rep. gallego's letter to va secretary robert mcdonald

RUBEN GALLEGO 7TH DrsrRrcr, ARrzoNA COMMITTEES: ARMED SERVICES SUBCOMMITEESI TacTtcaL ArR AND Llruo Foncrs READINESS 12'18 LoNGWoRTH HousE OFFTCE BUTLDTNG WASHINGTON, DC 2051 5 1202) 2254065 DISTFICT OFFICE: 411 NoB rH CENTRAL AVENUE SurrE 150 PHoENrx, AZ 85004 (602) 256-0551 @.rngrtxx nf tlgr lflnitril btuttx Tboust of S4regrntutibeg lfl fiurttn g ttn, Bl0. Zfr 5 L 5,-fr 1fr7 NATURAL RESOURCES SUBCOMMiNEES: ENERGY AND MTNEBAL RESoURcFs WATER, PoWER, AND OCEANS OvERStGHT AND INVESTtGATtoNS August 11,2015 The Honorable Robert A. McDonald Secretary U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs 810 Vermont Avenue Washington DC, 20420 Dear Secretary McDonald: I write to express my serious concerns regarding recent reports that the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) wrongfully denied health care to more than 35,000 combat veterans-including hundreds of veterans in my home state of Arizona-as a result of a computer error. I urge you to rectifu this unacceptable mistake as soon as possible and strongly encourage the VA to take immediate action to ensure that similar enrollment problems do not occur in the future. As you know, combat veterans have five years to claim eligibility for free health care and are exempt from means-tested requirements, including restrictions based on household income. Unfortunately, news reports indicate that a significant number of veterans were denied care because they were erroneously marked as having failed to submit financial information that they were not, in fact, obligated to provide. Most of those affected were veterans of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and as many as 16,000 of them have been waiting to access VA services for more than 5 years because of this error. Thankfully, I understand that the VA is currently taking steps to address the issue. New computer protocols have reportedly been implemented and VA employees are calling the affected veterans to inform them of what occurred and to provide updates on the status of their applications. However, it appears that to date, few if any of those denied care because of this error have been sucpessfully enrolled in the VA health system. Further delays are unacceptable and I strongly encourage you to expedite your administrative procosses to ensure that these veterans can receive VA care as soon as possible. I also urge you to assess the potential for similar malfunctions and to implement the measures necessary to ensure that there is no recurrence of this or other enrollment problems. Thank you for attention to this request. The men and women affected by this error risked their lives for our nation, and they deserve better from our government. I look forward to working with you to ensure that America lives up to its promises to these brave veterans. Member of Congress PRINTED ON RECYCLED PAPER

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Rep. Gallego's letter to Department of Veteran Affairs Secretary Robert McDonald calling on the VA to take swift action to provide health care to over 35,000 combat veterans who were erroneously denied health care because of a computer error.

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RUBENGALLEGO7THDrsrRrcr, ARrzoNACOMMITTEES:ARMED SERVICESSUBCOMMITEESITacTtcaLArRANDLlruoFoncrsREADINESS12'18LoNGWoRTH HousEOFFTCEBUTLDTNGWASHINGTON,DC205151202)2254065DISTFICTOFFICE:411NoBrHCENTRALAVENUESurrE150PHoENrx, AZ 85004(602)[email protected] nf tlgr lflnitril btuttxTboust of S4regrntutibeglfl fiurttng ttn, Bl0. Zfr 5 L 5,-fr 1fr7NATURALRESOURCESSUBCOMMiNEES:ENERGYANDMTNEBALRESoURcFsWATER,PoWER,ANDOCEANSOvERStGHTAND INVESTtGATtoNSAugust11,2015The HonorableRobertA. McDonaldSecretaryU.S.Departmentof Veterans Affairs810Vermont AvenueWashingtonDC, 20420DearSecretaryMcDonald:I writeto expressmyserious concernsregardingrecentreports that the Departmentof Veterans Affairs(VA) wrongfullydenied healthcare to more than35,000 combat veterans-includinghundredsof veteransinmy home state of Arizona-as a resultof a computererror.I urge you to rectifuthisunacceptablemistakeassoonas possibleandstrongly encouragethe VA to take immediateaction to ensure thatsimilarenrollmentproblemsdo not occurin the future.As youknow,combat veteranshavefive years to claim eligibility for free healthcare andare exemptfrom means-testedrequirements,includingrestrictionsbasedon householdincome. Unfortunately,newsreports indicate thata significantnumberof veteranswere denied care becausetheywere erroneouslymarkedashaving failed to submitfinancialinformationthat theywere not,in fact,obligatedto provide.Mostof thoseaffected were veteransof the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan andas manyas 16,000of them havebeen waitingtoaccessVA servicesfor more than5 yearsbecause of this error.Thankfully, I understandthat theVA is currently takingstepsto addressthe issue. Newcomputerprotocolshavereportedly beenimplementedand VA employees are calling the affectedveteransto informthemof whatoccurredand to provide updateson the status of their applications.However, it appearsthat to date,few if any of thosedenied care because of this error havebeensucpessfullyenrolledin theVA healthsystem.Furtherdelays are unacceptable and I strongly encourageyou to expedite your administrative procossesto ensure that these veterans can receiveVA care as soon as possible.I alsourge you to assessthe potential forsimilar malfunctionsandto implement themeasures necessaryto ensure that there is no recurrence of this orother enrollmentproblems.Thankyou for attentionto this request. The men and womenaffected by this error riskedtheirlives forour nation,and theydeservebetterfromour government.I lookforward to workingwith youto ensure thatAmerica lives up to its promisesto these brave veterans.Memberof CongressPRINTEDON RECYCLEDPAPER

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