Advocates of government-run health care often hold up the VA health system as a model of efficiency. Well, I rather doubt these vets, who received a letter erroneously advising them that they had Lou Gehrig’s disease, would agree:
Letters were sent to 1,864 veterans about disability benefits for those with ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease, and a “small number” have contacted the VA indicating they received the letters in error.
How small a number would that be?
The National Gulf War Resource Center said Reid was among at least 1,200 veterans who received the letter, even though they hadn’t been diagnosed with the illness.
And how precisely did this happen?
Jim Bunker, president of the veterans group, said he talked to someone at the VA and was told the mistake was caused by a coding error.
So, a “coding error” caused more than a thousand vets to receive letters telling them they had a deadly neurological disease. Oh well, probably just an isolated incident, right? Wrong:
The VA has taken some heavy criticism already this year. In June, Congress questioned the agency over botched colonoscopies at medical centers in Florida, Georgia and Tennessee that may have exposed 10,000 veterans to HIV and other infections.
So tell me again how the VA provides the best care anywhere.
[HT JWF]
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