"Leaked Document: 35,000 Combat Vets Denied VA Health Care Enrollment Due To Computer Error"

2015-08-11T11:10:51-04:00

From: The Huffington Post

WASHINGTON -- More than 35,000 combat veterans are being denied health care enrollment by the Department of Veterans Affairs because of a computer system error, according to an internal document obtained by The Huffington Post.

Scott Davis, a program specialist at the VA's Health Eligibility Center in Atlanta and a past whistleblower on VA mismanagement, provided HuffPost with a recent VA analysis of the number of combat vets, by city, who are listed as "pending" for health care enrollment because they didn't complete a so-called means test, which assesses their household income. Many vets have to submit a means test to be enrolled, but it's not required for combat vets, who are automatically eligible for five years of free care. The policy is spelled out on the VA's website.

The document shows that 35,093 combat vets who applied for health care aren't getting it because the VA system has erroneously flagged them as needing to submit a means test.

"The VA has created an illegal, artificial barrier for people to access care," Davis said. "We're not talking about people who didn't get care because they didn't want it. We're talking about people who turned in applications and VA said, 'No, go into a backlog because you didn't give us financial information.'"

VA spokeswoman Walinda West confirmed that combat vets aren't required to provide financial information to be enrolled in health care.

"VA is actively taking action to enroll and further reach out to these Veterans (by telephone and letters) due to the length of time some of these applications have been pending," West said.

The vast majority of these combat vets served in Iraq or Afghanistan. About 16,000 of them have been pending for more than five years, while about 19,000 have been pending from between one month and five years. Combat vets lose their eligibility for free health care after five years.

The document comes on the heels of another leaked VA document from April showing that nearly one-third of 847,000 vets with pending applications for health care had already died.

Davis contacted the House and Senate veterans affairs committees about the glitch. The House committee reached out to VA officials on Aug. 3 asking for details, but hasn't heard back yet. A spokeswoman for the Senate committee said committee staff are scheduled to meet with VA officials at the Health Eligibility Center this week and plan to press for information on this issue.

VA management has known about the problem since at least April. Last month, they issued a "change request" directing their systems management staff to create a computer script to "automatically complete a means test" for all pending combat vets.

VA staffers also started working overtime last month to call all 35,000 combat vets to let them know of their pending health care status.

The problem, though, is that nothing has happened since the change request was issued. On top of that, VA staffers are telling combat vets they have to fill out another form agreeing to co-pays before they can be enrolled -- even though they already agreed to co-pays in their original application. That's creating another barrier to enrollment for a group of vets who should never have been listed as pending in the first place.

Davis said there's a simple solution: go into the computer system, gather the Social Security numbers of combat vets listed as pending, and tell the system they are enrolled immediately. He said VA Secretary Bob McDonald has the authority to direct that change, and arguably a duty to do so since combat vets have been legally entitled to special health care eligibility status since January 2008.

Asked why McDonald hasn't taken this action, West said the secretary "does not have the legal authority" to automatically enroll vets in health care. But she didn't clarify whether, specifically, he has the authority to override the VA computer system error that says combat vets need to fill out a means test, which is keeping them from being enrolled.

"We are taking steps to contact and/or enroll these applicants as quickly as possible to ensure all appropriate action is taken and resolved to the satisfaction of those Veterans for whom we are honored to serve," West said. "We sincerely apologize for the inconvenience that this issue may have caused our Veterans. We are working to get this right."

HuffPost asked McDonald himself about the problem on Thursday, via a tweet read aloud at a Politico event, but he didn't address it. Instead, he announced his phone number and said to call him directly.

"I'd be happy to check out their particular instance," McDonald said to Politico's Mike Allen, in response to the tweet. "I like to deal with specifics and not generalities. Customer service is about one-on-one care. ... You have my phone number."

HuffPost called and left a message. He didn't return the call.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/veterans-denied-health-care-computer-glitch_55c4cc45e4b0923c12bc8d04?kvcommref=mostpopular

Leaked Document: 35,000 Combat Vets Denied VA Health Care Enrollment Due To Computer Error

Nearly all are Iraq or Afghanistan War vets.

Response by PO3 Steven Sherrill made Aug 11 at 2015 11:12 AM

2015-08-11T11:12:30-04:00

I just vomitted a little in mouth.

Response by SCPO David Lockwood made Aug 11 at 2015 11:12 AM

2015-08-11T11:12:40-04:00

Now is any one surprised about this with all the problems the VA has been having?

Response by Sgt David G Duchesneau made Aug 11 at 2015 11:15 AM

2015-08-11T11:15:20-04:00

Ya but is this just another excuse to delay claims? Put nothing past these bastards with their track record.

Response by LCDR Rabbah Rona Matlow made Aug 11 at 2015 12:02 PM

2015-08-11T12:02:50-04:00

This was in the news a few weeks ago. It is outrageous that these idiots keep getting away with stuff like this. A senior leader falling on his sword never fixes these things. People need to be prosecuted for malfeasance of office, imho...

Response by Capt Seid Waddell made Aug 11 at 2015 12:05 PM

2015-08-11T12:05:44-04:00

Lord, when will it end?

Response by LTC Stephen F. made Aug 11 at 2015 12:56 PM

2015-08-11T12:56:13-04:00

This is sad but unsurprising news. However to lay the fault on a computer error as opposed to however either made the error or included the error in the system design. I suspect it was a human error similar to the "error" in the southwest where care was denied to a significant critical of critical ill veterans which led to their death.
I hope that those responsible will be identified and tried as appropriate - administrative proceeding for this newer case with potential for damages in a civil suit by the 35,000 combat vets.

Response by SPC Jeffrey Bly made Aug 11 at 2015 2:20 PM

2015-08-11T14:20:00-04:00

As I tell my 3 year old daughter sometimes, "That is completely unacceptable!"

Response by SFC William Adamek made Aug 11 at 2015 2:35 PM

2015-08-11T14:35:24-04:00

They have identified the individuals and know that they are, and have been, authorized the care... Still no one steps up to the plate to blanket approve them and stop the nonsense! Obviously lives don't matter because we all know if this "computer error" and "administrative red tape" was effecting their paychecks they would have already had it fixed. This goes for our congressional leaders not stepping in also.

Response by Sgt Spencer Sikder made Aug 11 at 2015 4:34 PM

2015-08-11T16:34:44-04:00

"I'd be happy to check out their particular instance," McDonald said to Politico's Mike Allen, in response to the tweet. "I like to deal with specifics and not generalities. Customer service is about one-on-one care. ... You have my phone number."
Interesting "party line" from the Secretary that he likes to deal with specifics, he was pretty specific when he mistakenly claimed to be SF. How about dealing with the specific failure of some staffer who coded these records erroneously???

Also, a few years back, if I recall correctly, VA stopped requiring financial information directly from veterans because they were then able to glean the details from Social Security and IRS.

Response by SPC Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 12 at 2015 2:26 AM

2015-08-12T02:26:42-04:00

That is rediculs.. all theses vets payed their dues and some.. so to be treated like this is completely unacceptable. .

Response by PO1 John Miller made Aug 13 at 2015 5:20 AM

2015-08-13T05:20:59-04:00

While my heart goes out to these fellow veterans, I honestly never had a problem applying for/receiving benefits and free health care.

Response by SSgt Harvey "Skip" Porter made Nov 21 at 2017 9:35 PM

2017-11-21T21:35:05-05:00

You got to be freaking kidding me WTF this is absolutely ridiculous. What happened when there were no computers? I am just speechless!

Peace!

Response by SPC Joel Carter Sr made Oct 22 at 2024 4:46 PM

2024-10-22T16:46:29-04:00

WHY IS THIS HAPPENING.