VA Staffer Discourages PTSD Diagnoses

(CBS)  This story was written by CBS News investigative team producer Pia Malbran.

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A Department of Veterans Affairs team leader in Texas suggested mental health professionals should diagnose patients with "adjustment disorder" rather than post traumatic stress disorder in order to save time and money treating veterans, according to an internal VA e-mail.

VA Secretary James Peake immediately called the e-mail "inappropriate" and a violation of VA policy.

On March 20, Norma J. Perez, a PTSD program coordinator and psychologist at the Olin E. Teague Veterans' Center in Temple, Texas sent an e-mail with the subject line "Suggestion" to several staffers including psychologists, social workers, and a psychiatrist.

In the e-mail, Perez wrote, "given that we are having more and more compensation seeking veterans, I'd like to suggest that you refrain from giving a diagnosis of PTSD straight out." She then went on to say, "consider a diagnosis of Adjustment Disorder…"

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Read the e-mail, obtained by Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington and VoteVets.org

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"This means the veterans will not get disability benefits and health care for PTSD," Paul Sullivan, the executive director of the advocate group Veterans for Common Sense, told CBS News.

Andrew Pogany, an investigator with the National Veterans Legal Services Program, said he thinks "purposely misdiagnosing someone is a serious ethical issue that [could] fall under malpractice."

"VA staff across the country are working their hearts out to get our veterans the care they need and deserve," said U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-Wash), a key member of the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee. "But e-mails like these make their jobs far more difficult."

In her e-mail, Perez also told staffers, "we really don't... have time to do the extensive testing that should be done to determine PTSD."

Sullivan, whose group has a pending lawsuit against the VA to force the agency to improve the treatment of veterans, said this "shows our suit has merit and that the VA lacks the capacity to provide proper care."

In a statement, however, Secretary Peake said, "a single staff member, out of VA's 230,000 employees, in a single medical facility sent a single e-mail with suggestions that are inappropriate and have been repudiated at the highest level of our health care organization." He added, "the employee has been counseled and is extremely apologetic."

Peake promised that the VA is "committed to absolute accuracy in a diagnosis and unwavering in providing any and all earned benefits. PTSD and the mental health arena is no exception."

[mommy227]

I am the wife of an OIF Veteran. His claim for PTSD was denied in June 2008 and the reason given is that he did not receive the Global War on Terrorism Expiditionary Medal. In 2005 the Global War on Terrorism Expiditionary Medal was replaced by the Iraq Campaign MEdal or the Afghanistan Campaign Medal for those who served in OIF or OEF. Thousands of Veterans claims for PTSD are being denied in error, but i think on purpose using this excuse. CBC NEWS NEEDS TO RE-INVESTIGATE the VA because they are still denying Veterans PTSD diagnosis and giving them minimal compenstion for "Adjustment disorder. The Phsycologist who performed the C&P Exam for my husband made this statement in his evaluation " He work the typical Vietnam Veterans Cap with medals dangling from it". First of He proudly wears his OIF baseball cap and any medals on it he earned! This is a direct example of the mindset, and total disregard and disrespect toward our veterans by people employed and paid for with our tax dollars who took an oath, and agrred to abide by the US Govemnet Employees Code of Ethics. These people should be
fired. Many people allowed to continue to operate in the fashion of denying care and benfits to our veterans, as well as shredding claims files again according to the VA inspector General's statement early this year 2009 should be criminally prosecuted under federal law and for HIPPA violations. Please look into this again and again and keep them honest, because our veterans are being denied care that they already paid for with selfless service to our country.

[darnedsocks]

WHAT A CREEP! THIS GUY OUGHT TO BE FIRED! THE VETERANS NEED TO BE CARED FOR! HOW WOULD HE LIKE IT IF IT WERE HIM?! DUH! EVER HEARD OF THE "GOLDEN RULE"?

[kansas1946]

Just typical of the enviornment created by the Bush administration for veterans. The only time Republicans love veterans are when they are getting shot at. After that, forget em'', especially if it costs any money.

[symc655]

Wake up people, do you think this is the only VA that mistreats people and try to save dollars by denying benefits....Well I work at one and it happens every day its just not recorded in email. What about denying a bill if they go to the nearest hospital when they are having chest pain because they did not go to a VA 100miles away!!!

[begonia5]

Citizens can complain to Norma Perez "boss" Olin E. Teague Veterans Medical Center and ask the V.A. Hospital Director, Mr. Bruce Gordon, why Norma Perez, hasn''t been fired yet. He can be reached at 254-778-4811, extension 42306.

She''s shocked and awed the Vets with a paltry apology and "oops" ONLY after her email has been revealed.

For some odd reason the families dealing with the damaged goods manufactured by the GOP''s profit margin wars and vets who committed suicide thanks to her policies.... didn''t FEEL for her sad words of apology.

One can call Norma Perez at 254-778-4811, extension 42867 and tell her what your think of her lies, maltreatment of veterans, and her deliberate orders to re-name symptoms of PTSD to avoid care and expense of damaged goods manufactured for the GOP

An alternative number is 800-423-2111, extension 42306 for Mr. Gordon, Hospital Director and extension 42867 for Norma Perez.

This typical compassionate Christian Nation should be woman hauled before a Congressional Joint Armed Services Committee hearing and questioned about her lack of medical ethics and her failure to "support our troops" dying for our OIL CEO profit margins and election era desperation.

[begonia5]

Citizens can complain to Norma Perez "boss" Olin E. Teague Veterans Medical Center and ask the V.A. Hospital Director, Mr. Bruce Gordon, why Norma Perez, hasn''t been fired yet. He can be reached at 254-778-4811, extension 42306.

She''s shocked and awed the Vets with a paltry apology and "oops" ONLY after her email has been revealed.

For some odd reason the families dealing with the damaged goods manufactured by the GOP''s profit margin wars and vets who committed suicide thanks to her policies.... didn''t FEEL for her sad words of apology.

One can call Norma Perez at 254-778-4811, extension 42867 and tell her what your think of her lies, maltreatment of veterans, and her deliberate orders to re-name symptoms of PTSD to avoid care and expense of damaged goods manufactured for the GOP

An alternative number is 800-423-2111, extension 42306 for Mr. Gordon, Hospital Director and extension 42867 for Norma Perez.

This typical compassionate Christian Nation should be woman hauled before a Congressional Joint Armed Services Committee hearing and questioned about her lack of medical ethics and her failure to "support our troops" dying for our OIL CEO profit margins and election era desperation.

[begonia5]

Citizens can complain to Norma Perez "boss" Olin E. Teague Veterans Medical Center and ask the V.A. Hospital Director, Mr. Bruce Gordon, why Norma Perez, hasn''t been fired yet. He can be reached at 254-778-4811, extension 42306.

She''s shocked and awed the Vets with a paltry apology and "oops" ONLY after her email has been revealed.

For some odd reason the families dealing with the damaged goods manufactured by the GOP''s profit margin wars and vets who committed suicide thanks to her policies.... didn''t FEEL for her sad words of apology.

One can call Norma Perez at 254-778-4811, extension 42867 and tell her what your think of her lies, maltreatment of veterans, and her deliberate orders to re-name symptoms of PTSD to avoid care and expense of damaged goods manufactured for the GOP

An alternative number is 800-423-2111, extension 42306 for Mr. Gordon, Hospital Director and extension 42867 for Norma Perez.

This typical compassionate Christian Nation should be woman hauled before a Congressional Joint Armed Services Committee hearing and questioned about her lack of medical ethics and her failure to "support our troops" dying for our OIL CEO profit margins and election era desperation.

[deathsong]

I will try this one more time. Employees at the lower level react to what those at the top level promote. The Fargo VA serves food in there cafeteria on paper plates and this shows a lack of respect from the top. It then trickles on down to the lowest levels. I had a cysto and urology dilation at that hospital and I was the first in line. I sat in an exam room for four hours, becoming the last to be seen. The nurse was upset as she came and went not understanding why I was being left for the last. I will never go to urology again. So will be saving taxpayers a lot of money. The longer you wait the more paranoia sets in and you wonder what they are up to. If they were trying to get rid of me, It worked.

[deathsong]

I will try this one more time. Employees at the lower level react to what those at the top level promote. The Fargo VA serves food in there cafeteria on paper plates and this shows a lack of respect from the top. It then trickles on down to the lowest levels. I had a cysto and urology dilation at that hospital and I was the first in line. I sat in an exam room for four hours, becoming the last to be seen. The nurse was upset as she came and went not understanding why I was being left for the last. I will never go to urology again. So will be saving taxpayers a lot of money. The longer you wait the more paranoia sets in and you wonder what they are up to. If they were trying to get rid of me, It worked.

[deathsong]

What we see at the lower level, reflects what the impression of those higher up. For example the Fargo VA serves food in the calf on paper plates, to save money. Now things like this coming from the top, leaves the other employees thinking the Vet''s are not worth much and slowly the respect for our Veterans is gone. Although I saw an effort from that hospital to improve the respect level, it is not coming from the top. I went for a cysto and urethra dilation and was the first in line and put my gown on and sat in an exam room for four hours with a nurse stopping from time to time to say your next. She even apologized and said she didn''t know why they left me for the last. I won''t go back to Urology. So they have one left to treat.