Wyden Protests Roseburg Vets' Medical Cuts

January 12, 2010
by
The Associated Press

(AP) — PORTLAND, Ore. - Oregon Democratic U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden has sent a sharply worded letter protesting the elimination of some surgeries offered at the Roseburg Veterans Affairs Medical Center. He's also critical of plans to reduce emergency room and inpatient care further.

In the letter sent Monday to Veterans Affairs Secretary Eric Shinseki, Wyden accused the VA of cutting services to rural vets behind closed doors.

Veterans complained to Wyden that some surgical procedures have already been eliminated. The Roseburg system serves about 62,000 veterans in south and central Oregon and Northern California. It operates clinics in Brookings, Eugene and Bend and a new clinic in Crescent City, Calif.

A spokeswoman for the regional VA network that oversees the Oregon medical centers told The Oregonian that the VA is still evaluating surgical services offered at the Roseburg center to ensure continued quality care. Once a decision is made, spokeswoman Megan Streight says the VA will arrange for veterans to get the care at community hospitals or at other VA facilities.

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