Comments on: Phoney POWs, Why is the VA Trying to Hide Them? http://www.bloggernews.net/120465 High-quality English language analysis and editorial writing on the news. Wed, 15 Feb 2012 06:49:07 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.3.3 By: Sunny http://www.bloggernews.net/120465#comment-1218673 Sunny Tue, 12 May 2009 18:14:51 +0000 http://www.bloggernews.net/120465#comment-1218673 It is a problem.We have reason to be concerned. There is fraud going on.However like all health agencies they resist auditing.They dont want to get caught with their pants down so to speak.By the way the fraud is larger than you might imagine.Many vas are connected to university hospitals.Its much easier to commit all types of fraud at the academic level and blame it on the students.Yes these same students who do their internships at va hospitals. FAMOUS FIRE.If I hear that same sorry excuse one more time from someone I think Ill scream. Ive had people use it.Amazing, how quick that they shut up, when they learn ,that the person Im researching ,wasnt in a branch of the military, where the records burned. It is a problem.We have reason to be concerned.
There is fraud going on.However like all health agencies they resist auditing.They dont want to get caught with their pants down so to speak.By the way the fraud is larger than you might imagine.Many vas are connected to university hospitals.Its much easier to commit all types of fraud at the academic level and blame it on the students.Yes these same students who do their internships at va hospitals.
FAMOUS FIRE.If I hear that same sorry excuse one more time from someone I think Ill scream.
Ive had people use it.Amazing, how quick that they shut up, when they learn ,that the person Im researching ,wasnt in a branch of the military, where the records burned.

]]> By: Nancy Reyes http://www.bloggernews.net/120465#comment-1134597 Nancy Reyes Thu, 16 Apr 2009 09:47:14 +0000 http://www.bloggernews.net/120465#comment-1134597 how many of the records were destroyed in that famous fire? And one doesn't know if they are sociopaths milking the system or men with delusions due to psychosis, which of course would make them fully eligible for disability pension... how many of the records were destroyed in that famous fire?

And one doesn’t know if they are sociopaths milking the system or men with delusions due to psychosis, which of course would make them fully eligible for disability pension…

]]> By: mark http://www.bloggernews.net/120465#comment-1130403 mark Wed, 15 Apr 2009 05:12:54 +0000 http://www.bloggernews.net/120465#comment-1130403 Gee, could the military be a bit deliquent at updating their records? Gee, could the military be a bit deliquent at updating their records?

]]> By: Ron Standerfer http://www.bloggernews.net/120465#comment-1128436 Ron Standerfer Tue, 14 Apr 2009 18:48:33 +0000 http://www.bloggernews.net/120465#comment-1128436 Okay, "mad as hell" might be a bit of a hyperbole. I use that term a lot because "Network" is one of my all time favorite movies." If you remember, the deranged anchor man stuck his head out of the window and began screaming "I'm mad as hell and I'm not going to take it any more!" Anyway, getting back to the point, it's not just the discrepancy in the VA numbers that bother me, but the fact that some conscientious, and well meaning folks in the Nam-POW organization whom I admire and trust have been beating their heads against the wall for ten years trying to get information that would help clear up these discrepancies. Maybe all is squeaky clean in the VA as you say, but wouldn't it be a lot easier just to have a one time audit using all data available just to settle this issue once and and all? Okay, “mad as hell” might be a bit of a hyperbole. I use that term a lot because “Network” is one of my all time favorite movies.” If you remember, the deranged anchor man stuck his head out of the window and began screaming “I’m mad as hell and I’m not going to take it any more!” Anyway, getting back to the point, it’s not just the discrepancy in the VA numbers that bother me, but the fact that some conscientious, and well meaning folks in the Nam-POW organization whom I admire and trust have been beating their heads against the wall for ten years trying to get information that would help clear up these discrepancies. Maybe all is squeaky clean in the VA as you say, but wouldn’t it be a lot easier just to have a one time audit using all data available just to settle this issue once and and all?

]]> By: Mike McGrath (former POW) http://www.bloggernews.net/120465#comment-1128237 Mike McGrath (former POW) Tue, 14 Apr 2009 17:55:37 +0000 http://www.bloggernews.net/120465#comment-1128237 My concerns are not "eased." The facts are evident. There were 661 POWs who got out of Vietnam alive. Not all of us have even applied to the VA for benefits. There are 561 of us still alive. The VA grants benefits to 966 POWs from Vietnam. For the names of the 661, go to the DoD official website at: http://www.dtic.mil/dpmo/pmsea/files.htm That leaves, at a minimum, 305 cases of fraud. Similary, there were only 21 military POWs during Gulf War I. Only five of these men/women are known to have applied for VA benefits. The VA grants POW benefits to 286 Gulf War POWs. That leaves, at a minimum, 265 cases of fraud. My mind is not eased. That is why I am now working with the VA Office of the Inspector General on exposing and proscecuting 570 provable fraud cases. My mind will be "eased" when our government does not condone fraud. All concerned citizens should contact their Congressional representatives to demand that the VA cease condoning fraud. The VA will not budge without Congressional pressure to act. Mike McGrath POW 5 years 8 months in North Vietnam My concerns are not “eased.” The facts are evident. There were 661 POWs who got out of Vietnam alive. Not all of us have even applied to the VA for benefits. There are 561 of us still alive. The VA grants benefits to 966 POWs from Vietnam. For the names of the 661, go to the DoD official website at: http://www.dtic.mil/dpmo/pmsea/files.htm
That leaves, at a minimum, 305 cases of fraud.
Similary, there were only 21 military POWs during Gulf War I. Only five of these men/women are known to have applied for VA benefits. The VA grants POW benefits to 286 Gulf War POWs. That leaves, at a minimum, 265 cases of fraud.

My mind is not eased. That is why I am now working with the VA Office of the Inspector General on exposing and proscecuting 570 provable fraud cases. My mind will be “eased” when our government does not condone fraud.

All concerned citizens should contact their Congressional representatives to demand that the VA cease condoning fraud. The VA will not budge without Congressional pressure to act.

Mike McGrath
POW 5 years 8 months in North Vietnam

]]> By: Former POW http://www.bloggernews.net/120465#comment-1127454 Former POW Tue, 14 Apr 2009 14:29:00 +0000 http://www.bloggernews.net/120465#comment-1127454 To ease your concern over whether or not the VA is "hiding phony POW's," there is no validity to your allegation whatsoever. Military service records, as well as prior medical records are reviewed with the highest degree of scrutiny precluding any possibility of any such unauthorized benefits being provided to falsified claims. Rest assured that VA benefits are provided only to those whose eligibility has been legally documented and validated by rigid guidelines governing treatment provided for service-connected conditions. Since you are apparently "mad as hell,' then perhaps you may be able to appreciate, in light of obama's recent proposal to force service-connected veterans to pay for combat-related injuries. Even prior to this recent suggestion by the commander in chief, VA policy has consistently been extremely strict in authorizing medical coverage to even those veterans having sustained injuries/related conditions resultant of direct combat involvement. In other words, a large amount of veterans health care coverage is provided by their own private pay medical insurance coverage. Perhaps you should seek "anger management" if this is a problem you cannot handle on your own. To ease your concern over whether or not the VA is “hiding phony POW’s,” there is no validity to your allegation whatsoever. Military service records, as well as prior medical records are reviewed with the highest degree of scrutiny precluding any possibility of any such unauthorized benefits being provided to falsified claims. Rest assured that VA benefits are provided only to those whose eligibility has been legally documented and validated by rigid guidelines governing treatment provided for service-connected conditions.

Since you are apparently “mad as hell,’ then perhaps you may be able to appreciate, in light of obama’s recent proposal to force service-connected veterans to pay for combat-related injuries. Even prior to this recent suggestion by the commander in chief, VA policy has consistently been extremely strict in authorizing medical coverage to even those veterans having sustained injuries/related conditions resultant of direct combat involvement.

In other words, a large amount of veterans health care coverage is provided by their own private pay medical insurance coverage. Perhaps you should seek “anger management” if this is a problem you cannot handle on your own.

]]>