Yesterday, a 76 yoa vet went to the VA Facility on Long Island and attempted to be seen at the emergency room. After waiting the vet was turned away. The individual then went to his vehicle and committed suicide.
A VA Hospital worker spoke under the condition of anonymity: "We don't know why he was refused service at our emergency room". The Public Information Officer for the facilty said..."someone dropped the ball"....
Yesterday on our local news channel [Ch3] covered the story of a vet that was to undergo a heart procedure but was getting nowhere with an appointment and scheduling the procedure with the VA Facility in Biloxi. Thankfully, Sacred Heart has a pilot program in place that is designed to HELP veterans when these types of situations are encountered. This vet had the procedure done at Sacred Heart and is doing well. A spokesperson for Sacred Heart said that as of yesterday more that 400 veterans had received treatments/procedures under this pilot program.
WHY in hell hasn't this program or similar type programs been implemented nationally?...The VA is, has, and appears to be screwed up and vets are paying the price for incompetence. It's amazing that after all this time better healthcare isn't being provided to those that served and were promised to be taken care of....it's a disgrace that this continues to be a problem and politicians are holding no one to any accountability for this mess...