The Veterans Affairs Administration in Washington is proposing to cut emergency room hours at veterans hospitals across the country.
And that includes the V.A. Medical Center in Manchester.
But the plan is NOT going over well with veterans or the state's Congressmen.
NHPR Corresponent Debra Daigle reports.
Track 1: Manchester resident Paul Chevalier retired from the Marines after two tours in Vietnam.
He's the past president and current Legislative Chairman of the New Hampshire VFW. When he learned of the plan to close veterans hospital emergency rooms during nights & weekends, his reaction was:
"WOW....because up until that point, we'd had a couple of meetings w/Dr. Levinson...and he'd said 'Ahhhh...it's probably not going to happen, we're looking at some ways to save money."
Track 2: Chevalier is referring to Dr. Mark Levinson, the director of the Manchester VA Medical Center.
Levinson wasn't available for comment, but his spokesman, Jim Thompson was.
And Thompson says the VA wants to cut back on hours for *safety* reasons, NOT financial:
"The Urgent Care Emergency Dept. here at Manchester, does not have the life-sustaining medical services that you expect to be available when you show up at a typical ER. This is really not about closing an ER late at night. We transfer patients requiring these services out to other hospitals - usually the CMC or another VA. And that delay has the potential to complicate an already life-threatening problem for a patient with a critical condition that requires immediate attention."
Track 3: Whatever the reason for the cutbacks, Congressman Jeb Bradley has filed legislation to put the VA's plan on hold for six months.
He wants time to allow for public debate and congressional input.
But he also wants to make sure that veterans aren't going to have to pay extra when they are taken to hospitals outside the VA system.
"If emergency room hours of operation are going to be curtailed at night or on the weekends, my legislation is saying it should *only* happen after the Veterans Admin. has come forward with a funding plan that...if a vet goes to CMC or some other hospital in the middle of the night when they're experiencing chest pains...the payment for those emergency services should be born, as it should be, by the VA."
Track 4: Amen, says veteran Paul Chevalier.
He says that the people who've risked their lives for their country deserve at least that much.
"We should be *expanding* health care for veterans and those returning, not curtailing it. The continuing need for more care is there as long as we have the current war going on. And I think they should be improving it...and unless they make provisions to have the VA pay for emergencies, we're gonna be fighting the whole issue."
Track 5: Hospital spokesman Jim Thompson says the VA does not want a fight over this..
He agrees, veterans' health needs should be a priority - especially during time of war.
But he points out the Manchester VA facility is NOT a traditional hospital.
And he says it should not be used like one, whether it's opened or closed:
"Ambulance companies have known for a number of years that they should not bring patients with life-threatening emergencies to the Manchester VA. If you have a l-t emergency, you need to go to an ER that can provide emergency surgery if you need it, one that can provide an ICU. You don't want to go to an ER that will just transfer you somewhere else."
Track 6: Thompson says the Medical Center serves the health needs of some 20,000 veterans in the area.
And between 3 & 5 people show up at the emergency room every night, but rarely for life-threatening conditions.
Thompson says the federal Veterans 2000 Millennium Health Bill already provides funding for vets needing urgent treatment at other hospitals.
But Congressman Bradley says that law is confusing and doesn't do enough to protect veterans from extra health care costs.
"I wanna make sure that vets are getting the emergency care that they need in the most timely fashion - wherever it is - so the payment issue is the key issue here."
Track 8: Bradley - along with Representative Charles Bass and Sen. John Sununu - have met with Undersecretary of the VA, Gordon Mansfield - to express their concerns over the VA's proposal.
Bradley says Mansfield reassured them that the VA would work with Congress during a review of the plan.
Bradley anticipates considerable support for his bill, as more veterans learn what the VA is contemplating.
SOQ
