Rush to Failure: Tripped up by Congress

Last week, this Democratic led Congress took action to rescue modern military healthcare. According to the Washington Post, Rep. Ike Skelton (D-Mo.), Chairman of the House Committee of Armed Services, in a bipartisan committee move inserted language in the 2009 defense authorization bill that would halt construction of replacement hospitals for Walter Reed Army Medical Center until the Department of Defense demonstrates that it can deliver world-class health services. Congressman Jack Murtha said: "Our service members and their families have been promised a world class medical facility. This language will ensure that we deliver on that promise." There it is -- promises to be kept. Our task is to help Congress to keep that language in the legislation.

I am an outpatient at Walter Reed Army Medical Center. I wrote several blogs addressing both my inpatient and outpatient experiences. Walter Reed personnel walk on water without wetting the soles of their shoes. Why? Besides their overall medical excellence, Walter Reed medical personnel continue to produce the only clear success story of the Iraq War. They reduced the number of our wounded who died from 25% to 15%. A HUGE accomplishment and the first reduction in casualty deaths in over 50 years. Until the wonder workers at Walter Reed sprang into action, the percentage of our wounded who died remained essentially unchanged from WWII and Korean War times. We are in danger of losing all they gained.

Brigadier General Michael Dunn commanded the Walter Reed Health Care System from 1999 to 2002. In testimony requested by the House Appropriations Defense Subcommittee in January 2007, he described in depth the impact of BRAC on Walter Reed two months before its problems came to national attention. He now says "The 2005 base closure decision and related serious errors have become a threat to Walter Reed as our dominant teaching medical center, just when it is needed most. I admire Mr Murtha's and Mr Skelton's vigilance to make every dollar count, no matter where Walter Reed begins its second century. Generations to come will need a strong Walter Reed, a name that means clinical excellence." This is the type of forward thinking that matters. General Dunn doesn't oppose the closure of Walter Reed; he does oppose losing or compromising Walter Reed's hard-earned clinical and educational excellence.

We are not discussing "gotcha" moments here. Congressional staff see a real bipartisan concern that the troops receive a world class medical facility not a botched, hurried and mismanaged project. Areas such as cancer treatment and research units are seeing their floor space reduced by nearly half in an apparently futile effort to control construction expenses. Consider that the cost of the Bethesda project has increased almost 500% since May 2005, from $201M to an estimate of $940 million in February 2008. Even with this increase, all the functions currently approved are not reflected in this funding estimate and the cost overrun will almost certainly exceed one BILLION dollars. Further, no completed or even partial design for the new Walter Reed exists and something as simple as parking appears headed for disaster. They appear to be providing a net increase of 1,800 parking spaces while the total increase in workforce and patient population will be over 4,000 per day, leaving a potential shortfall of over 2,200 parking spaces. A bit of oversight is in order.

Amy Gardner, Washington Post staff writer, says that Congressman Murtha's concerns led to the change in the bill, and that ensuring proper medical care is the purpose of the provision. Because the focus of the legislative language is improved medical care for our troops and their families, this language has bipartisan support. According to his office, Congressman Murtha said: "I'd like to thank Chairmen Skelton for his unrelenting leadership and support of military medicine. His diligent efforts resulted in this bipartisan language."

The focus of their effort is transparency and accountability; traits lacking now. Everyone, liberal, conservative, military or nonmilitary should call their congressional representative and urge them to retain Chairman Skelton's committee language requiring true accountability and transparency in the Walter Reed related hospitals construction. Finally Congress is speaking out for the troops in meaningful ways. Tell them so now.

Comments

[HalDonahue]

This BRAC was a disaster. There is a small commissary in Western PA serving primarily guard and reserve troops (Today it was announced that yet another PA National Guard soldier was killed in Afghanistan) that is hurriedly being closing while a new commissary is being delayed. The families have to travel over 200 miles each way to reach the next commissary. For those who don't know, commissaries only seem like grocery stores - they really are networking sites and places to be with your own.

A BILLION dollar cost over run is pretty impressive. We need to say HALT and evaluate what is being done and how. For those who only consider cost I say - come with me if you dare

[Chitown95]

As the former executive director of the 95 BRAC I thought of all the bad decisions the 2005 BRAC made and there were a lot of them (Worst commission in the history of Base Closures) Walter Reed was the worst! I congratulate Cong. Murtha and Cong. Skelton for slowing down this closing of Walter Reed. Thanks Hal for keeping us informed.

[John Bruhns - Huffpost Blogger]

Great piece Hal.

V/R
John Bruhns

[HalDonahue]

John thank you. I hope you will circulate this. I didn't mention it in the piece but from the data I am looking at now DOD as no clue how many folks actually work at Walter Reed..... I guess that may be my next article

[burnt]

One of the most despicable philosophies of the CheneyOilCo is the privatization of the military... contracting away all the best of the military to corporatists who only have profit as a motive. Health care for our service members has been one of the victims of this greedy move.

We need full review of the damage that continues daily, and an immediate reversal of all policies that have proven themselves to be costly to the health and well-being of our military personnel. Stop the corporate greed disguised as downsizing government and military costs... It is theft not only of the Treasury, but of our national commitment to those who serve us in the defense of what we hold dear.

[HalDonahue]

The just in time inventories that work so well in business are a risky way to defend the nation. What we are seeing is a dismantling of military healthcare. Where in the past there was a classic symbosis of military and private medicine that made each stronger now both will suffer. For what has happened is both become weaker as the Bush Regime dismantles military healthcare

[catuskoti]

This is your best post yet, Hal. And the first I've seen on the HuffPo's front-page.

Congrats. :-)

[GENERALBEE]

I AGREE! HAD NOT HEARD YOUR NAME ON THE POST SINCE JANUARY!
KEEP ON THEM! IT IS A DISCRACE NOT TO HAVE THE BEST FOR OUR MILITARY PERSONNEL.

THANKS, HAL

ALISHA

[HalDonahue]

Thank you it has been a while LOL

[GENERALBEE]

have some time to read? try the weekly standard article of may 12 (online) written by ken ringle who wrote for the WP in dc.

that is where the general patton's friend comes from.

[larry479353]

Just like the promise of retirement after 20 years of faithful and honorable service. Congress passed the Former Spouse Protection Act and BACK DATED IT 1 day before the Supreme Court said military retirement is not community property. Military retirement is currently$600 per month! How is paying an ex for the rest of your life divorce? All my career I heard about "FREE" health care also. Now they want to raise the "FREE" rates 125% to "discourage" the soldiers from using the benefit! What kinda garbage is this? Vote congress out. We need to start over and get these career politicians out while we still can!

[catuskoti]

You're absolutely right. But they get away with this shit also because the MSM continually winks it flirtatious brown eye at it.