We Need More Transparency and More Action From the Department of Veterans Affairs
The VA is designed to be one of our country’s safety nets in the fight against Covid-19
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The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is designed to be the safety net system when hospitals overflow in the US. Before fitting out convention centers and tents, we have the VA’s taxpayer funded hospitals. In recognition of that role, and to ensure our Veterans get the best care, Congress recently granted them $20 billion. Today I wanted to find out what’s happened to the $20 billion. I got some answers, but they are not good ones.
US hospitals have long been unable to give remdesivir to patients once Gilead stopped compassionate use as demand outstripped supply. Remdesivir has demonstrated promise in shortening illness and potentially saving lives. But that shortage isn’t everywhere. The VA has a stockpile.
A friend of a friend’s father has been on a ventilator for three weeks, unable to get the drug. There are 9,500 people in ICU’s right now. Would it save their lives? No one knows. And likely no one will. Does the VA need it? That’s wrapped up in another bigger question.
Unlike community hospitals that need revenue from elective procedures to pay the bills, the VA doesn’t. They don’t bill revenue. Unlike other hospitals granted congressionally appropriated money, if the VA’s volumes drop, no one loses their jobs. The VA has ~8% of US hospital beds. In the CARES Act they got between 15–20% of the money for all health care providers (including non-hospitals). So one would think that they would be playing a massive role as a safety net for other hospitals, right?
The last report showed that the VA was treating 135 civilians. Maybe that’s because hospitals don’t need the capacity? Yet in New York and Michigan, ventilators, nurses, and ICU beds were brought in and the outreach to the VA reportedly didn’t work.
And remdesivir is still in short supply and being denied to patients. Does the VA have some? How much? Enough for all 9,500 people? With Gilead claiming they are making enough to more than replenish, could the VA with their stockpiles (not to mention $20 billion) save some civilian lives?
