Letter To The Honorable Eric K. Shinseki, Secretary, Department Of Veterans Affairs

Letter

Wyden Calls For Suspension of Reductions at Roseburg VA Hospital

In reacting to the news that the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs is considering the elimination of emergency and inpatient services at the Roseburg VA Medical Center, U.S. Senator Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) sent a letter to Eric K. Shinseki, Secretary of Veterans Affairs, urging the department to suspend planned reductions pending a written plan for providing affected veterans services the facility previously provided.

"I am especially disturbed that this loss of health care services for Oregon's veterans seems to be happening behind closed doors," Wyden said in the letter. "Such a life-changing decision for our veterans in the rural, southern part of the state seems to be taking place with no public discussion -- and no plan in place to make sure that our veterans can continue getting the care they need."

The Roseburg VA Medical Center provides healthcare services for tens of thousands of veterans living in Central and Southern Oregon and Northern California. Reducing the services available at the Roseburg facility will put Oregon's rural veterans at a further disadvantage, compromising their health, putting their employment at risk and putting pressure on already financially struggling local hospitals.

"Eliminating these vital services will force veterans to either travel long distances to another VA facility or seek care at local community hospitals," Wyden continued in the letter. "However, for many veterans, traveling three hours or longer to a VA hospital creates substantial hardship for their families and could put their employment at risk. Some rural veterans may choose to give up needed health care rather than put their families and good credit at risk."

Oregon is preparing to welcome home nearly 3,000 new veterans from Iraq and in coming years will do the same for new veterans of Afghanistan. Wyden expressed concern over the reduction of the Roseburg facility noting the negative effects of a recent closing of five inpatient beds at a Walla Walla facility that compromised the facilities ability to perform vital services. Given the time sensitivity of the issue, Wyden has requested a response within 15 days.

Text of the letter is below.

The Honorable Eric K. Shinseki
Secretary
Department of Veterans Affairs
810 Vermont Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20420

Dear Secretary Shinseki,

I write with deep concern for the future of the Roseburg, Oregon VA Medical Center.

As you know, the Roseburg Medical Center provides vital health care services for tens of thousands of veterans who live in Central and Southern Oregon and Northern California.

Unfortunately, it has come to my attention that the VA has begun to reduce services at Roseburg and plans to eliminate emergency and inpatient services in the future.

I am especially disturbed that this loss of health care services for Oregon's veterans seems to be happening behind closed doors. Such a life-changing decision for our veterans in the rural, southern part of the state seems to be taking place with no public discussion -- and no plan in place to make sure that our veterans can continue getting the care they need.

Eliminating these vital services will force veterans to either travel long distances to another VA facility or seek care at local community hospitals. However, for many veterans, traveling three hours or longer to a VA hospital creates substantial hardship for their families and could put their employment at risk. Some rural veterans may choose to give up needed health care rather than put their families and good credit at risk. And already cash-strapped local hospitals are unable to take on thousands of new patients.

I request that you suspend any planned reductions in services at Roseburg until you can provide a written plan for how veterans will be able to receive any services no longer provided at Roseburg.

I also request that your staff provide me with a complete description of all reductions being considered and the timeline for these reductions, as well the reasons the VA considers these reductions to be necessary.

As Oregon prepares to welcome home nearly 3,000 new veterans from Iraq this spring, and send even more of our men and women to Afghanistan, we must maintain a robust VA health system throughout the state. Rural areas are well-represented in our armed forces. We learned from the closure of five inpatient medical beds at Walla Walla that even a small reduction in inpatient services can lead to losses in vital services like acute mental health care or medical detox--services that may not be available in the area.

Because of the serious nature of this issue, I request a response to my request within 15 days.

Sincerely,

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