Bob McDonald Confused Over VHA Audit, Tells Fish Story
Secretary Bob McDonald responded to a $68 million independent audit report of VA Health Administration (VHA) by claiming he already is addressing the majority of critiques within its pages.
While this is probably not true, why is he ignoring the most obvious critique – that VHA needs to address whether it should really provide comprehensive health care, at all?
Last Wednesday, VA Secretary Bob McDonald told the House Veterans Affairs Committee that the $68 million, 4000-page report merely covers issues his team is already grappling with to repair. The biggest critique within the report called on VHA to do some soul searching about what it should be doing.
The audit found that while VHA provides comparable care to the private sector, variations within performance resulting in unacceptable veteran experiences raise a glaring question: Should VHA quit providing comprehensive care and instead focus on specialty care in certain areas?
First of all, VHA resources and authorities are misaligned when compared to patient demand. Its operations instead suffer from “provider centric” bureaucratic processes rather than being “patient centric.”
Second, VHA has failed to standardize its processes, data tools, patient scheduling and data transfer systems.
Third, regional leaders lack clear authority that results in confusing priorities and a culture of distrust.
Meanwhile, Bob McDonald told Congress last week that his staff has largely addressed the issues raised in the audit and existing in 2014. Get ready for the fish story.
He erroneously stated the problems were largely capacity related due to lack of funding. “We know now that the access crisis of 2014 was mostly a matter of growing demand for VA healthcare overwhelming our capacity.” Lack of funding and capacity?
Why does it always come back to funding with this guy? What about his criminal employees, abuse of veterans and whistleblower retaliation?
Any attempts at accountability with this guy will be a lost cause.
Because as most Politicians he has no idea of what Comprehensive means so for his benefit and all of Congress here it is from Websters Dictionary,” Full Definition of COMPREHENSIVE
1
: covering completely or broadly : inclusive
2
: having or exhibiting wide mental grasp
Does this sound like VA to anyone??
Lack of funds? . . . . What about the One Million Dollar PLUS that was spent at Palo Alto VA Medical Center for outside art work? Who approved that expenditure?
Spending money that’s not theirs, prime example of money wasted, take some pictures and post it! So many veterans are designed their disability compensation, homeless, doing with out food, can’t afford shoes etc!
Take care of the veterans and quite trying to make a building pretty!
Veterans can’t eat Art!
I think Bob McD. looks like an aged Pee Wee Herman. I think his bull**** is about as transparent as Pee Wee’s too. You could see right through it as easily as one of Pee Wee’s lies. He just won’t let go of his beloved VA, and wants to keep feeding the monster. He doesn’t seem at all creative or willing to change the failing pattern forever. I don’t think he is a good business man for a changing world. It’s as if he invented the fucking VA and nobody is going to change it. A bad Pee Wee funhouse play, for sure. Who are this man’s friends?
Really Bob? Then can you explain why I had to wait for over 8 months to get the medication I needed and two doctors prescribed for me, all because your pharmacist REFUSED to fill the prescription, something that is a federal felony to do? And it was only after I contacted you personally and exposed this farce that anything was done?
For all veterans, if you want to contact Sec McDonald (and you WILL get a response, I thought it was a farce as well till I got a phone call back from Washington DC VA’s main office) then use this:
“Sec McDonald’s personal cell# (513)509-8454. You can leave a message. His email is [email protected]”
And yes this is valid as I found this on a VA webpage
https://www.blogs.va.gov/VAntage/16731/veteran-posts-on-reddit-her-experience-contacting-secretary-mcdonald/
To all my brothers and sisters in cammo, you are welcome.
Hey folks,
A “VA is Lying, Veterans are Dying” billboard just went up .02 of a mile from the Phoenix, Az. VA.
Administrators on the sixth floor have to look at it daily. How’s that for pay back!?
That just means those VA Administrators on the 6th floor facing billboard will HAVE TO spend AT LEAST $4 Million on “Certified Billboard-Blocking Blinds” for their windows…maybe even more $$$ than that if it’s for more than one set of windows;-)
They may have to be made of Kevlar since we veterans are SUCH a threat to them, so maybe make that figure for “Billboard-Blocking Blinds” be $12 Million, just to be safe!!
yeah, I am being a bit flip…but how is that any more ridiculous than $68 MILLION for a 4000 Page “Report”? I am betting that the VA filled it with so many filler words, pages of toilet paper, that the “report” will soon be in each and every toilet stall at each and every VAMC in a “roll format”….or at least THAT is what I would do to such a report.
One has to also ask just how many of these “4000 Page Reports” did the VA have the Congressional Printing Office print-up? I am betting there is -1- copy and not -1- person from Congress or otherwise has actually read it…if it even exists at all…nothing but a ruse to be able at end of it all, to again ask for more ca$h.
I feel truly sorry for the trees that were killed for this…if…it even exists in first place.
Why do I say that?
Ask yourself just WHY are “VA Reports” almost ALWAYS an ‘even number’? Exactly 4000 pages? Not 4029? “Won’t Be Fooled Again”–The Who
One went up in Indianapolis today too.
I am talking to my congressman Lee Zeldin’s office in the morning. Hickey owed him an answer to a letter he sent to Baghdad Bob two months ago this past Friday. As usual she couldn’t muster those under her to stay at work long enough Friday to answer Rep Zeldin after he patiently waited two months. By 14:30 hours the crew had left the building.
I will be asking him in the morning if anyone on his staff has read this and how I can get a copy. I read my husbands 3500 page C file in two weeks. I may have to take a week or so longer in order to not fall behind in my gemology degree but I will be taking notes along the way to point out to the congressman.
I couldn’t believe the CUE’s I found in my husbands file.
God’s speed ! Hope everything thing goes favorably for you!
Strange, I gave the VA Sec’s email and personal cell phone number that he stated on CNN and CSPAN that ANYONE could call him or send a message, and he even gave this info himself when asked by a reporter, yet for some reason this is not allowed here?
My wife contacted our Congressman today. Gave him this, and other articles, to ponder on. I bet her he probably will not get back to her.
She said she’s tried multiple times and he just sends back those damn “form letters”! You know, those “thank you” and can “you send me money”!
That’s the kind of shitwads we got for elected officials down here in Florida.
“[That’s the kind of shitwads we got for elected officials down here in Florida.]”
1. I think the “shitwads” are evening distributed in all 50 States and Territories.
2. I may have to use this as a spoken word sample in some of the music I am attempting to make for my own “art for art’s sake…and my own sanity”…that just struck me as really funny.
With that said:
3. We need to vote the “shitwads” out of office wherever they are NOT serving and tell them, YOU HAVE BEEN SERVED!!!!
THE VA IS THE SACRED COW OF GOVERNMENT CORRUPTION!
If anyone, anywhere, who has the ability to fix the VA was serious, there would be one 10 page report, NOT a 4,000 page report, EVER, and CERTAINLY not a warning that countless thousands of more pages are still coming.
Today’s story says, ” … Bob McDonald told the House Veterans Affairs Committee that the $68 million, 4000-page report merely covers …”
So, 4,000 pages is just the tip of the iceberg. They know that no one can manage even that amount of documentation. You can just see them putting this report together. “Hey, I got another 300 pages, all sorts of irrelevant but impressive looking crap that no one will ever read, just like the rest of it.”
Whoever wrote this report has no intention of doing anything to fix any problem at the VA. They only intend to swamp any competent investigator with paperwork.
The VA, Congress, and anyone of power or influence who has any ability to fix the VA or help veterans is secretly laughing at all of us.
By and large, the VA and Congress simply cleverly exploit us for a living, doing anything they want, then they dump tons of paperwork on us to explain it all away, because there are NO consequences for anything they do wrong.
A few individual veterans might get special help from their Congressman, but other than that, the VA is untouchable. In rare cases when anyone stands up to them, any individual, any Congressman, any investigative group, any Service Organization, they resort to armed police and para-military tactics.
The VA has their own small army, SWAT Teams, thousands of federal police, Secret Deep Cover Agents, and Covert Ops-Sabotage Teams, ready to go at any time. They have used these teams under the leadership of the actual retired Flag Officers in their executive leadership. Just one such example was in San Diego a while back. If the upper VA leadership ever believed they were in jeopardy of being found out or arrested, they will simply put one of their ready-to-go action plans into effect.
Here is a complicated example of why the VA is so messed up. McDonald came from his background as CEO of Colgate. Try this: brush your teeth with any two brands of toothpaste, but make sure one is Colgate Total.
If you are not careful, the hydrogen peroxide and other chemicals they put in Total will cause you to nearly choke to death while brushing if you are not careful. (Spit it out and rinse and gargle with water until the choking stops.)
Colgate knows that, so why don’t they change their formula? And why does the FDA allow them to continue to sell Total products? Skip answering that part, but understand this: Any giant corporation that can get by with selling something that is so messed up as Total, even though it does stop cavities, and nothing is ever done about it, namely toothpaste used by millions of people that causes severe choking, when that corporation produces a VA Secretary, what do you suppose is going to happen to veterans by the millions?
To clarify my comment, my Congressman, Doug LaMalfa, and his staff, especially Erin Ryan, actually did a lot to help me as a disabled veteran.
Mcdonald is P&G- not Colgate.
Congress, or anyone else for that matter interested in turning up the heat on ol’ McDonald should list each of the reports findings in a FOIA request asking for specific policy papers on what the VA has implemented to correct each of the problems noted. I doubt he could produce more than 5. McDonalds excuse of funding is just more attempts to escape accountability for the funding they have been given, wasting it irresponsibly, and refusing to address systemic problems the VA has that no amount of funding will fix.
Besides, he should ask if funding were such a problem, why did his boss and their party block VA funding?
91Veteran,
In my opinion, McDonald’s going to screw around more and more by asking for more taxpayers monies. That it will bite him in the a$$. So much so, Congress and the President will cut his allocations so much he will be crying in the halls of Congress!
I bet if someone would do an independent audit on VA. It would be found billions of $$$$ would be stripped from them.
1.)There’s so much waste and abuse by VA, that would be the first cut.
2.) “Bonuses” would be the second cut.
3.) “Moving Expenses” would be cut out completely.
4.) “Pay Raises” for any reason would be cut.
5.) “Lower administration salaries” to what the private sector receives.
There’s much more that could be done.
I’m not sure, but there’s got to be a way to make McDonald do his job. Threaten him, like he threatens Congress by using veterans (he just gave a 70,000 number that would not receive healthcare) to gain millions, if not billions of $$$$$$ every time.
Get rid of all those that have caused harm or killed Veterans seeking medical care…the VA hires the bottom of the barrel and the Veterans suffers every day because of it! The VA can only hire those that have no idea what a Veterans is and the only time they get satisfied is when they get to use that KY…there is not that many American born doctor’s working the VA, some are but how is great medical care come from a doctor that can’t even read English very well? The VA I have been in contact with couldn’t do the job so outside vendor’s took over and did the job however; the VA took credit as if they did the deed. Remember the VA Motto? “If the enemy didn’t kill you, we the VA will!” This is not to replace the “Deny until they die,” saying that is on a plague along side the picture of Obama and Mc Donald. I wonder if Bob is related to “Ole McDonald or Norm Mc Donald?” Anyway, the FUBAR Veterans Administration will keep on abusing with no regret’s and as far as wasting money goes…it is them not us!
This is to Vic,are you a VA employee and what position do you hold.?
James, who’s Vic? Can’t find the “troll”! Maybe Ben took “it” off here. He does that sometimes, lol.
Vic is someone on here, that has to be an employee, that is stating that our newest veterans are very dangerous and that the VA and public at large are in danger of these veterans!
That the disruptive committee does and will hurt any veteran they want and the only requirement that is needed to accomplish this is for the VA to say this veteran has the potential to be disruptive!
He confirmed what I already knew, the VA can hurt any veteran they wish to and are not required to provide or produce any evidence at all.
The VA can flag you or any other veteran and only need to say is that you have the potential to be disruptive!
You can tell he is a VA employee, by his statement veterans are very dangerous and everyone needs to be protected for them!
Great example of the mentality of our government employees who are supposed to care for veterans!
No sir, these employees who will attack veterans and punish them for something that has never happened.
It’s very scary when our government will attack our veterans and claim american should be afraid of veterans, because they have major problems and MAY become disruptive, at some time in the future!
Tell them all Vic who you really are and your position with the department of veterans affairs!
Tell all of us your true intention of responding to this site!
STOP hurting veterans, just because you can!
James, looks like Ben removed his comment. He loves doing that lol.
As far as Vic is concerned, someday God will punish him. That you can be assured of!
Agree, but he did prove what I have been saying all along, the VA will and does harm veterans using the Disruptive Committee as it’s weapon! The veteran is guilty no matter what!
James, I’m not sure, but I will bet Ben has a way of finding “Vic” and possibly reporting him. I know, there’s one vet on here, can’t remember who, that can locate that a$$hole.
guess what there using for bait????
With today’s “VA Bad Art” of Ben’s, it begs to ask yet *again*, what were the changes/plans made on McDonald’s recent rainbow tour flying to Hawaii under the premise to “End Homelessness In HI…), then to fly to Alaska where he was all but booed back onto the plane?
Why is it that reports of Veteran’s trying to use the Choice Program are now finding that the very civilian Dr.’s and Specialists are not wanting to even accept it due to the circle-jerk of needing approval for each sneeze, time required, and most crazy, the VA taking forever to pay or even deciding to refuse payment, claiming it was not properly processed by the very idiotic middle men contracted companies designed to be a brick wall?
We are FED-UP! Our Veteran Vote needs to reflect this, regardless of party or ideology.
I am not seeing real LEADERSHIP.
Accountability is part of LEADERSHIP.
There was no reason to start another program. All they had to due was expand the CHAMPVA program and give it to all vets. Adjust the co-pays for service connected issues.
It has worked for the dependents of 100% service connected disabled for years. And, doctors know it and take it. It worked very well for me.
I asked my congressman Lee Zeldin’s office this very same question last week. Why support yet another gov’t program when there is already one in place?
Baghdad Bob is probably growing gills and scales by now. I can’t figure what he gets out of this job. He has failed miserably taking over from Shinseki. He made millions at P&G so unless he plays the ponies even worse than he runs the VA he isn’t in it for the money. His legacy is going to be he ailed in a long line of failures.
Alison Hickey? We know why she stays…God told her to. She was ready to retire and the Lord whispered in her ear. Obviously, he didn’t whisper any other tidbits like how to be an effective leader, care for veterans, etc.
Both were supposed to answer my congressman Lee Zeldin by the end of last week why they violated laws, Fast letters, Training Letters, Title 38 etc to deny my husband aid and attendance. That was after Hickey asked him for a SECOND 30 days to answer. Guess what? They all left work by 14:30 hours on a Friday (big surprise there) and forgot to get back to a waiting member of congress.
Congress is where those bills start that give Baghdad Bob his money fix. Like a good junkie whore he should at least pay attention to his money man. The fact that both Hickey and McDonald can dismiss congress as they wish tells me they feel invincible. It doesn’t matter how bad they screw up. Obama isn’t going to fire them, he could give a damn about the military and veterans. Congress isn’t going to impeach them as the Republicans are running too scared to be effective.
It is what it is and it will stay that way until this country collapses under it own weight of debt, corruption, and lack of pride. And, it won’t be too long now.
I see a recurring theme here.
There are “138 studies sitting on VHA library shelves!” Each one of them holding recommendations concerning what the VHA SHOULD do for veterans. Yet, that ain’t happening.
Back around 2005 or 06, while I was being seen by a great physician, he explained the “administration had taken over the scheduling”. And he was extremely upset. This was, in my opinion, a takeover, so to speak.
Where the physicians no longer were able to see patients when needed.
Now to this “report”. In my opinion, it sounds as though many physicians and nurses want to practice medicine. Only they are stopped in their tracks by an administration which is affraid to spend monies to keep veterans alive.
Also according to this “report”, only around one quarter of American Veterans are using VHA. Mostly for (minor) medical procedures (if I read it correctly). The “report” is basically wanting vets to go “outside” for these (minor) procedures. Basically using the “(NON)Choice Program. Then the VHA can specialize in other areas of medicine. Question, how can vets use a program which was set up to fail? I have not met one vet yet who has been able to use it!
McDonald also claims, with the 2016 fiscal year allocations, it cuts the “Building Expenditures”! That statement by him tells me he’s going to say he’s got to gut other programs, again. There’s so much B/S from McDonald it hard to understand what he’s saying.
His inability to tell the truth is reason enough to fire him.
Does anyone see McDonald’s VHA getting to implement anything within this new fact finding “Report”? If I read it correctly, this “report” puts the physicians and nurses BACK IN CHARGE OF VHA for medical care of veterans!
That being said, I also feel VA needs to reevaluate all of its healthcare providers. I believe ALL healthcare providers should be required to be “tested annually” to insure they are up to date in medicine. I, and my wife, have personally been witness to some outrageous behavior by some (so called) healthcare professionals.
One more thing: How would it be a “Lack of Funding and Capacity” with the VA using unqualified personnel to evaluate TBI’s??? How would lack of funding be the cause/effect of SO MANY outbreaks currently ongoing of Legionnaire’s Disease at various VAMC and Veteran Care Homes?
Lack of funds causing your employees to shred Veteran Claims or lose them entirely?
Lack of funds justifies and explains why HUGE RELOCATION CA$H for at least -2- VA Employees that were being relocated as form of “punishment”???
Lack of funds is an excuse for killing Veterans by producing fake wait lists?
Lack of funds causing or justifying widespread malpractice?
Lack of funds somehow the reason you cannot nor will not provide accountability?
Lack of funds causing your circle jerk of handling of Choice Program?
Way too many others to list here that through simple analogy exposes incompetence.
Seems it’s more likely a LACK OF COMPETENCE TO DO THE JOB OF PROPERLY TAKING CARE OF VETERANS….not lack of funds.
Sorry-a$$ excuses and totally unacceptable. We have a better chance of aliens intervening and taking over the VA and fixing the myriad of problems than our current leadership…fact!
It’s as if Sec. McDonald is always SO quick to immediately state “We are or already have addressed problems identified….it’s a funding and capacity issue…”….WTF?!!???
I also have a question: Am I to clearly understand that this “VHA Audit” cost $68 MILLION???? Or am I confusing that dollar amount with something else? If I am correct in my understanding, WHY would an audit cost the VA THAT MUCH $$$$, to only come out with a few “recommendations” out of a 4000 report? The math comes out to $17,000. *per page of report*…and it pains me that $68 Million would go a long way in actually paying-out Veteran Disability Claims, when we all know al too well that the VA will do as it pleases in spite of the 4000 report…and Sec. McDonald already is exhibiting that behavior.
Where’s the “beef of the audit” that discloses exactly WHY the VA came-up with a massive budget deficit half-way into year? Other Financial Accountability? What kind of half-asses audit costs $68 Million???
Sorry, Sec. McDonald…I am calling Bull $hit. Where exactly is that “accountability and transparency” you **PROMISED**???
namnibor, have you noticed it WAS the VHA (ie: the VA) that paid for this “report”! Kind of puts one “so called commenter” behind the 8 ball. Who has been stating Congress had paid for it many times now!
Guess Ben was anxious to get to the bottom of the bullcrap McDonald was/would try to snooker the “Veterans Committee” in Washington.
The couple of problems is see are;
How does Congress get VA (or VHA) to fire the “poorly evaluated” physicians and nurses? Any physician or nurse who has received multiple, (more than say three to five), complaints should be fired!
How does Congress get the physicians and nurses back in charge of veterans healthcare? If they were in charge, VA might see more continuing employment by them.
I still would like to see physicians and nurses requalify each year or two. This way if a physician or nurse does not pass a stringent exam, they would be required to go back to college and (on their dime) take courses in medicine!
That would insure great accomplishments by them.
Basically saying; If you want to be employed by VHA (VA), you will be required to graduate in the top 10% of your class.
I feel this way VHA (VA) gets the “best of the best”! Not the best of the worst. As has been the case in recent times.
That would be something McDonald COULD BRAG ABOUT!!!#
OK- I don’t like to be wrong- but am only partly. Checked it out. The VA did pay for the report–because they were ordered to by Congress through Congress’ Choice Act. That amount of money for a report is ridiculous!!!!!!! Only Congress could have loads of money spent so freely!!
Why does Congress continue to trust the VA to police itself?
In can see how this $68 Million VHA self-administered “audit” played-out: The “audit” was probably done by a friend of a friend at the VA and the qualifier was probably “We (the VHA) will pay $8 Million for the audit as long as you hand-over the remaining $60 Million to VHA…but we will “SAY” it cost in total, $68 Million”….
There MUST be some heavy pocket-stuffing and embezzlement going on and ONLY a TRUE independent audit will show such things.
Congress is completely daft to continue to allow the VA to police itself and to take care of their own funding…especially at a time of sequestration where just this morning’s National News stated that “…for the THIRD YEAR IN ROW, there will be NO COLA Increases for people on Social Security and this may-well be the case for Military/Veterans as well…”
^with that said, how does the VA have the audacity to say they spend $68 Million of “VA MONEY” while having their left hand held out asking for Billion$ MORE?!!!
This is no less than THE FOX GUARDING THE HENHOUSE. This is the equiv. of asking that company ENRON to perform their own audit. Makes absolutely no sense!!!!
I was ill earlier so I missed the comments mentioned further-up about a “Vic from VA”, as comment had already been taken down. I hope Ben has a way to trace where that comment came from and copied it to show the adversarial attitude the VA firmly subscribes to.
@Wade,
Look, I’m glad that your somewhat willing to admit you were wrong. That take courage.
Now, I’d like to say something my father’s generation used many times.
“No one, when trying to right a wrong, can be a ‘fence sitter’. Your either on one side or the other!”
To get things done, people have to understand corruption comes in many disguises. Our “elected” and “appointed” officials have made a mockery out of our Constitution and Bill of Rights. They have insulted the American Taxpayers and Veterans. They have lied, cheated and stole to get to where they feel they are above the law.
This next year will be the turning point in our country. If voters don’t get out and exercise their rights. This “Grand Old Lady”, we call America, will be brought to her knees. Our “Republic” will be no more!
I could site many sayings by our Founding Fathers”, but I believe that’s not necessary. We all know what they stood for.
“A moderate government run of the people, by the people and for the people!”
@crazyelf and namnibor– Appreciate your response. Not easy to say I was wrong. I am heavily involved with the media, but missed this one. Namnibor, the Congress says that the audit they required for $86 million- was independent!!!! Our founding fathers must be rolling over in their graves. Where are the Congressional heroes today???????
@Wade-
What and how do they qualify as ‘independent’? Is this a VA Contractor, owing a favor for the VA to do an audit costing this vast amount?
I am not buying that it was a non-biased independent audit…and if the VA kept proper financial books, again, that thing lacking at the VA, Accountability. There is absolutely no accountability; so how is it reasonable to believe the same farce again and again?
My hypothesis: 95 % or more of that $68 Million got dumped into whatever project the VA is building in Colorado. If that’s a true “AUDIT” it should have been an eyesore to an independent audit when they see a VAMC being built is many 100%’s over-budget, along with other blundered contracts in other States.
The VA needs an independent accountant and Fiduciary.
And while he is busy telling his fish stories the sad fact is Veterans are dying. That is the reality of it all. They killed my dad and I’m still mad as hell over it. When will someone hold these bastards accountable?
I knew the VA was smoking tunafish during work hours, but to talk fish stories afterwards is a special kinda half-baked, woodstock, peace pipe smoking kinda of shit right there.. The 2 people who I complained about magically retired. Including a psychologist who wrote a behavior flag in my record without even seeing me face to face or evidence of his characerizations. One psychologist was dumb enough to write the name of the OIG special agent, his cell phone and work number in my medical record. They really don’t want to play that stalking game with me. LOL As a corpsman I was a spotter and pretty much aced the unknown distance and stalking phaseof my training They come to me, they better come correct. #OSOK Semper Fi!
“SMH!” MAJOR LIAR! OH I STATED, A BOOK AND THE KNOWLEDGE AND I AM SO DAMN PATIENT CENTERED I WAS WILLING TO DEAL WITH EACH MAJOR IDIOT AND LIARS! LET ME THINK, OH I KNOW I GOT OFFERED A CHOICE CARD AND COULD SEE ANY DOCTOR I WANTED? IMAGINE MY RESPONSE… BOOK IS ALMOST DONE AND BACK IN THE LAND OF PEOPLE WHO ACTUALLY CAN PAY ATTENTION? “WAIT AND SEE IT MAY END UP BEING OUTSIDE OF MN STORY? “I STATED A DAUGHTER OF THE REVOLUTIONARY WAR?” I WONDER, “AS I ENJOY THINGS SOME DO NOT, MISSING PUZZLE PIECE? NAVAJO OR APACHE NATIVE AMERICAN TOO? DAMN I REALLY AM A “BLEND OF MANY NATIONS.” BUT NEVER EVER TELL ME I CANNOT CONTACT A PUBLIC SERVANT NOR AN OFFICE. MY “DAD” PAID BIG BUCKS ALONE THAT KEEPS SOME STUPID MORON TO TELL A FEMALE WHO KNOWS THE CONSTITUTION, ALL THE DAMN LINGO USED? CALL THEM-“AWEFULLY LATE TO THE PARTY!”
( I MUST HAVE FORGOTTEN “MY MANNERS OR???”)
My husband 20 year USAF disabled veteran has been wrongfully denied for six years. We have had our appeal with VBOA and recently it just disappeared! No one knows where my husband’s claim is and we need to know who we can trust to investigate! He deserves his service connected injury appeal to be heard and win!
Do not give up this is what they want,mine was lost for 2 years and during that time I made numerous requests about where it went and every night I sent a message to vA on VA.Gov and guess what they found it Miraculusly and had to approve my 100% rating.never give up.Semper Fi
Write to all your senators, governor, Bob McDonald, the president and the news media, maybe one of them will reply.?
I sent an email to Sec McDonald, and I not only got a reply but the matter resolved as he threatened to start firing people, and has reassigned the hospital director with a warning not to EVER do something like this again or allow it.
I’m sitting here stunned and very happy for you! This a start one veteran at a time!
I sent his office a very big packet of everything I had showing proof that the VA did falsely accused me of disruptive behavior!
His office never contacted me by phone or letter, nothing!
I don’t know if his staff even let him know, I had sent him all the information (evidence),that would have exonerated me from the vicious lye, an employee told about me being disruptive!
I know his office received it, as the acting director advised me Mr McDonald’s office asked her to reply to me!
The Denver acting director did reply, telling me those were the facts at the time!
If I didn’t agree with what is in my official medical records, for me to write what’s wrong and what it should read!
The problem Mr McDonald or his staff, did nothing more! So the problem has never been addressed by his office or the Denver VA!
They should have contacted me, let me tell the whole story of how a disgruntled employee, simply retaliated against me for me telling her fiancee, that I didn’t know he was her fiancee and she was sitting in a car next to us! When I told him I was a member of the Hispanic committee and I felt the current chairman, was not using the committee to its full potential!
After making the statement he pointed to the car, to tell me she was sitting in the car!
This person I was speaking to was an old friend and I had not seen him in many years! So I was talking to him as a friend and casual conversation!
As time passed the director appointed me as the new Hispanic chairman!
As you can imagine, this really pissed her off and that set her into the retaliation.mode! She bad mouthed me so much, using her friends to bad mouth enough, that I went to the director that I had enough and resigned from the position!
They were shutting down the facility and were down sizing and transferring employees from one job to another and placed me into positions, I was not qualified for and put so much pressure on me that my PTSD because active and my job performance suffered to the point I had to take a medical retirement!
I had been shot in the head point blank while in the military! I hired an attorney who handles PTSD cases and he was able to get the VA to find my burned military records!
After applying numerous times for disability, I requested all my medical records and comp and pension records!
For the first time in fourty years, I read my comp and pension records and for the first time the department of veterans affairs provided me in writing!
Mr. G records indicate that he was shot in the head at close range and was taken to a German hospital and transferred to an American hospital!
So after I was given a medical retirement from the VA and obtained my disability and hospitalized for treatment, I was getting better with treatment!
But the employee that I’m speaking about, still held a grudge against me!
This grudge I guess ate at her and knowing that I not only retired on disability, but also became 100 percent disabled.
I guess this really pissed her off and she retaliated against me, by reporting falsely that I would come in to the new outpatient clinic at least twice a month and become disruptive.
I think a reasonable person who witnessed those disruptive behavior would have made a report of contact on each incident! If a veteran was so disturbed and would do this by weekly for I don’t know how many months someone would have made a written report!
No reports were ever completed and the very same employee who had her friends give me grief!
Was the very employee whom reported me as being disruptive and now she was and is the lead administrator of my local VA clinic in Late Junta, Co!
La Junta is a rural town, where people know each other!
So this employee was able to falsely accuse me of disruptive behavior and upper management believe her lying and punished me!
And did so Without asking for any proof, not only did she report that I was disruptive, She contacted my local police department and told them that I wanted to kill staff at my local clinic!
This employee Sat in on the Disruptive Committee, when she was not a committee member! Again she did this and the VA disruptive committee did not require any proof and punished an innocent man!
This has been going on for ten years and I can’t stop trying to clear my good name!
How would any person feel knowing they were being falsely accused and instead of looking at the facts!
The department of veterans affairs would rather attack the veteran punishing him or her and the straw that breaks the camel’s back!
The department of veterans affairs not only punished the veteran, the department of veterans affairs threatened this veteran with federal charges, arrested and banishment from ALL VA care, If and when the very same employee feels like retaliating against me further!
The department of veterans affairs, lying to a congressman, telling him, I was never punished for the disruptive report!
Lying, lying, lying and I have to live in fear every day, worried is this the day that vindictive employee is going to report me again of being disruptive and me being arrested and federal charges placed upon me and banishment from ALL my treatment for PTSD and a traumatic brain injury!
This is a crime against disabled people, so in a nutshell anyone of you can be next and you will not have anyone to help you clear your good name!
Is anyone brave enough to help an innocent person!
Remember I was shot in the head and suffering from a traumatic brain injury and suffering from migraines!
Some times people need help and justice for the falsely accused, just because someone’s feeling were hurt!
This injustice must be brought to the forefront or many other veterans will be falsely accused and their lives a living hell!
I stay to myself, don’t drink and still fighting this until they listen and correct this grave injustice!
The VA must have someone from the outside look into this and not let the very same people who are hurting me, answer their own inquiry or press charges against me and let the court and jury decide if I’m guilty!
All that is required is someone to stand up for justice and justice will prevail in my favor especially with the department of veterans affairs having no evidence To support their claim of disruptive behavior or evidence of me every doing anything wrong!
Like to know what you all think about this matter, should the VA be allowed to punish someone and not have any proof period!
If someone can help please help me, stop the VA from hurting more veterans by falsely accusing them of anything and not have to prove it.
Thanks a fellow veteran at the end of his rope! Just a saying, I would never give the VA the satisfaction of me killing myself over a disgruntled employee and the incompetence of higher management falling for her lye!
When I sent the email to McDonald, I politely told him that I wanted to settle this mano-amano and would not prefer to go to the press and let them know that we have a person in this hospital that was practicing medicine without a license on a federal reservation with the full approval of the VA since the patient rep/advocate-chief of staff-hospital director-VISN 11 all knew about this but were doing nothing to stop it. And I had a doctor that was willing to testify this was happening at other VA hospitals as well. The times of the secret records would seem like the good old days compared to what was coming when the press got wind of this and the documented evidence I could provide.
Again I was very polite but I let them know I had evidence to back up my claims and I was not going to brook any more foolishness as this was my life we were playing with due to this could lead to strombosis of the veins (meaning they go bad and have to be replaces, a VERY dangerous operation with only a 50-50 chance of survival) or a piece of the congealed blood could break off and hit my heart with a major heart attack or stroke. And if either of these happened and I survived, I assured them that the VA would NOT survive in its present makeup.
The phone call I got was clearly stated that it was from the VA Sec’s office. And they used words like “Yes SIR” and Roger that SIR”. Was not very long after the initial call from DC that I received the two very scared calls from the Hospitals pharmacy and the Chief of Staff. And a day after that the local paper did a story on the VA Hospital Director being suddenly re-assigned. And I heard through the grape vine that she was warned that if they EVER received one more complain about her for any reason and it was valid, she was terminated. Same thing was told to the Chief of Staff and the Pharmacist that refused to fill the prescriptions was demoted with the warning that he was on probation and his actions for the for seeable future would decide if he was to continue being employed. And the patient advocate was warned that his future was not a bright one if they EVER received a complaint about his degrading and insulting patients ever again.
Now to make sure that the VA director got this info, when I sent the email to him at his office, someone else could have received it and tossed it, so to make sure he knew about it I also CALLED his private cellphone number and left a message! That way the ONLY person that could delete it was him. And I documented the time-day-date and reason for the call.
As I said, I was not playing around anymore and made sure they understood this. Now for some reason (sarcasm intended) when I go over there, as soon as they hear my name its “Yes SIR, what can I do for you SIR” or “You need this Sir? How fast do you want it SIR” I dont like to do stuff like this as I am really a person that would like to settle things in a polite manner, but if I get picked off or I know they are doing this to spite me or just not doing their jobs, then I start to get upset and this is what happens.. But the whole matter is that we Vets should NOT have to go this route. I fought for my country and I should not have to come back and fight the VA all over again
I still believe this practicing medicine by unlicensed or unqualified people are much bigger than the TBI scandal in MN. Given they are willing to risk federal FOIA law on an issue the media is already following by not revealing the information requested, I think they are covering up a much bigger scandal of a huge percentage of their providers being unlicensed or unqualified for what they are doing.
Here in Colorado, it is state law for every provider to provide basic information to the state regulating their license, including adverse actions such as lawsuits. VA doctors, nurses or other providers are listed in the state database. The VA needs to make their database of providers available to the public as well, including their credentials or adverse actions.
Correction…the “providers” are the Doctors and Doctors Assistants. Pharmacy is a completely different section. Other then that I agree with your post. I just wanted to make it clear that it was the Pharmacy that was practicing medicine without a license by refusing to fill prescriptions issued by the VA doctors and Doctors assistants.
Good clarification. Thanks. What I mean are people of any position providing medical care they are unqualified or unlicensed to provide. Years ago I had a medical procedure at the OKC VA, and the guy doing it looked like he was cleaning toilets that morning. He did not give me the required medicine prior to the procedure, so it was a horrible experience and painful. I only found out he didn’t give the required medicine because I had the same procedure a year later in Houston. My most recent experience with unqualified hacks was during knee replacement surgery last year. The anesthetist wasn’t monitoring me very well and I woke up when they were hammering in the hardware. I put my head up and looked around and he jumped up out of his chair. I put my head back down and thought, I hope to hell they know what they’re doing.
What is the number you called for Bob, I think I will give it one more chance to see if he really cares that the Denver vamc is letting employees falsely accuse veterans of disruptive behavior and not provide proof and tell congressman that they never punished me, when they did!
dont know if they will let it go through or not as they refused to post it the last time, but here we go
(513)509-8454
Thanks, as you say here we go!
James, before you call him I suggest you write down some highlights of exactly what you want to say, and try not clutter up the conversation with too much detail. If you call his number, be prepared to get voice mail and wait a few days. Even then you might only get a call back from one of his flunkies. I called him a few months ago after reading here he gave his number out to the media. I didn’t find the number here, but found the video of him giving it on line. Anyway, it took several days, but I got a call back from one of his flunkies, and only then because I called again asking why he didn’t respond.
If you write down your highlights, it will help you remember if/when they do call.
I would suggest making clear you are a former VA employee with X years, what happened, how you tried to resolve it, that you had to retire, and how it affects your treatment now. How it affects your treatment is the most important point.
I would even give his email, if they would let it go through
robert .a. mcdonald @ va. gov.
Remove the spaces and you get his email
Ok, thanks
hope it helps
I just called the number, it went to automatic phone message!
Left my name and phone number and brief message requesting help with the Denver VA! Nothing more!
I’m sixty two, wonder how old I will be when he replies!
Crystal, if you send me a private email I will give you Sec McDonalds email and personal cell number so you can ask him whats going on