WASHINGTON, D.C.— Congresswoman Kat Cammack and U.S. Senators Marco Rubio (R-FL) and Rick Scott (R-FL) sent a letter to U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Secretary Denis McDonough regarding an Inspector General report on a June 2020 incident in which the VA failed to provide emergency care to a veteran at the Malcom Randall VA Medical Center Emergency Department in Gainesville, Florida that resulted in the veteran’s death.
“We are appalled by the information presented in the May 31, 2022 U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General (OIG) Report, ‘Failure to Provide Emergency Care to a Patient and Leaders’ Inadequate Response to that Failure at the Malcom Randall VA Medical Center (MR VAMC) in Gainesville, Florida,'” the lawmakers wrote. “The report details an incident in June 2020 when MR VAMC Emergency Department (ED) nurses and administrative staff prioritized determining the patient’s veteran status over rendering him emergency care. Alachua County EMS subsequently transported the patient across the street to UF Health Shands Hospital who admitted the patient. According to the OIG report, the patient was later determined to be an eligible veteran. Shands UF provided emergency care, but the veteran passed away approximately 10 hours after admission. This incident, and potentially others mentioned in the report, call into question the competency, professionalism, and commitment of MR VAMC ED medical providers and staff to our nation’s veterans.”
