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. . - 9a 
January 

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The Honorabla Rebe?: A. 'Mc'Dona'ld
Secretary Of Veterans Affairs

.810 Vermont 
Washington, DC 20420-

Dear Secretary MCDOnald;

1-3111 w??ng to request ?{hat you take immediate action to address extremely troubling reports of
imperQr opiate prescribing:practices and. abuse 0f administrative authority at the 'Tomah VA
Medical {36711th I naisad'thesc chcems On behalf of a constiment in. Aprii and Juneof. East year?-
sending letters to the Tomah Of?ce .of Inspector {Banana}. respectively.? in.
addition, the iss?cd a March 2014 report. {hairaiSQd a number-of serious cancel-'11; yet mm
to address these; problems has not beea taken. Therefore, I. beiieya it is time yen to iniiewene;
aad conduct 3 erad and t?o'nQagh investigation of the operaticnoftha Tomah. VA and ensure;
that iaprQVidngE-the highesieqaality care: to Wiscoasin. yatanana..

TheManch 2014;0iG repertthatiloned ?11150 allegationsnevealed evidence of
sznem'eiy hig?ieVSiS prescriptions at VA daring 135-911] year 2012,
deaElihg yari??ce? ?admpandiQ other Veterans Integrated Service-:7
Network (V ISN) 1-2?facilities and prescrians, Indeed; out Qf'thQ 12 "facilities: ih?
lay-fan this: highest 1.153? patient dosage naiQ. out of mere; tha? 31,200 I
VISN lizproviders-g three physiCians zit-the Tomah VA were the highest? ??hhighest, an 
seyaath accamiting er33% Q'fall opiat?. pre.scr?ptiQQs in 12
{33313111, these aianni-ng Qut?aberswrangdeing, stating only {hat
allegatmns deaiing with general average of Qarcotics at the {3611in may have had merit 

i? am 3130 of a?adr?iniatfative cal-{are {if Qatiaiid'a?on and dys?meiiQn at 
Tomah VA, Amending 1Q Bibs-01G report, four- pha?nacisis letihQ Tomah VA becaQ-se. Qf
?Concerns withi?ge facility's expectations er- dispensing- opicds-and other controlled sabatancasf?
Dagpita this ?ndiag, 2318-0-16 didnot'sabstantiate a?ega?niQQ?s ofabQ-SQ ofaa?i?horiiy; While}
understand that. patient populations. and their medical acacia yany byfaaii?y; I am troui?ed an the"
nelactance tQ 2Q 21 cleanly 3.1 13:01:11er at the Toma}; VA Coupied with
Qergonzal ?Qm veteran patients their; families: and farmer employees {he ailegaiions
ii1sttigath by 1111? GIG?both and those umubsia?tzated; ban Q?nthiSQ
vaiidatad by acii {311.

 

Additionaliy, while the 016: r?port evaluated multiple accugations raised by a se?es of
Wlusileblowers it was limited in eruS and therefore :10: a thorough invas?gation inte 
VA operations The veterans that rely: on ?ibis facility deserve a comprehensive and immediate
investigation that dazermines theiull scope of the problem and leads to action!

Mr Secretary? applaud your reliance on a ?ingle metric for evaluating the work: the
quality. of {he outcome for the veteran. While the C-encei'ns raised arthe: Temah facility are:
almmg; it baars noting that I the ovemheliming majority of Wisconsin VA
emple?e-es strive every day is provide 'qnality and timely care to oar-veteranst To achieve: and
maintain that: sfan?dard, it is- impe?ra?ve that you take aciion to addreSS 1116 issues a??ec?ng

veterans and employees. at'the-Tamah I look. femard- tgwoszing wi?lyoutoward thai goal.

Smears-13!: I

  

United States Senate: