Our moral duty: V.A. should admit mistakes, fix health system

[babylonsister]

http://www.sltrib.com/opinion/ci_6893875

Our moral duty: V.A. should admit mistakes, fix health system
Tribune Editorial
Article Last Updated: 09/14/2007 09:16:25 AM MDT



News in July about how poorly American veterans are being treated for war injuries, particularly at Walter Reed Army Medical Center, was shocking. Now another shock: the Department of Veterans Affairs has lied to Congress about how long it takes for suffering veterans to be seen by physicans at V.A. medical centers.

A review by the V.A. inspector genera revealed that only 75 percent of patients had appointments scheduled within 30 days of when they requested a visit. The Veterans Health Administration had reported a figure of about 95 percent.

After being warned about inaccurate wait time reporting, V.A. officials still may have underreported by more than 53,000 the number on their electronic wait lists, according to the inspector general. Also, the V.A. undersecretary of health, instead of admitting fault and agreeing to fix the problem, tried to counter the report by attacking its credibility.

Providing shoddy care for those who have served their country in Iraq, Afghanistan and other hot spots around the world is utterly indefensible. Sidestepping responsibility and making false statements to Congress cannot be excused.

As shameful as the wait times is the fact that a third of those kept waiting have serious service-related injuries such as amputations and disabling psychological problems. These are men and women who answered the call to serve their country. Now, with callous disregard - read betrayal - their government is telling them they will just have to wait for the treatment they are owed.
There is also evidence in the report of appointment schedulers being told to reduce wait lists by never putting some patients who need care on the list at all. The department is also behind on disability payments, with veterans waiting up to 177 days to have their initial claims processed.
Frustration has led a group of injured Iraq war veterans to sue the V.A. for delaying their health care. It appears they have a good case.

As the war in Iraq drags on, the number of wounded will continue to rise. Hundreds of thousands now are facing lives cruelly diminished by loss of limbs, paralysis, brain injuries and psychological illnesses.

We have a moral duty to promptly bind up their wounds.