “too unsafe” for VA employees to come into our home. I had only ask questions of the good doctor. Strange, I reported this to everyone. Yet, my husband and I had to move to Virginia to be closer to relatives, for me to obtain help with my husband.
This is the real kicker, since we have been here in Virginia, Joseph is now on a wait list “again” that could take at least 6 months before the services are provided. Why because even though the services are all under the same region and Division 6. He has to wait his turn so he is not jumping ahead of anyone else.
So I say thank you kindly. When his turn comes and he is dead because he is now 82 with many medical issues and his health is deteriorating we can say job well done. You allowed another Vietnam Veteran to die while awaiting!
His H/HHA services were just terminated by a staff member who I am told was not on the contracting documents. According to the Branch Chief, of the Department Of Veterans Affairs; Network Contracting Office 6; 100 Emancipation Drive; Hampton VA 23667, that the agencies that are contracted with the VA cannot discontinue services. Well, the same day the call went out for the services to be continued, I spoke to the Branch Chief just 2 hours before I received the memo via email stating services were being discontinued as of 11/06/15. Then the owner of the franchise – Home Instead Senior Care sent an email resuming services that were to end on 11/06/15. Then comes Thursday, 11/12/15 another message left on the voice mail that the services would be terminated effective immediately. Then another email to confirm.
But when I start to research the contract number. Here is what I learned.
R&K Caregivers Inc. in Fredericksburg, VA: Basic Ordering Agreement, Delivery Order, and Indefinite Delivery Contract – Basic Ordering Agreement
This is not a contract. Rather, it is a written instrument of understanding, negotiated between the Government and a contractor. It includes terms and clauses applicable to future task order awards, methods for pricing, issuing, and delivering future task orders, and describes supplies or service to be provided.
R&K Caregivers Inc. in Fredericksburg, VA: Competed (Full and Open After Exclusion of Sources) and Not Available for Competition.
Signed Date
The date that a mutually binding agreement between the agency and contractor(s) was reached. The recorded signed date is the date the contract was signed by either the Contracting Officer or the Contractor, whichever is later.
VA24614D0166: September 12, 2014 – Effective Date
The date that the parties agree will be the starting date for the contract requirements. This is usually the same as the signed date, but it can be different.
VA24614D0166: October 01, 2014
Current Completion Date
The current expected or scheduled contract completion date, based on the proposed initial schedule and any options that have been exercised. This date reflects the current period of performance and excludes options that have not been exercised.
VA24614D0166: September 30, 2015
Ultimate Completion Date
The estimated or scheduled completion date for the entire contract, including the base contract or order, and all options whether they have been exercised or not.
VA24614D0166: September 30, 2015.
Now I know why no one could find this contract when I called last week to report the discontinuation of services to my husband by Home Instead Senior Care.
Something very fishy is going on here. This agency, Home Instead Senior Care has a “Sole Source” Contract with the Department of Veterans Affairs. But if you google complaints against this agency, you will find that all the complaints echoes the complaints I made, just multiplied by 100 plus. All over the country this company is making Billions off the taxpayers for substandard care, and a lot of rudeness and disrespect to Veterans.
@Carolyn,
First, Sounds like that company received a monopoly with that contract. Which I believe is illegal.
Secondly, I wonder who in VA upper management received a kickback?
Lastly, I do hope you get this out in the National News Networks. In my opinion, this is one juicy story….
I also hope your hubby outlasts this to see justice done to the perpetrators of this injustice….
Not that this may do you any good, but find out who the contracting official is on that contract. That official is a VA official, and is supposed to act as a representative of the government in overseeing the contract and ensuring what is being contracted for is actually being delivered. That name may have the initials, COTR next to it. That stands for Contracting Officers Technical Representative, and is the person who is supposed to oversee the contractor. Contact that person in writing and ask if they have received any complaints, and what they are doing to resolve them. Print out complaints from others and include them. Copy your Senator and the VA IGs office. Ask them what they are doing in notifying the contractor that they are not following the terms of the contract regarding your husband.