MEMPHIS: Town hall meeting addresses veteran issues

EAST MEMPHIS, Tenn. (FOX13) - As reports of problems at VA hospitals around the country continue to surface a town hall meeting was held in Memphis Tuesday to find out if veterans are having problems in the Mid-South.

The town hall was held at the Benjamin L. Hooks Central Library on Poplar Avenue.

MORE: Memphis vet fights 'death row' conditions at VA hospital MORE: Reaffirming promises to reform troubled VA hospitals

The vets came with story after story of how badly they have been treated just trying to get medical help at the one place you would think they would be treated with the respect they deserve after serving this country.

"I expected (the big turnout) and I expect even more," said State Rep. G. A. Hardaway (D-District 93). "I think they will be coming in droves as we start to proceed, but no one's been listening."

Vivian Avent, spouse of a Vietnam War veteran, knows all too well about no one listening.

"If it was not for me reading his lab values and challenging and reading his record, he would probably be in a nursing home now," Avent said. "Because I insisted they taper off some of the meds. I'm not a doc but I have common sense to know that when he went in he was one way and when he came out he was another.

Korean War veteran Thomas Miles, 85, said all he wants is for the VA to fix his dentures so he can eat solid food. The VA turned him down.

"I came to let the people know how they treat the vets," Miles said. "I might not get nothing done for myself but just wanted to let the people know I care about our vets. I think we deserve to be treated as human beings if nothing else."

Vietnam veteran James McCain put in 25 years working at the VA and says he's seen it all.

"Oh man I've seen patients beat down and in the psych ward, for real man, four years in psych ward was so cold," McCain said. "I've seen them try to run. They're under lock and key. I've seen patients try to run for the door and I've seen them run them down in the hallway and drag them back on the floor by their legs. I've seen them dog people out."

"The people have put their lives on the line, fought for us, and some have died for us, and I feel they should be treated a lot better than what they have been treated," said Michael Tate, concerned citizen.

From the number of veterans who showed up for the town hall meeting and the stories they are telling, chances are this will not be the last town hall meeting concerning the VA and the treatment of our veterans.

Vets decry care at Memphis VA Med Center in town hall meeting.
http://www.commercialappeal.com/news/2014/may/27/veterans-search-for-information-at-memphis-va/

There are some more links in the article. You have to register to read. This is a Link post only I think, so I didn’t post the article, just the link and snips; Hope that is OK Jim, I don’t want the info to be missed or do it wrong according to FR regs.

“Ninety-nine percent are unhappy,” Wade said about the veterans who attended the meeting at the Benjamin L. Hooks Central Library. Wade then called on state and city officials to “do what you say and say what you do.”

Snip
Last fall, an inspector general’s report concluded that three patients died at Memphis VA Medical Center after receiving inadequate care.

snip

He also told Hardaway that the emergency rooms at the VA are dirty and claimed that he has to leave the state to get proper care.

Both parties are responsible for this mess. It started long before the Walter Reed Hospital scandal a few years ago.

Here is another Veteran SCANDAL in the making. It has not made mainstream, as the VA scandal has, the DOD MANDATE is so new, and many seniors used Private Pharmacies for their Meds. Because of the reasons stated.

DOD MANDATE 4/14/2014 TRICARE LIFE has been MANDATED to use Express Scripts or Base Dispensary for their daily drugs. Base is not set up for seniors or handicapped. Paper script is needed for first fill. Usually takes hours of waiting or a second trip to get your meds. MEDS are limited by base size. Smaller bases have less available. Reorders come out of Pensacola, FL, takes 5 days. ES takes 2 weeks. AND there is NO GRANTEE a Dispense as Written (DAW) Script will be your order or reorder.

IF you use ES your Meds are Stuffed into your mail box by USPS with NO PHOTO ID SIGN FOR, which makes them available to kids, which is very dangerous and could kill one. To meth makers or drug thieves. STUPIDITY!

ES will and does OVER RIDE a DAW for a generic. Some generics are ‘small window’ meds like Thyroid, which ENDO’s usually write DAW Name Brand, as generic is to low in the hormone, and it has nasty side effects.

CHECK before accepting. DO NOT LET THEM AUTO WITHDRAW on your Credit Card or Bank Account! Please read the complaints to under stand why.

ES has DEFRAUDED the TAX PAYER, VETERANS, and the Federal government out of HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS OF OUR TAX $$!

Express Scripts Accused Of Defrauding State And Consumers Out Of Millions Of Dollars
http://www.ag.ny.gov/press-release/express-scripts-accused-defrauding-state-and-consumers-out-millions-dollars

NY attoney general sues Express Scripts, Benefits firm accused of inflating prices, keeping up to $100 Million
http://www.nbcnews.com/id/5601076/ns/business-corporate_scandals/t/ny-attorney-general-sues-express-scripts/#.U381ECh7SMQ

Express Scripts Extortion Scheme Widens
http://www.consumeraffairs.com/news04/2009/09/express_scripts_breach.html

Express Scripts complaints
http://www.consumeraffairs.com/rx/express_scripts.html

ES Customer Service ranking
http://www.customerservicescoreboard.com/Express+Scripts

Express Scripts RIP OFF
https://www.ripoffreport.com/reports/directory/express-scripts

ES buys out Medco
29 Billion
http://www.modernhealthcare.com/article/20120402/NEWS/304029961

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