VA reversed 285 PTSD diagnoses, history of admin (not psych) rationale (downgrade for budget's sake)
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http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2017692555_madigan08.html
[font size=5]Madigan team reversed 285 PTSD diagnoses, Sen. Murray says[/font]
By Hal Bernton
Seattle Times staff reporter
.... The investigation at Madigan was triggered, in part, by complaints from soldiers who had previously been diagnosed with PTSD but were later accused by the screening team of exaggerating symptoms and sometimes malingering. ....
The investigation also was spurred by concerns that Madigan doctors involved in the screening were unduly influenced by worries about the escalating costs of paying benefits to those who qualify for medical retirements. ....
Madigan staff involved in the screening deny there was command pressure to limit disability awards. ....
At the Western Washington medical center, some staff are embittered by the February decision to remove Col. Dallas Homas, Madigan's commander, during the investigation.
"We really believe that he has been scapegoated," said one senior Madigan employee who spoke on condition of anonymity. "Many of these diagnoses were made long before Col. Homas came on board." ....
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2017616845_madigan29.html
[font size=5]Pentagon to review how military handles PTSD cases[/font]
By Hal Bernton
Seattle Times staff reporter
.... "I have directed our personnel undersecretary to look into this issue, and to correct it because it is unacceptable to have the process we have right now in place," Panetta said
The Army Medical Command is also investigating PTSD evaluations at Madigan, and how it compares to the process at other Army medical centers. ....
Panetta's comments Tuesday came in response to questions from Sen Patty Murray. D-Wa, who said she is concerned about allegations that Madigan's forensic team allowed the costs of providing benefits for those with PTSD to influence evaluations of patients.
Murray said that budget concerns should not be a factor in diagnosing a patient. "That's for sure," Panetta said.
http://www.armytimes.com/news/2012/02/ap-madigan-chief-removed-during-ptsd-investigation-022112/
[font size=5]Madigan chief removed during PTSD investigation[/font]
SEATTLE — The Army has removed the head of the Madigan Army Medical Center during an investigation into whether soldiers had diagnoses of post-traumatic stress disorder reversed to reduce medical costs.
“This is a common practice during ongoing investigations and nothing more,” Maj. Gen. Phillip Volpe, who heads the Western Region Medical Command, said Monday about the removal of Col. Dallas Homas. ....
The ombudsman also wrote a memo about a lecture in which a member of the forensic psychiatric team talked about the need to be good stewards of taxpayer dollars and not rubber stamp PTSD diagnoses that could result in a soldier earning $1.5 million in benefits over a lifetime. ....
“The most important thing is that these service members and their families are provided with answers on why cost was a factor in the treatment they sought for the invisible wounds of war, and that the Army takes the right steps to fix it,” (Senator Patty) Murray told The News Tribune of Tacoma. ....
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