A Richlands veteran testified before a House committee recently about the challenges veterans face using the Department of Veterans Affairs Community Care Network.
Retired USMC Sergeant Major Paul McKenna told the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs that it was difficult to find a qualified provider in the community, and the V-A set him up with a primary and urgent care clinic that only has nurse practitioners on staff.
McKenna added that the clinic does not have the expertise or capacity to treat medical issues which include mental health, traumatic brain injury, post-traumatic stress disorder, neurology, orthopedics, and others.
More generally, he said the third-party vendor that coordinates care for veterans appears to have little to no oversight from either the VA or the clinic and he’s been waiting more than nine months for some referrals to be processed.
He asked the committee to investigate why there is no capacity to properly treat Veterans in Eastern North Carolina in a timely and adequate manner.
Congressman Greg Murphy said those who wore the uniform and fought for our freedom deserve to receive timely access to high-quality care, and he’s grateful that McKenna shared his story dealing with the failures of VA Community Care Network before Congress.
Read McKenna’s prepared remarks HERE.
