MMQB: VA OIG Insider Confirms Suspicions
A VA OIG whistleblower just helped CBS confirm suspected manipulations and a staggering much higher death numbers – 293 deaths instead of just 40 were linked to wait list. The past two weeks have seen a blitz of bad press against VA OIG because the supposed agency watchdog allowed VA central to manipulate its final report.
Can you believe the audacity of VA to lie and mislead the American public about the evidence and investigation criteria in light of the mounting evidence? The actual numbers of deaths linked to the cover up is 7 times more than the 40 initially alleged.
CBS uncovered new inside details from a VA OIG whistleblower that confirmed what we all suspected – VA OIG did allow VA Central to manipulate the language of its Phoenix VA final report prior to releasing it publicly.
We will cover this and more in this edition of Monday Morning Quarterback.
Hi, I am your host, Benjamin Krause, founder of DisabledVeterans.org, the number one resources for unadulterated VA news and benefits information veterans across the country rely on.
This MMQB will focus on where we are currently at with respect to the media manipulation move that resulted when VA OIG let VA Central manipulate key language in its final report.
Here is what we will specifically cover:
- VA OIG whistleblower spills the beans
- Death calculations from Dr. Foote
- Impact of OIG manipulation on Phoenix VA media
- Last week’s House Committee hearing
- Upcoming hearings
VA OIG WHISTLEBLOWER SPILLS BEANS
CBS reporter Wyatt Andrews uncovered the reality behind the misleading language used in the final report; that VA OIG was “unable to conclusively assert” that the wait times caused the deaths.
The VA OIG whistleblower confirmed suspicions that VA watered down the language of the report to avoid further public outcry:
“The organization was worried that the report was going to damn the organization. And therefore it was important for them to introduce language that softened that blow.”
The CBS investigation uncovered that 293 veteran deaths were connected to the wait list, which is a substantially larger number that previously expected.
DR. FOOTE’S PHOENIX DEATH CALCULATIONS
“44 on the Secret non-reporting Electronic Waiting list 39 from the Schedule an Appointment with Primary Care Consults 41 Backlog never completed 12 expired on AW Backlog 17 House Veterans Affairs Committee 28 on the New Enrollee Appointment Request List 21 OIG Hotline calls 8 Media reports 74 suicides 4 Urology 3 Helpline 1 paper wait list 1 institutional disclosure _____________ 293 Total deaths
“My original allegation was that up to 40 Veterans may have died while waiting for care at the Phoenix VA. The two sources that we were looking at were the Secret non-reporting Electronic Waiting List and the Schedule an Appointment with Primary Care Consults. As you can see from the above, the actual number from those two sources was 83, more than double my original estimate and nowhere close to the 293 total deaths. Primarily, it appears from the report that reviews were done on the VA’s Electronic Health Records. One can imagine that it would be very difficult to determine what actually happened on patients trying to get into the system who died prior to being seen.”
IMPACT OF OIG MANIPULATION ON PHOENIX VA MEDIA
Few people realize exactly what VA is doing when it manipulates and misleads veterans about how it is not killing us. Sadly, when VA OIG allowed central office to mislead the American public at the expense of veterans and the truth.
Here are a couple headlines that resulted from VA’s antics:
- NPR – Probe: No Proof VA Delays Caused Phoenix Veterans To Die
- Boston Herald – Report: No proof veterans died because of delays
- Stars & Stripes – IG: No proof that delays in care caused deaths at Phoenix VA hospital
Are we really to expect the misleading statements were a mere accident or more of a calculated response to protect the ass of the agency’s employees? The majority of papers that ran with the headline are considered left leaning, pro-government union.
In this instance, VA clearly was not only trying to cover its butt but the manipulations also undermine the credibility of veterans and veteran advocates who raised hell after the scandal broke.
The American public, with its 8 second attention span, will go back to thinking VA is doing a great job and believing veterans are whiners.
We need to stay sharp on media manipulations, because
LAST WEEK’S HOUISE COMMITTEE HEARING
Here is a clip from last week’s VA OIG hearing that typifies the problems.
Following the hearing, Rep. Miller stated,
“The confirmation from IG officials today that delays in VA medical care contributed to the deaths of Phoenix-area veterans and IG officials’ admission that they couldn’t rule out the possibility that delays caused deaths changes the entire bottom line of the IG’s Phoenix report. Absent these qualifying statements, the OIG’s previous assertions that it could not ‘conclusively assert’ that delays caused deaths are completely misleading. It’s absolutely inexplicable and outrageous that the IG’s Phoenix report failed to clearly make these distinctions. While I am pleased IG officials finally cleared up these glaring inconsistencies, I regret that they only did so several weeks after the release of the Phoenix report and after hours of intense questioning. Getting the whole story out of inspectors general should not be this difficult.”
UPCOMING HEARINGS
Oct 3 | 11:00 AM
Rhetoric v. Reality: Investigating the Continued Failures of the Philadelphia VA Regional Office
We need to get together as a Band of Brothers and Let Congress know we’re fed up…Congress controls the purse strings…
https://donavantwebsites.com/veterans-political-action-committee/
I am an Army vet who served in Viet Nam. After fighting the va for years ( a whole other horror story), the board of appeals granted a 10% rating and notified me that my file was being returned to the Houston regional office. Two months later I called the 8008271000 number only to be informed that the va has no time limit to process the granted claim and it could be over 20 years! I am dumbfounded. The va oig is no help,the appeals management center cannot even tell where my file is..I asked sen. ted cruz’s office for help and never heard back from that politicians office. Looks like it’s just us, boys and girls.
This is just the tip of the iceberg. There is much more to the VA manipulation of several OIG reports that still show the VA is corrupt, lacking integrity and constantly stopping the truth from getting to the American people by manipulating the data that is reaching them. The OIG has a huge report that is currently being manipulated by the VA regarding the VA Oakland RO. I know for a fact, first hand, that the management there, the managers in the Phoenix office up to and including the Central Office for the VA are corrupt. The lawyers from the Regional Counsel are corrupt, the VA General Counsel, on and on. There is so much more. I hope the 4 EEOC complaints, the 17 FLRA charges, the 2 DOL OWCP claims, the OSC whistle blower investigation, and the 3 OIG investigations that I have had to file against the management of the VA are not manipulated any more, and justice will prevail. The VA has lost many quality employees who have spoken up like myself, not out of personal gain, but to do what is right according to the Veterans. Look into the matters. Contact me, I have plenty of evidence that will be released with the conclusion of phases of the investigations and the final litigation process that is not in the near future, because I am dealing with the government.
Semper FI
Just a few things i’de like to know:
1, why must it take years to process claims? Years to give
vets they just due. Hire more people or redirect some people.
I pass by offices and I see they same people day after playing
with their fartphones?
2, who are these people that are employed at the va?
they certainly are not vets, or spouses of vets or relatives.
otherwise. God forbid they may be a bit sympathetic towards the vets.
3, when a scheduled appointment for a C&P which they only
Send you a (notice). Why do they not follow with a phone call a few
days Pryor? Like they do when you have a medical appointment?
5, Also when I am a few months late on my copayments for meds,
they are right on my tail. And when late fees?
Just to name a few things that i’me wondering about.
1. It is called “job security”. The higher the pile, the less chance of getting fired or let go or RIFed (Reduction In Force). The higher the pile, the easier to get more money from Congress to hire more employees who will then be taught by the entrenched supervisors to keep the piles growing – if they want to keep their jobs.
2. Many vets are working for the VA (vets have hiring preference). Spouses of active duty service members also have hiring preference. No they don’t care much about their fellow veterans; all they care about is keeping their jobs. Gotta put food on the table, you know.
3. Sending you an appointment confirmation does not benefit the VA at all. They would much rather you miss your appointment so that they can lay all the blame on you, in case you die while waiting to see a doctor.
5. Your on-time payment could may well be one of those things the VA executives put in their self-evaluations to justify their fat bonuses.
As per number 2
I have been attending my local va hospital for the past 20 years
and I very seldom encounter fellow vets or spouse’s or family
members. Maybe more some years back but
Lately it seems their could be an affirmed action thing going on.
Definitely not military or military related. I have asked.
Nice colored finger nails and hugh fancy smartphones.
I wish I could afford one.
The VA Medical Clinic in Martinez, California has been screwing me since 1968 and I also have to say about one third of my medical care has been great it is the two third’s I have a problem with. I just found thru old record’s that were “lost” the VA aided in me losing my job. I need a lawyer to take on the VA and Chevron USA it is from 1986 and I just a few week’s ago received medical records for another issue and these record’s were included. The VARO, VSO’s and NSO’s as one Under Secretary said, “we are in partnership with the VSO’s, NSO’s left a sour taste in my soul because that does explain the no action on the part of my NSO from the American Legion.These VA Hearings that have been exposing various upside down situations at certain VA Medical Campuses in the United States. I believe they are all lacking in quality medical people but when confronted with a situation of non care and all the other issues brought up in those Hearings in Washington. The VA I deal with always protects the doctor or employee no matter how much they violate your (our) right’s. They site regulations and other rhetoric that means nothing because they violate and violate and nothing ever happens. The Congressmen in my area are weak and non interested in the women or men that have various problem’s with this VA and everything gets turned around and as usual nothing is corrected or ever done to rectify the bad situations at these facilities in Northern California!
So what if the VA or VA OIG gets caught lying. – it’s all part of doing business. If the DOJ doesn’t bring an indictment, no crime was committed, right? And you can count on Chairman Miller and his Committee to do NOTHING except hold more hearings, in which the VA and VAOIG witnesses once again will tell more lies…
The entire “IG” program must be overhauled. Due process of law by and through the Administrative Procedures Act and federal court checks and balances might be a good start.
December 10, 2013, the Buffalo DVA denied my claim(s) for compensation. The Buffalo DVA insisted , after 4 1/2 years of denials, that Buffalo’s DVA connective records and their own intranet, the Buffalo DVA could not find records of my service: in Vietnam…for presumption of exposure to agent orange (herbicides). Since then, I found :The DVA ‘s January 2010 Compensation & Pension Bulletin Policy (211) provides Information on Vietnam Naval Operations. I served on the USS Newport News CA-148 all of 1968 to July 3, 1969. The History of the USS Newport News CA-148 includes operations in the Vinh Binh Province in the Mekong Delta December 1968. According to the Jan. 2010 Compensation & Pension Bulletin Policy (211) , the crew of the USS Newport NEWS have…the presumption of exposure to herbicides…without further development. The June 2010 Compensation & Pension Bulletin Policy (211) provides ADDITIONAL Information on Vietnam Naval Operations to include of it’s ships list (Received by The Senate on Veterans Affairs), the USS Newport News for operation(s): Cua Viet River April 1969. The June 2010 C & P Bulletin Policy (211) adds itself to Jan. C & P Bulletin Policy (211). The Jan. 2010 C & P Bulletin Policy (211) clearly states: ” There is no reason to hold the claims of anyone who served on the above listed vessels during the indicated time frames.” Of significant progress on my claim, The Buffalo DVA examiner in April 2014 made a diagnosis of my ischemic heart disease to be as earlier as 2000. The Nehmer Training Guide Policy (211A) clearly court orders The DVA to make compensation payment within 21 days.The Buffalo DVA examiners decision is of record in Buffalo DVA Decision June 05, 2014. Since then, I have addressed the facts to : The Buffalo DVA ; completely ignores The Nehmer (court-ordered) Training Guide. Hence, I notified the ATTN. Nehmer Working Group (211A) Wash. DC; Of no reply. I sent another letter; The Nehmer Training Guide Policy (211) indicates “sanctions” to reach the highest levels for non-compliance; to hold THE DVA accountable.So, I addressed the facts, again, to the best legal firm: VA compensates class counsel for all it’s work on Nehmer claims: to hold The Nehmer Working Group (211A) accountable (having offices within DVA Washington DC). I’d love to see the sanctions carried out against The Buffalo DVA and The Nehmer Working Group (211A)> [email protected]