The VA scandal

I usually limit my posts to topics related to cancer and other health issues but I cannot resist commenting on the VA scandal. It absolutely appalls me that:

• employees were told to fake data and hide deaths
• soldiers who were injured serving their country receive substandard health care
• how wide spread this problem - its not just limited to Arizona.

This is unacceptable behavior for anyone. Why would anyone want to play God and select two gets care? For those of you who were concerned about the 'Death Panels' (remember that idea?) as part of the Healthcare Reform Act should rethink that. Those VA employees who were creating the secret lists and hiding data were playing God with the soldiers.

The whistle-blower in this case should be applauded for coming out and telling the truth about what happened. But there also should be a note made that while she did come clean in the end, shouldn't she have questioned her superiors or gone to another part of the VA - superiors, HR, etc - and asked about being told to lie? Unethical behavior, or even criminal behavior, should not be tolerated by anyone.The claim of 'following orders' does not excuse this at all. If worried about job security, I wouldn't want to work for an organization that wanted me to break the law or work unethically.

I hope that there is substantial reform in the VA healthcare system and our vets are not mistreated like this again in the future. And I hope that criminal charges of negligent death are filed against those responsible.

Finally, it also leads me hope that there are internal audits at all medical care facilities so that this type of behavior can never happen again.