Department of Veteran’s Affairs Prescription Fraud?

Question by Pet: Department of Veteran’s Affairs prescription fraud?
A member of my family is a 100% disabled veteran. She has been heavily medicated on several painkillers such as Vicadin for about 5 years now. She has been abusing them-taking too many, taking other pills, using other drugs and alcohol along with them, etc. for about 2 years. Recently she gave a friend of hers a prescription for Percocet she had gotten when she was drunk and fell down a flight of stairs, breaking her leg. She has told me herself she doesn’t like those pills and did not want them, but she kept the prescription, gave it to her friend along with her ID and told her if she could fill them somewhere, she could keep them if she would just give her a few later. The friend filled the prescription but never gave her any…. fast forward a couple of weeks, she has overused her own pain meds (as usual) and wants some of those Percocet she gave to her friend-she doesn’t have them-so she calls the VA and says her prescription and ID were stolen. The friend is in the Army and she also calls friend’s unit and says the same thing.
Long story short now the VA will not fill her pain meds without a police report which does not exist because the medicine was not stolen-it was given away, and when this is investigated it is bound to be discovered… now my family member is wanting to go out of state to get her pain meds at a different VA. Will they know if she goes out of state that she is not supposed to get them? If not how can I let them know anonymously? I don’t want her to get in trouble, I just want her off the pills… and this is our only chance.
Any advice appreciated. thank you.

Best answer:

Answer by lconnor65
Sounds like this person isn’t going to be able to quit alone unless the go to some rehab. More than likely they will need in patient treat vs out patient.

Hospitals are trying to get a system going because this type of abuse is fairly common. Right now there really isn’t a record of pain medications that were given at another location. Not 100% sure for the VA but they might call to verify from her doctor since these are habit forming pain killers.

You can contact the Department of Veterans Affairs’ hotline at (800) 488-8244, between 8:30 am – 4:00 pm EST, Monday through Friday–excluding Federal holidays. Write the VA hotline at: VA Inspector General Hotline (53E), P.O. Box 50410, Washington, DC 20091-0410. Or contact them by email: [email protected]

The types of complaints the VA hotline accepts:

•Employee misconduct.
•Patient abuse.
•Serious safety violations.
•Theft from VA beneficiaries.
•Theft or misuse of Government property.
•False claims by beneficiaries, claimants, patients, employees, or contractors.
•Systemic problems with VA programs or operations.
•Gross waste of funds or official time.
The VA hotline will want to know:

•The particular VA facility or office involved.
•The identity of the wrongdoer(s) and victim(s).
•The alleged legal or policy violation(s) or other misconduct.
•The effect of the wrongdoing, such as dollars lost, delay produced, etc.
•The date(s) when the event(s) occurred.
•The identity of any witness(es) to the event(s).
•Copies of relevant documents that support the allegation.
•Whether anyone else has already reviewed the allegation.
•An address and telephone number of a named complainant and whether the complainant wishes confidentiality.

Answer by Annie
Your family member is seriously addicted. Her records will follow her to every VA b/c the VA has a universal charting system. There will be a warning on her pharmacy record. Your family member badly needs treatment. Many VA’s have substance use disorder clinics. Call the closest VA and ask for an appt. to learn about what they offer. There are residential recovery programs all across our country but your family member must want to attend one–she could access one by getting treatment at her local va. I know it is painful to watch a loved one be so out of control. There is really no last chance for her. As long as she is alive there is hope. Try to remember that your loved one has strengths as well as weaknesses; she has all the gifts she has been given throughout life and there are many professionals at the VA waiting for her to ask for help. But she must do that. No one can do it for her. Even though you want to save her from herself the best thing is for you to take care of yourself and get support for what you are going through. Then when she is ready you will be healthy, strong and a good role model for her. I am a registered nurse who works with veterans who have post traumatic stress disorder. I wish you well.

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