It is no secret I am on several prescription medications. I take these under strict medical advice, and three of these prescriptions regard mental health improvements. However, my prescription reasons were subtly shifted because Phoenix’s last two primary care providers did not listen to the patient. Since the El Paso primary care physicians appear to be utterly incapable of even attempting to listen, I have now been without a mental health prescription for an entire week. This is called bureaucratic cold-turkey prescription stoppage!
Not the first time this has happened, especially for this particular medication, a serotonin blocker. Here’s the rub, the physical and mental withdrawal symptoms of cold turkeying the drug; includes, but is not limited to, the following symptoms, of which I have ALL of the problems!
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- Nightmares
- Suicidal Ideation/Thoughts/Visions
- Headaches
- Heart Palpitations, radiating chest pain
- Anxiety
- Depressions
- Mood Swings
- Irritability
- Tinglings and Prickling sensations of the skin
- “Brain Saps”/”Brain Shivers”/Spaced-Out Zombie Spells
- Fatigue
- Dry Mouth
- Insomnia and Sleepiness – Which is a major whiplash feeling!
- Pain and neurological events in every part of my body!
- … and more… Much… Much… More!
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I have been without this medication due to bureaucratic stupidity for several days in the past due to pharmacy issues. But, this is now the longest I have been without this medication since getting prescribed this medication. I wish, like anything, I had known some of these withdrawal symptoms before I went to the ER earlier this week for pain and neurological problems; I would have raised the refill issues as part of the ER visit. I went online looking for other people’s experiences; I want some medical advice before continuing this medication!!!
I am a root cause kind of person; why do I bring this up? I have had three primary care providers since arriving in the El Paso VAHCS in May 2021. None of them have gotten any of the medications correct due to a blatant refusal to LISTEN to the patient with the INTENT to understand! Nurses with VA-provided primary care providers are expected to communicate with patients between 24 and 72 hours post any ER visit. Since moving to Las Cruces, I have visited the ER twice and have not spoken to the nurse yet!
I have initiated the conversation with the nurse through phone and secure messaging, and the nurse has refused to engage. Through secure messaging, I am advised, “Secure messaging is not the place to triage a patient, and no question can be answered as this requires triage of a patient.” No direct phone contact is possible with the clinic. One must call, get routed to a call center, leave a message, and then hope the clinic calls you back sometime before you die! Don’t forget; I am the same patient told, “The clinic will not see you in person because you “WILL NOT” wear a mask.” Completely refusing to understand, accept, and believe that I cannot wear a mask due to medically documented (by the VA medical providers, which medical records they possess) reasons. Best of all, the veteran is then sent letters and marketing materials urging the veteran to use secure messaging through “MyHealtheVet as a safe and secure way to access your medical team and get your questions and concerns addressed by your PACT team!” If the VA were a mental health patient, they would have schizophrenia and at least a dual-personality.
Snide, rude, and disrespectful staff, all made possible by, supported through, and legally accepted under federal government fiat. Do you realize that the nurse not doing their job will have any number of valid and acceptable excuses, and these excuses are accepted because of designed intentional incompetence allowed under federal employment laws, regulations, and directives, established by and supported through Congressional oversight? In Disney’s “Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement,” Viscount Mayberry has a line,
“Your staff is incompetent and unreliable!”
The VA is incompetent and unreliable, and the victims are the veterans and their families. We are talking about dangerous drugs, forced addictions, and then the ineptitude of incompetent and irresponsible bureaucrats who refuse to do their jobs in a timely and responsible manner. But do not take my word for it. Let’s review what a watchdog organization, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) – Office of Inspector General (VA-OIG), has to say on this matter.
- Tracy McNeil, of Raeford, North Carolina, was sentenced to one year and one day in prison and ordered to pay $90,003 in restitution for committing wire fraud involving an elderly veteran in her care. From February 2015 to February 2017, McNeil fraudulently obtained benefits from the VA and the Office of Personnel Management by executing a power of attorney over a disabled veteran who served in the Army and worked for the US Postal Service. The investigation revealed that McNeill arranged for the victim, who had dementia, to move into her home in February 2015 and then directed the VA and OPM to deposit the veteran’s benefits into her bank account. Between April 2015 and December 2016, the VA deposited $11,151, and OPM deposited $61,318 into McNeil’s account. Further, OPM disbursed the veteran’s life insurance for $17,533 to McNeil. Financial analysis showed that most of the funds were spent on McNeill’s expenses, including rent, utilities, credit card payments, and personal purchases.
- Strock Contracting, Inc., of Cheektowaga, New York, has agreed to enter into a consent judgment with the United States for $4.7 million to resolve claims that Strock violated the False Claims Act. The United States filed an action in federal court alleging that Strock Contracting profited financially after fraudulently obtaining federal contracts intended to benefit service-disabled veterans. The United States alleged the company, which was not owned or controlled by a veteran, recruited a service-disabled veteran to create a pass-through company, known as Veterans Enterprises Company, Inc. (VECO), which the Strock Contracting its owner, Lee Strock, controlled. The company allegedly directed VECO to submit false eligibility certifications to the government, obtaining substantial profits on numerous federal contracts.
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- Where are the VA Employees who should know what “fake eligibility certificates” look like?
- Where are the supervisors who should have been providing training?
- Where are the Congressional oversight teams in holding the VA accountable?
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- William Rich, of Windsor Mill, Maryland, was arrested for allegedly obtaining more than $1 million in veterans and Social Security Administration disability benefits by falsely claiming that he had paraplegia. Allegedly, Rich misrepresented his physical condition in VA disability compensation claims, in communications with the VA, and during medical examinations in pursuit of VA disability benefits. While serving in Iraq in 2005, Rich sustained injuries that resulted in the loss of use of both lower extremities. However, approximately six weeks after his injuries, he made substantial progress toward recovery and was no longer paralyzed. Later records show the VA rated him one hundred percent disabled following an examination in 2007. The examining physician noted that he did not have access to Rich’s complete claims file, so he did not review Rich’s medical history or observe the earlier report. In 2018, the VA OIG conducted an audit of specific claims and learned of conduct by Rich inconsistent with his purported condition. Over the next two years, VA OIG special agents conducted surveillance. They observed Rich walking, going up and downstairs, entering and exiting vehicles, lifting, bending, and carrying items—all without visible limitation or assistance of a medical device, including a wheelchair [emphasis mine].
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- OK, let me be clear, I am glad this veteran got better; I do not in any way condone theft. But, where is the VA in being culpable for FAILURE to do their job correctly?
- Will the doctor who failed to do their job be held liable for the malpractice performed?
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- William Rich, of Windsor Mill, Maryland, was arrested for allegedly obtaining more than $1 million in veterans and Social Security Administration disability benefits by falsely claiming that he had paraplegia. Allegedly, Rich misrepresented his physical condition in VA disability compensation claims, in communications with the VA, and during medical examinations in pursuit of VA disability benefits. While serving in Iraq in 2005, Rich sustained injuries that resulted in the loss of use of both lower extremities. However, approximately six weeks after his injuries, he made substantial progress toward recovery and was no longer paralyzed. Later records show the VA rated him one hundred percent disabled following an examination in 2007. The examining physician noted that he did not have access to Rich’s complete claims file, so he did not review Rich’s medical history or observe the earlier report. In 2018, the VA OIG conducted an audit of specific claims and learned of conduct by Rich inconsistent with his purported condition. Over the next two years, VA OIG special agents conducted surveillance. They observed Rich walking, going up and downstairs, entering and exiting vehicles, lifting, bending, and carrying items—all without visible limitation or assistance of a medical device, including a wheelchair [emphasis mine].
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- William H. Precht, of Kent, Ohio, was sentenced to 37 months imprisonment and ordered to pay $1.25 million in restitution after pleading guilty to theft of government property and participating in a bribery and kickback scheme. In October 2010, Precht registered a purported vendor, a company he controlled, as a small disadvantaged business and veteran-owned small business in the VA vendor system. He then used his VA purchase card and other employee cards to purchase over $1 million in alleged medical supplies from the vendor. In addition, from May 2015 through January 2019, he conspired with Robert A. Vitale, a medical sales representative for multiple companies that conducted business with the medical center, to devise a scheme in which Precht would receive kickbacks and other items of value in exchange for steering VA business and other monetary awards to Vitale.
- William H. Precht, of Kent, Ohio, was sentenced to 37 months imprisonment and ordered to pay $1.25 million in restitution after pleading guilty to theft of government property and participating in a bribery and kickback scheme. In October 2010, Precht registered a purported vendor, a company he controlled, as a small disadvantaged business and veteran-owned small business in the VA vendor system. He then used his VA purchase card and other employee cards to purchase over $1 million in alleged medical supplies from the vendor. In addition, from May 2015 through January 2019, he conspired with Robert A. Vitale, a medical sales representative for multiple companies that conducted business with the medical center, to devise a scheme in which Precht would receive kickbacks and other items of value in exchange for steering VA business and other monetary awards to Vitale.
Speaking of staff being “incompetent and unreliable,” did you know that the VBA is using “COVID-19” as an excuse for being backlogged in cases, AGAIN? Did you know that COVID-19 was so powerful that it caused the VA to fall 200,000+ cases behind, in an inventory of 600,000+ cases requiring decisioning, with 70,000+ needing additional review for entitlement, and needs to hire 2,000+ new employees to help correct the problem? Since the VBA continues to fail in staff training, exactly how will hiring new employees help? Honest question! With the current staff rated as incompetent and unreliable, not by me only, but by the VA-OIG who has regularly taken these issues and more to Congress asking for additional scrutiny and assistance in improving the VBA, VHA, and National Cemetery specifically and the VA collectively; what exactly can new employees do?
The VHA cannot plan construction projects and put planned maintenance into proper categories to execute maintenance tasks correctly. Congress refuses to scrutinize budgets and fiscal compliance for just maintenance of facilities. How in the world can anyone expect more when the VA cannot even hit the basics of planned maintenance tasks? I can; I do!
When the VA publishes marketing materials claiming they set standards for excellence and lead the industry, I want them to prove their competence and abilities! Right now, their failures scream louder than the voices in their own ears, and they refuse to listen to anyone, and I am not happy! You, the taxpayer, should not accept the performance of ANY government agency, including the entire legislative, judicial, and executive branches of government at the local, county, state, and federal levels, until they correct their behaviors! It is time to end the charade and put paid to this contemptible behavior and abuse!
© 2021 M. Dave Salisbury
All Rights Reserved
The images used herein were obtained in the public domain; this author holds no copyright to the images displayed.
As bad as the last several months have been, I hate adding more bad news; but the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) – Office of Inspector General (VA-OIG) keeps reporting, and I keep summating. Due to the absolute overabundance of incredible bureaucratic insanity, today’s article format will necessarily shift to report more and comment less. Don’t worry, I will still comment on the more egregious examples, for some of these VA-OIG reports are scarier than Joe Biden dressed as a mall Santa at a Fourth of July celebration feeling up little children!
In physics, for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction. I am not a fan of the word reaction, for a reaction places all the control of the action into the control of the original actor, and nature does not work like that. But, to reason, we sometimes must use language common to all to understand each other; thus, it is sufficient to my purposes to use the term reaction in this discussion. A similar law applies to psychology; a human chooses to act, natural consequences follow. The ability to as, agency, and the person being acted upon, the actor, play a significant role in how and why businesses succeed and fail.
Societies, cultures, governments, and countries all rise and fall on the moral agency of the individuals in power, the common citizen, and the collective leaders of those groups of people. I have always liked the movie “The Fiddler on the Roof,” Tevye makes a statement about how without tradition, they would be as shaky as a fiddler on the roof. Bringing a mental image of a fiddler, balancing upon a roof, and having two options, climb down and resume playing, or learn to balance on the roof while playing. Both choices offer natural consequences that are easily understood, especially if you have ever worked on a roof.
I have consistently written about VA Leadership failures for several weeks, rightly calling out the administrators at the local VAHCS and VAMC, the VISN, and the Federal levels. Hospital leadership is not so different than leadership in any other industry, even though the VA has tried to make hospital leadership distinct. Herein lay the problem, an employee, a 
Almost a year ago, in June 2020, during the height of the George Floyd madness, terrorism, and policing issues in 2020, I wrote about the 
Bringing us to House Resolution (H.R.) 1280, “The George Floyd Justice in Policing Act of 2021,” and while much of the act is aimed at the Federal Policing operations, the Federal Government wants to continue to exert uncommon and unconstitutional pressure over local police operations, which is unconstitutional. The power of money is how the Federal Government can control police operations unconstitutionally, mentioned in the bill, but outlaws selling military-grade equipment to police stations. Unknown in the legislative language, how is “military-grade equipment” defined?
More to the point, prosecutors, in charging documents filed with the court, “revealed no physical findings that support a diagnosis of traumatic asphyxia or strangulation.” More specifically, the coroner’s report claims Floyd had heart disease where an 
The liberal-leftists continue to claim rifles are military equipment, shotguns, body armor, vehicles with supercharged engines, and specific construction to protect a number of personnel riding; all these and more are considered “military-grade equipment.” Why is “military-grade equipment” under fire, again? When machine guns are available for criminals, why can the police not protect themselves? Louisiana recently had an ex-military member, in protective clothing, ambushing police; if the police are not similarly dressed and protected, are we not going to lose more police officer lives?
Let’s discuss bribery for a moment. H.R. 1280 “Mandate the use of dashboard cameras and body cameras for federal officers and require state and local law enforcement to use existing federal funds to ensure the use of police body cameras [emphasis mine].” Bribery is the act of bribing, and bribing is the inducement of behavior through monetary benefits. Why is legislation being used to control local and state law enforcement behavior using the taxpayer’s money? How many times do we see the Federal Government hellbent on bribing the State’s and local governments through the use of taxpayer money to behave as the Federal Government demands? Too bloody often!
If your elected officials are “too soft” or “too hard” on crime, the blame lies with the politician enacting behavior-changing policy. If the criminal justice system is not to your liking, you as a free individual have two choices, use the ballot box to change the elected leadership or move to an area with the same ideals you support. Take informed action; leave the emotional tantrums to children!
DNC-Consulting 