A new contract between the Martha’s Vineyard Hospital and the Veterans Administration to allow on-Island health care for veterans is under final review, the Chilmark selectmen learned on Tuesday night.
Vineyard veterans have had no access to primary care on the Vineyard since a previous contract expired several years ago.
In a letter sent to the Chilmark selectmen on August 15 Vincent Ng, the director of the Providence Medical Center where many Island veterans have had to travel for care, reported the good news.
“Over the past several weeks we have made considerable progress on a new contract,” Mr. Ng wrote. “Martha’s Vineyard Hospital reviewed the contract and has concurred with the provisions contained within.”
The contract is now under review in Washington, D.C., a final step, Mr. Ng said. After the contract is signed he said he and his staff will visit the Island to “ensure a smooth transition into the new contract as well as meet with veteran stakeholders in a town hall setting.”
The previous contract between the hospital and the Veterans Administration expired in 2004, but no one realized it had lapsed until 2008, when Island veterans began receiving bills for their medical care.
According to the letter, provisions in the new contract include enhanced basic lab work and diagnostic imaging on the Island without preapproval, “better continuity of care, assurances that eligible veterans on the Island are receiving safe, high quality care,” and criteria to safeguard patient confidentiality. Veterans will need to travel to Providence or Boston for specialty care in most cases, Mr. Ng said. Dental care will also not be available on the Island due to the “very restrictive eligibility criteria for dental services.”
Last week Massachusetts Sens. John Kerry and Scott Brown wrote a letter to Mr. Ng on behalf of Island veterans pressing for a new contract.
Chilmark board of selectmen praised the news.
“That’s great news, this has been forever,” selectman Warren Doty said.
“At least [our senators] are doing something about it,” added selectman Jonathan Mayhew.
This article appears in August 21, 2012.
I will believe it when I see it!
FYI Jonathan Mayhew, Sens. John Kerry and Scott Brown wrote a letter to Mr. Ng on behalf of the Island veterans (coincidentally) the day after Woody Williams went on WXTK radio and after our island’s outstanding and dedicated veterans agent Joann Murphy was interviewed by WXTK radio Matt Pitta. Matt Pitta saw a recent article written by the Vineyard Gazette about our four year stagnant and frustrating ongoing problems with the abolishment of our VA Health Care on the island and reported on it then WXTK host Ed Lambert (Ret USN) took our issue on big time as they did not initially think this was as serious as it turned out to be.
Thanks to Matt Pitta, Ed Lambert from WXTK, Veterans Agent Joann Murphy and Woody Williams for standing up for our veterans!
What’s the name of the reviewing person in Washington? Let’s keep the heat turned up on him as well! That goes for you to Mr Kerry and Mr Brown!! Whey in there also!!!I
Senator Dan Wolf and Rep. Tim Madden have also been “AWOL” and they need to be hit as well! All their Promises, Promises, Promises and I thought the Dems were the ones who cared about veterans and health care the most!
Oh yea concerning who the guys are in Washington that’s “Classified”!
Brown is a Rino so he blends right in as he took his sweet — time to jump in on this! Terrible just terrible!
Capt Everett, Nancy Pelosi is the the reviewing person in Washington because the veterans have to wait, wait until it is passed before they can find out what is in it!
(After the contract is signed he said he and his staff will visit the Island to “ensure a smooth transition into the new contract as well as meet with veteran stakeholders in a town hall setting.”)
I can only imagine the welcoming committee when that group comes to the island to meet with the veterans they have been screwing the past four years!
FYI, Fact check please. Sen. John Kerry filed an official inquiry late May, early June 2012