VA Rules for Medical Marijuana Use
VA Eases Rules for Medical Marijuana Use
Washington, DC
The VA has is-sued a new directive on just this topic. Under the new VHA Directive 2010-035 issued July 22, 2010, the VA now formally allows patients treated at its hospitals and clinics to use medical marijuana in states where it is legal, a policy clarification that veterans have sought for several years. The directive resolves the conflict in VA facilities between federal law, which out-laws marijuana, and the laws of 14 states that allow medicinal use of the substance, effectively deferring to the states.
However, physicians must understand that the release of this Directive does not shield VA physicians from possible federal legal action.
A VA physician’s completion of a form that would permit a patient to participate in a state medical marijuana program could result in the Drug Enforcement Administration’s actual or threatened revocation of the physician’s registration to prescribe con-trolled substances, as well as criminal charges.
The policy will not permit department doctors to prescribe marijuana, but it addresses the concern of many patients who use the drug that they could lose access to their prescription pain medication if caught. Under VA department rules, veterans can be denied pain medications if they are found to be using illegal drugs. Until now, the department had no written exception for medical marijuana.
The new VHA Directive 2010-035 issued July 22, 2010 is attached.
... Continue to Full Story
Washington, DC
The VA has is-sued a new directive on just this topic. Under the new VHA Directive 2010-035 issued July 22, 2010, the VA now formally allows patients treated at its hospitals and clinics to use medical marijuana in states where it is legal, a policy clarification that veterans have sought for several years. The directive resolves the conflict in VA facilities between federal law, which out-laws marijuana, and the laws of 14 states that allow medicinal use of the substance, effectively deferring to the states.
However, physicians must understand that the release of this Directive does not shield VA physicians from possible federal legal action.
A VA physician’s completion of a form that would permit a patient to participate in a state medical marijuana program could result in the Drug Enforcement Administration’s actual or threatened revocation of the physician’s registration to prescribe con-trolled substances, as well as criminal charges.
The policy will not permit department doctors to prescribe marijuana, but it addresses the concern of many patients who use the drug that they could lose access to their prescription pain medication if caught. Under VA department rules, veterans can be denied pain medications if they are found to be using illegal drugs. Until now, the department had no written exception for medical marijuana.
The new VHA Directive 2010-035 issued July 22, 2010 is attached.
... Continue to Full Story
Dental Procedures at the VA in St. Louis
Washington DC
A Congressional Committee hearing will be held July 13, 2010 in St. Louis on a lapse in procedure at the John Cochran VA Medical Center that may have put nearly 2,000 dental patients at risk of infection. The head of the Veterans Affairs Committee, Congressman Bill Filner of California, will be among those in attendance. Other area members of Congress are expected to on hand as well. The hearing will be held at 1:00 PM in the Thomas F. Eagleton U.S. Courthouse, 111 South 10th Street, St. Louis, MO 63102.
The chief of dental services for the St. Louis VA Medical Center has been placed on administrative leave, and an independent board has been assigned to investigate how employees failed to properly sterilize dental equipment, potentially exposing more than 1,800 veterans to diseases including hepatitis and HIV.
The VA has sent letters to 1,812 veterans who had dental procedures at the St. Louis center from Feb. 1, 2009, through March 11 of this year, saying reviews determined that some sterilization steps in preparing dental instruments were not in compliance with standards.
Background stories on this issue are posted below:
http://veterans.house.gov/hearings/hear ... NewsID=612
http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/art ... QD9GMF9G00
http://www.stltoday.com/news/local/metr ... ef0ff.html ... Continue to Full Story
A Congressional Committee hearing will be held July 13, 2010 in St. Louis on a lapse in procedure at the John Cochran VA Medical Center that may have put nearly 2,000 dental patients at risk of infection. The head of the Veterans Affairs Committee, Congressman Bill Filner of California, will be among those in attendance. Other area members of Congress are expected to on hand as well. The hearing will be held at 1:00 PM in the Thomas F. Eagleton U.S. Courthouse, 111 South 10th Street, St. Louis, MO 63102.
The chief of dental services for the St. Louis VA Medical Center has been placed on administrative leave, and an independent board has been assigned to investigate how employees failed to properly sterilize dental equipment, potentially exposing more than 1,800 veterans to diseases including hepatitis and HIV.
The VA has sent letters to 1,812 veterans who had dental procedures at the St. Louis center from Feb. 1, 2009, through March 11 of this year, saying reviews determined that some sterilization steps in preparing dental instruments were not in compliance with standards.
Background stories on this issue are posted below:
http://veterans.house.gov/hearings/hear ... NewsID=612
http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/art ... QD9GMF9G00
http://www.stltoday.com/news/local/metr ... ef0ff.html ... Continue to Full Story
VA Restricts Surgical Complexity in Five Facilities
VA Restricts Surgical Complexity in Five Facilities
Washington, DC
The VA recently announced that 5 VA facilities which previously conducted “intermediate” inpatient surgeries are now limited to “standard” surgeries. Veterans will obtain more complex procedures nearby from the best qualified providers and the VA will cover the costs. This follows a system-wide review prompted by surgical deaths at the Marion, IL VA hospital, where inpatient surgeries have been suspended since 2007. VA undersecretary of health said the review was part of VA’s effort to “meet uncompromising standards of inpatient surgery.”
The newly restricted facilities are in Alexandria, LA; Beckley, WV; Fayetteville, NC; Danville, IL; and Spokane, WA. Based on criteria set by surgical advisory boards and experts, VA has assigned each of its hospitals an inpatient "surgical complexity" level. The VA has authorized 66 hospitals to perform “complex” inpatient surgeries, 33 hospitals to do “intermediate” inpatient surgeries, and 13 hospitals to perform “standard” inpatient surgeries.
Facilities rated “standard” may perform inpatient surgeries requiring limited infrastructure, such as hernia repair, cholecystectomy, urologic procedures and ENT surgeries. Those rated “intermediate” may perform surgeries such as colon resections, repairs of abdominal aortic aneurysms and complete joint replacement. “Complex” facilities may perform intricate operations, such as cardiac surgery, craniotomies and total pancreatectomies. ... Continue to Full Story
Washington, DC
The VA recently announced that 5 VA facilities which previously conducted “intermediate” inpatient surgeries are now limited to “standard” surgeries. Veterans will obtain more complex procedures nearby from the best qualified providers and the VA will cover the costs. This follows a system-wide review prompted by surgical deaths at the Marion, IL VA hospital, where inpatient surgeries have been suspended since 2007. VA undersecretary of health said the review was part of VA’s effort to “meet uncompromising standards of inpatient surgery.”
The newly restricted facilities are in Alexandria, LA; Beckley, WV; Fayetteville, NC; Danville, IL; and Spokane, WA. Based on criteria set by surgical advisory boards and experts, VA has assigned each of its hospitals an inpatient "surgical complexity" level. The VA has authorized 66 hospitals to perform “complex” inpatient surgeries, 33 hospitals to do “intermediate” inpatient surgeries, and 13 hospitals to perform “standard” inpatient surgeries.
Facilities rated “standard” may perform inpatient surgeries requiring limited infrastructure, such as hernia repair, cholecystectomy, urologic procedures and ENT surgeries. Those rated “intermediate” may perform surgeries such as colon resections, repairs of abdominal aortic aneurysms and complete joint replacement. “Complex” facilities may perform intricate operations, such as cardiac surgery, craniotomies and total pancreatectomies. ... Continue to Full Story
New VHA Undersecretary for Health
WASHINGTON
Dr. Robert A. Petzel has taken the oath of office as the Under Secretary for Health within the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).
Dr. Petzel has been the Acting Principal Deputy Under Secretary for Health since May 2009. Previously, he directed one of VA's 21 geographic health care networks covering eight medical centers and 42 community based outpatient clinics serving Veterans in Iowa, Minnesota, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, western Illinois and western Wisconsin.
Dr. Petzel is Board Certified in Internal Medicine and has also served as chief of staff for the Minneapolis VA Medical Center. He graduated from Northwestern University Medical School in 1969 and was on the faculty of the University of Minnesota Medical School.
Dr. Robert A. Petzel has taken the oath of office as the Under Secretary for Health within the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).
Dr. Petzel has been the Acting Principal Deputy Under Secretary for Health since May 2009. Previously, he directed one of VA's 21 geographic health care networks covering eight medical centers and 42 community based outpatient clinics serving Veterans in Iowa, Minnesota, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, western Illinois and western Wisconsin.
Dr. Petzel is Board Certified in Internal Medicine and has also served as chief of staff for the Minneapolis VA Medical Center. He graduated from Northwestern University Medical School in 1969 and was on the faculty of the University of Minnesota Medical School.
Proposed Veterans Affairs' Budget
Washington DC
On Feb 1, 2010, the White House announced a proposed $125 billion budget next year for the Department of Veterans Affairs.
The $125 billion budget request, which has to be approved by Congress, includes $60.3 billion for discretionary spending (mostly health care) and $64.7 billion in mandatory funding (mostly for disability compensation and pensions).
Some of the budget requests include:
o An increase of $460 million and more than 4,000 additional claims processors for veterans benefits. This is a 27 percent funding increase over the 2010 level.
o $5.2 billion for mental health, an increase of $410 million (or 8.5 percent) over current spending, enabling expansion of inpatient, residential and outpatient mental health services, with emphasis on making mental health services part of primary care and specialty care.
o $250 million to strengthen access to health care for 3.2 million veterans enrolled in VA’s medical system who live in rural areas. Rural outreach includes expanded use of home-based primary care and mental health.
The budget provides an increase of $42 million for VA’s home telehealth program. The effort already cares for 35,000 patients and is the largest program of its kind in the world.
The 2011 budget provides $217.6 million to meet the gender-specific health care needs of women veterans, an increase of $18.6 million (or 9.4 percent) over the 2010 level. Enhanced primary care for women veterans remains one of the Department’s top priorities.
During 2011, VA expects to treat 6.1 million patients, who will account for more than 800,000 hospitalizations and 83 million outpatient visits.
The total includes 439,000 veterans who served in Iraq and Afghanistan, for whom $2.6 billion is included in the budget proposal. That’s an increase of $597 million – or 30 percent – from the current budget.
The proposed budget for health care also includes:
o $6.8 billion for long-term care, an increase of $859 million (or 14 percent) over 2010. Thi ... Continue to Full Story
On Feb 1, 2010, the White House announced a proposed $125 billion budget next year for the Department of Veterans Affairs.
The $125 billion budget request, which has to be approved by Congress, includes $60.3 billion for discretionary spending (mostly health care) and $64.7 billion in mandatory funding (mostly for disability compensation and pensions).
Some of the budget requests include:
o An increase of $460 million and more than 4,000 additional claims processors for veterans benefits. This is a 27 percent funding increase over the 2010 level.
o $5.2 billion for mental health, an increase of $410 million (or 8.5 percent) over current spending, enabling expansion of inpatient, residential and outpatient mental health services, with emphasis on making mental health services part of primary care and specialty care.
o $250 million to strengthen access to health care for 3.2 million veterans enrolled in VA’s medical system who live in rural areas. Rural outreach includes expanded use of home-based primary care and mental health.
The budget provides an increase of $42 million for VA’s home telehealth program. The effort already cares for 35,000 patients and is the largest program of its kind in the world.
The 2011 budget provides $217.6 million to meet the gender-specific health care needs of women veterans, an increase of $18.6 million (or 9.4 percent) over the 2010 level. Enhanced primary care for women veterans remains one of the Department’s top priorities.
During 2011, VA expects to treat 6.1 million patients, who will account for more than 800,000 hospitalizations and 83 million outpatient visits.
The total includes 439,000 veterans who served in Iraq and Afghanistan, for whom $2.6 billion is included in the budget proposal. That’s an increase of $597 million – or 30 percent – from the current budget.
The proposed budget for health care also includes:
o $6.8 billion for long-term care, an increase of $859 million (or 14 percent) over 2010. Thi ... Continue to Full Story
by sspagnolo | Wednesday, August 4, 2010 at 3:37 PM
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