Cost Of Va Malpractice Compared To

[Berta]

I am beyond outrage over Senator Webb's attempt to stop the new AO presumptives from becoming law of the land.

I have been preparing a letter to him but other things have taken up my time-a letter to a member of a Senate or House Committee on Veterans Affairs cannot often be done in a few hours. These letters should be short and very direct to the point the writer is trying to make. This is how I am shaping my approach-

"In the 2006 fiscal year, the Judgment Fund of the U.S. Department of Treasury paid $67.1 million to settle Veterans Affairs malpractice claims across the United States. During that time 225 claims were settled for $23.8 million, 138 lawsuits cost the department $38.3 million and eight judgments cost $5 million."

http://www.lawyersandsettlements.com/features/veterans-malpractice-rights.html

I have so much info on malpractice research and the VA -that this citation is dated to 2006 and they have certainly malpracticed since then-I need to obtain the latest GAO report on that.

My point-

FR D0C 2010-6549 in it's entirety-

said on pages 8 through 14-some of the figures the VA projected as to the cost of the new AO regs.

Page 8 of the edocket ( FR page 14395) I dont have time to scan and post it all here-

for example states that the 3 new presumptives projection for retroactive awards and claims awarded in first year after the regs are published will cost $13,377,190.

Senator Webb is squacking about the cost of the new regs-

What is he going to do to reduce the Billions that VA not only paid out due to malpractice in 2006 but continues to make these settlements due to their own piss poor health care that some vets receive.

Of course I need to get5 the latest malpractice figures before I complete this letter to Webb.

The figures the VA uses are definitely wrong as well.

ALL settlements of monies paid from the US Treasury for VA malpractice are mandated by law to be reported to the NPDB.

I have proof positive that they never reported my settlement and tried to cover it up at the OGC.

I raised this issue when I had to get them to send a letter to the RO so my FTCA offset would be returned.Obviously no one at OGC has given me any clear cut answer to my questions as to the NPDB and my settlement.

Without sending NPDB the mandated information they are supposed to send to them on FTCA awards- this insures that the taxpayers of this country, the H VAC, and S VAC , the Secretary of the VA, and veterans and their dependents will never know how many vets the VA harms or kills via malpractice- and just as bad as that--

no one will ever find out just how many billions they have been paying out due to these malpractices cases.

I try not to even think about the ramifications of all that because it would indicate the VA is more willing to pay malpractice awards due to their own negligence than properly service connect any veteran with a new AO presumptive.

The projected costs are 9 to 10 times higher for IHD vets than for vets with Parkinson's or Hairy Cell B.

IHD AO vets might never be properly compensated unless vets and widows of IHD AO vets call this Senator to task.

Senator Webb is basing his attempts to stop the new regs based on figures reported in

http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2010/010-6549.htm

I don't know if that link will still get you to this report.

Gerald Johnson Regulations Staff VA 211 D Compensation and Pension Service , VBA, in DC might be able to give yo a download of it if you call him at 1-202-461-9727

if the link doesn't work.

it

Edited June 12, 2010 by Berta