WASHINGTON, May 1, 2008
VA: Brain-Injured Vets Lack Proper Care
Investigators Say Iraq War Veterans Still Not Getting Adequate Long-Term Recovery Assistance
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The VA pledged to coordinate the necessary follow-up care with the Pentagon, but the latest audit concludes that efforts are still falling short for roughly one in four patients. (AP / file)
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"Significant needs remain unmet," according to the report released Thursday by the VA's inspector general. It is the first to examine the Bush administration's long-term efforts in supporting veterans with traumatic brain injury, a leading problem among soldiers struck by roadside bombs that often causes lasting emotional and behavioral difficulties.
The study tracked a group of 52 patients that received VA treatment after sustaining brain injury during a seven-month period in 2004. An initial review by the IG in 2006 found gaps in follow-up care and family counseling 16 months after the injury and urged the VA to improve long-term case management.
The VA pledged to coordinate the necessary follow-up care with the Pentagon, but the latest audit concludes that efforts are still falling short for roughly one in four patients.
It found that 10 of the 41 veterans who agreed to be interviewed said they weren't getting needed help for health care, vocational rehabilitation, family support or housing. At least four patients specifically cited trouble in getting primary or specialty eye care, while others reported gaps with family counseling for problems such as depression and anger.
The report included a VA response in which the department acknowledged problems with case management but stated that with recent improvements it now had "systems in place to ensure that all veterans with TBI are being followed as their clinical needs require."
For example, the VA pointed to plans announced last week to start calling 570,000 recent combat veterans to make sure they know what services are available to them.
In the audit, investigators praised the new measures as "positive steps" but questioned whether the VA's latest promise to keep watch over veterans would prove to be a reality. They said that "at least 8 of 49 veterans we contacted had significant unmet needs and no evidence of VA case management in the previous year."
"We continue to be concerned that all veterans discharged after inpatient rehabilitation for TBI receive case management, unless this has been explicitly denied by the patient," investigators stated, adding that they will continue monitoring the VA to ensure Iraq war veterans are receiving the care they need.
Other findings based on the sample group:
The report comes amid renewed scrutiny of the Bush administration's efforts in treating veterans with traumatic brain injury, which in its mild form is known as a concussion, as well as post-traumatic stress disorder in light of a prolonged Iraq war. As many as 20 percent of U.S. combat troops who fought in Iraq or Afghanistan are believed to leave with signs of possible brain injury, an Army task force has said.
Earlier this year, the Government Accountability Office found that thousands of Iraq war veterans who could have suffered traumatic brain injury may be getting unnecessary or inadequate health care because VA officials have yet to determine whether their initial screening tests are reliable.
The VA also has faced complaints that a backlog in claims and bureaucratic hurdles have prevented some recent veterans from getting proper mental and physical care. Last week, Sens. Daniel Akaka, D-Hawaii, and Patty Murray, D-Wash., accused the VA's top mental health official of trying to cover up the number of veterans' suicides and said he should resign.
"While VA has made progress since the last investigation, the inspector general continues to find that too many veterans with TBI and their loved ones are not receiving all the assistance and support they need," said Akaka, who chairs the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee. "This does not appear to be due to a lack of funding, but rather reflects a failure to give these veterans and their loved ones the priority attention they are due."
Active-duty troops who sustain traumatic brain injury are treated for rehabilitation at one of the VA's four specialized medical centers located in Tampa, Fla., Richmond, Va., Minneapolis and Palo Alto, Calif.
©MMVIII, The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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See all 23 CommentsGod bless and protect all who serve, but let''s cut down on the statistics.
So this is what Republicons mean when they say support the troops?
A lot needs to be fixed, at the very least, from the military culture of catering to officers while basically ignoring enlisted personnel ( i served four years in the 90''s ), to the politico''s who haven''t a care in the world, save for their 4 or 5 homes. ALL politicians are elitist, period.
Our elected leaders, of whom three are currently vying for our votes, all get government-mandated health care. The very same kind of health care that most every other western country gets, excluding us, of course. And while only one wants to extend that "privilege" to all of us, the other two argue against it.
Why?
For those against universal health care, would you tell one of these wounded vets that they should "take care of themselves...not expect a government hand-out"?
Why do they, and you and me, not have that right?
Why shouldn''t we?
Yer brain-injured to sign up with the Bu$h military...
Bu$hCo was generous enough to give these guys employment opportunities...
Dubya never said he would take care of them if they hurt themselves...
Study Finds No Cancer-Marijuana Connection
By Marc Kaufman
Washington Post Staff Writer
Friday, May 26, 2006; Page A03
The largest study of its kind has unexpectedly concluded that smoking marijuana, even regularly and heavily, does not lead to lung cancer.
The new findings "were against our expectations," said Donald Tashkin of the University of California at Los Angeles, a pulmonologist who has studied marijuana for 30 years.
"We hypothesized that there would be a positive association between marijuana use and lung cancer, and that the association would be more positive with heavier use," he said. "What we found instead was no association at all, and even a suggestion of some protective effect."
Federal health and drug enforcement officials have widely used Tashkin''s previous work on marijuana to make the case that the drug is dangerous. Tashkin said that while he still believes marijuana is potentially harmful, its cancer-causing effects appear to be of less concern than previously thought.
Earlier work established that marijuana does contain cancer-causing chemicals as potentially harmful as those in tobacco, he said. However, marijuana also contains the chemical THC, which he said may kill aging cells and keep them from becoming cancerous.
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Read it quick, before the Bush Admin rewrites the reports with non-scientists and changes their conclusions!
From the lackadaisical employees who seem to have time for everything except taking care of the vets.
From the top, the decision makers who decide that a vet who has lost a quarter of his brain and head and is given a 10% disability.
And, for the VA hospitals that have a higher death and MRSA rate than all other hospitals.
Etc., etc., etc.
Our vets deserve nothing less than the very best care that this Country can give, NOTHING less.
And, it is our duty as appreciative Americans to see that our vets get the very best of everything.
Write the President, your senator, your congressman and tell them.
I do.
The VA doesn''t want to pay for quality civilian medical care. They are like the HMO from he[[. If a vet goes outside the VA system the VA usually won''t pay.
The VA consistently proves that taking care of veterans is not its top priority. They work harder at covering up their failures than actually helping our heroes. They think it''s okay because they have the magnetic ribbon on the back of the VA SUV''s.
Our veterans deserve the best health care available on the planet. Members of the VA''s administration should be replaced at the top and as far down as necessary until that happens. Lying about the suicide and attempted suicide rates while discussing the real numbers in house is grounds for their removal. These incompetents don''t deserve their pensions. If they knew they would be held accountable, they might try to do their jobs better.
We have tons of civilian providers, but they aren''t helping. You know why? The fees they charge are beyond what can be afforded for long-term follow-up care because of all the outrageous medical insurance rates doctors have to pay to protect themselves from malpractice suits.
That and Congress closing so many military hospitals in the past 30 years, it''s no wonder we can''t get the care we were promiesed.
Congress made sure they stood up to their word. The promise, then break their promises.
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