Printer Friendly Page
VETERANS COMPLAIN ABOUT QUALITY OF CARE AT
PRIVATIZED VA OUTPATIENT CLINIC -- Claim
private
healthcare provider is backed by a venture
capital
fund and its only concern is profit.
For more about privatizing the VA, use the VA Watchdog search
engine...click here...
http://www.yourvabenefits.org/
sessearch.php?q=privatize
+privatizing&op=or
Story here...
http://www.nwaonline
.net/articles/2007/09/25/new
s/092607lrvetcare.txt
Story below:
-------------------------
Lawmakers Discuss Lack Of Medical Support For
Veterans
By Jason Wiest
THE MORNING NEWS
LITTLE ROCK -- Veterans told state lawmakers Tuesday the new operator of
a community-based outpatient clinic for veterans in Hot Springs is
motivated only by money and is not caring for veterans properly.
The clinic's former operator, HealthStar Medical Group, told lawmakers
the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs said both providers were graded
the same on quality, but the new operator, Valor Healthcare, won because
its bid was $1.25 lower per patient on a monthly basis.
But HealthStar representatives and veterans at Tuesday's meeting of the
Joint Performance Review Committee said Valor is seeing only 14 to 20
patients per day, while HealthStar was seeing 80 patients daily.
At last count, HealthStar was serving about 5,200 veterans, officials
said.
Additionally, Valor has cut provider care, does not plan to put anyone
on the local hospital's staff to provide continuity of care and does not
provide certain lab services. HealthStar representatives noted Valor is
backed by a venture capital fund and claimed its only concern was
profit.
Veterans Affairs officials were not invited to the meeting, nor were
Valor officials, said Sen. Terry Smith, D-Hot Springs, the committee
chairman. A telephone call to the state Department of Veterans Affairs
went unanswered Tuesday.
The hearing was only informational, as the state does not have a say in
who is awarded such contracts. But lawmakers said they were concerned
that Valor's practice could increase state costs.
If veterans who cannot get care from Valor and who do not have health
insurance are forced to go to a hospital for care, Medicaid or Medicare
could be forced to foot the bill, said Sen. Dave Bisbee, R-Rogers.
The state also has a concern for its people, Rep. Randy Stewart, D-Kirby
said.
"It's a federal issue, but these are our constituents," Stewart said.
The committee voted to send a letter urging Arkansas' congressional
delegation to review the situation, and also seeking advice on what the
state could do.
The committee said it would hold another meeting and invite officials
from the VA and Valor to attend. In the meantime, the panel voted to
seek more information about the federal agency's decision-making process
in awarding the contract.
-------------------------
Larry Scott --
