Parish The Thought: Louisiana Home Clinic Under Scrutiny
The VA Home-Based Primary Care Clinic in Jennings, Jefferson Davis Parish, Louisiana is under federal investigation for allegations of patient neglect, fraudulent billing, falsification of medical records, misuse of government vehicles and other mismanagement.
Rep. Clay Higgins (R-LA) has been made aware of the investigation; his press secretary, Andrew David, emailed the American Press with the following:
“Congressman Higgins spoke directly with the VA Inspector General’s office to voice concerns about potential waste, fraud and abuse within the VA… Congressman Higgins strongly supports whistleblower protections within the VA, and he is working with the House Veterans Affairs Committee to ensure greater accountability at VA facilities across the country.”
The press secretary reported that Higgins’ office was unable to offer further comment, since the investigation is ongoing.
Two former employees of the Jennings facility, Crystal LeJeune and Harvey Norris, made these allegations. This clinic is part of the VA Medical Center in Alexandria, Louisiana.
The lack of oversight alleged by these employees has led to delays in patient care and expired supplies, including medication. The Office of Accountability and Whistleblower Protection in Washington, D.C. is currently reviewing all allegations with the South Central VA Healthcare Network.
LeJeune, who recently retired, and Norris, who resigned early this year, raised concerns of neglect and improper care of veterans before they left Jennings. The paper trail is clear as day, according to Norris.
“There is possibly hundreds of thousands of dollars’ worth of fraud and abuse here and no one cares,” he laments.
The whistleblowers also allege that they have suffered harassment and retaliation for the reports they have made. LeJeune has filed 12 separate complaints with the EEOC about how difficult her job suddenly became… once she had told someone to investigate the clinic, of course.
At first, their coworkers made Norris believe that LeJeune was insane, he reports. “I actually believed them at first, but after two weeks I told her [that] if she had proof I [could] verify myself, [she should] give it to me.”
And proof she had. “The next day she had several hundreds of pages for me to go through. My initial thought was, ‘This is not good.’ The next day she showed up with even more pages.”
Some of the medicine and supplies LeJeune found in 2017 were so far gone that they had expired all the way back in 2011. Her manager, ostensibly trying to avert disaster for the clinic’s reputation, rebuffed all her evidence.
The supervisor emailed her to “please don’t” get wrapped up in monitoring encounters, that it was not her job… but of course, if it is something “egregious,” please let them know so it can be addressed.
In other words, it was the appearance of caring, masking an attitude of avoidance. Stop looking into this. It is not actually that bad. Mind your business.
LeJeune responded to this the same way most of us would, if we saw what she has reported: is this NOT egregious?
Medications were not only expired, but also unsecured, meaning they could be stolen easily. One supply room door was unlocked, and a refrigerator near it had mold around the door, contaminating sensitive supplies inside.
Other charges include a lack of regular healthcare visits for even service-connected veterans, and nurses billing 440 miles’ worth of driving for house calls… when the corresponding car logs show that the car never moved.
Suffice it to say, something is rotten in this facility. Upper management appears to know about these abuses full well, and do nothing to remedy them. We will continue to provide updates regarding the Jennings investigation as this story develops.
09/28/2018
Dear Benjamin Krause,
Maybe Rep. Higgins is having a good read—package sent to him on 07/18/2018.
You know it is tough to get through 51,000 pages of information/51 books in two months.
Keep the pressure on!
Sincerely,
Don Karg
Really, the VA would never do anything like that ! They would not lie ! They would not cheat or steal or falsely accused and punished veterans.
They would not beat veterans in the head. They would not deny disability claims illegally. They would not cover up for their buddies.
The VA is according to the VA getting a raw deal. With all the wrongdoing found. Cashour will try and cover it up.
Ben so what happened in Denver. Were you able to bring up the Disruptive committee and how they admitted I was falsely accused and punished for something that happened.
But refused to make me whole. I am hoping Yale law school will take this case of mine and start a Class action lawsuit against the VA.
Concerning the Disruptive committee. Evil ways.
all I can say is death is to good for them
Another day in the land of the free!
Only thing is, the ones who are free are the ones who are stealing from those not free!
Yep. Free????? Not at all. Makes me physically ill to hear how free we are supposed to be on MSM news, locals, commies, tyrant leaders, or from the blind and ignorant brain-washed public.
“https://www.rutherford.org/publications_resources/on_the_front_lines/rutherford_institute_defends_disabled_veteran_who_was_arrested_after_lawful_purchase_of_canned_iced_tea_aerosol_bug_spray_razor_blades”
We will see. Got my fancy bull horn with siren and recorder built in. Got my property alarmed and watched beyond belief or beyond normal standards. Recorders, vid cams, dash cams etc. Got my fancy cell phone photo stick to try to figure out this high tech video me-mes crap since no-one, not even professional photog types, are willing to video me protesting alone at the local fed building, court house and around. So much fear for being “free.” Maybe I’ll get to see some of those ‘red lazer dots on my chest’ I was warned about in the beginning of the VA shit storm and Pakis, the connected. Oh happy day. I’ll be armed and dangerous. Cane, maybe crutch, water, medical needs, med alarm, fungo bat in the truck, bear and 20′ wasp spray. Very dangerous man here, for sure a domestic terrorist, thanks Obama/DHS.
When I strike I am positive some commies, politicians, hospital staff/Marx-Fem whores and others refusing to release my files and harassed the hell out of me won’t know whether to shit or go blind. But assured they will heat up the cell phone towers and make complaint by the thousands. LOL Local media will ignore the hell out of me and call out the fuzz/Swatter teams.
As I keep up with the constant news of these VA facilities abusing our Veterans, abuse of the misappropriations of funds, theft of equipment, falsification of medical records, I now figure that the shit starts at the top because the main leadership and their cronies continue to reap the benefits off the backs of our Veterans and taxpayers, something needs to be done no excuses, no passes, no retirement with full benefits, shit needs to stop and hold people accountable, and put these lowlifes behind bars that’s the only way
How is it that %100 disabled Vets can be denied restorative dental care when it requires dental implants? Some VA facilities will perform the procedure where other VA facilities will not. I’m not even talking about full mouth implants, I have been denied implants (4) in an effort to make a bridge. Instead, they pulled all my uppers and gave me an appliance and glue. Why? the answer they gave me is because it’s not their policy. But I recently met a brother VET from New York who had his whole mouth done. He moved to New Orleans and was in the dental waiting area trying to get some teeth adjusted and was told that they don’t do that at this facility and said all they would do for him was to remove the implants.
My experience was that the last 4 dentists I saw at different facilities due to move from Cal. to Texas was that there is absolutely no supervision or monitoring. I started with a small gumline cavity I wanted to be cared for. Then all I got was dentists making partial plates that I did not need nor want. When finished they would not fit & asked what to do with them & told to throw them away. By the time I ended in permanent location & saw dentist at my assigned hospital I was told my teeth were so bad they have to be taken out & dentures fitted. Just another day or days at the VA.
New York Harborside VA hospital on 23rd and 1st Ave. in Manhattan does LOTS of implants on a large number of patients from surrounding areas like NJ and NY state. They do a good job too. It is one of the better VA hospitals. In fact, David Shulkin (ex-secretary) used to spend 2-3 days a month there doing doctor work so he could spend the day as a doctor while observing how this hospital does things (thinking all VA hospitals do like them). He should have spent time at other VA hospitals such as the clinic above or other VA hospitals in the country to see what reality is. He often based his assessment of VA care from what he encountered at Harborside in NYC. He picks the good one. He was also very safe there because everyone had to go through a police-manned security check at the entrance (similar to airports) as all buildings require that in NYC since 911.
That is why he, and all the rest of the VA senior mgt., have absolutely no idea of what is going on at VA facilities across the country. They are coddled into only seeing the better hospitals.
In other states, they do not do hardly any implants. I know because I had implants done at Harborside, and now that I live in another state/region VA doesn’t do implants– and gives you a hard time and excuses. Big difference.
Dismantle the VA hospital system entirely. It is Shit. Or make every one of these politicians and secretaries use the VA system for all medical and dental needs for them and their family.
No moving to NY for me for many reasons. Ya mean they actually don’t shatter jaw bones, dislocate jaws, increase TMJ a thousand fold over there pulling a molar??? Amazing. Shulky and many others should spend some time in Indiana. Or give me a call.
These assholes only care about their access to the cookie jar, and step on backs of veterans with sharp cleats on to get at it, while maintaining a medical health environment that only witch doctors from Haitian could be proud about.
(been moving and it’s about killed me, even with movers….ughhh…but cheaper rent was motivation due to major gentrification efferts where formerly living…asshole 1%…)
Louisiana VISN is also where the AFGE protected their cuddly wuddly asshole killer medical assistant employee from MURDER CHARGES where he killed a 78 year old Veteran via BLUNT FORCE TRAUMA IN HIS HOSPITAL BED………………I know I have a theory why LA is still this bad after the hurricanes:
Theory: VA Engorged Purple Teams all have enormous buoyancy, thus floated-out the hurricanes and once the water recedes, wherever the ass is planted, ass remains.
Glad to see you are still alive! Move go well? How’s your cat? Finally escaped Honolulu. Sittin’ pretty in a extended stay motel with the two dogs while finding a permanent place.
Your theory sounds spot on . . .