ARIZONA NEWS

Rep. Ruben Gallego says he wants to solve cover-up around Arizona veteran’s death

Jul 29, 2024, 11:42 AM

VA facility in Phoenix center of controversy after new report...

Rep. Ruben Gallego, who is running for Senate, was part of a bipartisan group of lawmakers surrounding answers after a report revealed a veteran had died after a medical emergency outside a VA facility in Phoenix in 2023. (File photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

(File photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

PHOENIX — Democratic U.S. Rep. Ruben Gallego wants to know why a veteran died after a medical emergency outside a VA facility in Phoenix last year.

News of the veteran’s death broke last week via a federal report from the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs Office of Inspector General (OIG).

The report said the Phoenix VA Health Care system didn’t adequately respond after he became unresponsive on the grounds of the Carl T. Hayden VA Medical Center in March 2023. In fact, it found the patient waited for emergency care for 11 minutes and died two days later at a community hospital.

“This is just horrific,” Gallego told KTAR News 92.3 FM’s The Mike Broomhead Show on Monday.

The patient suffered the medical emergency after an urology appointment at the Carl Hayden VA campus near Seventh Street and Indian School Road. A family member went inside to seek help, but the person working at the information desk didn’t follow the correct procedure when reporting the incident, delaying care.

“This poor veteran did not get the life-saving procedures until 11 minutes in,” Gallego said.

In addition, there wasn’t an automated external defibrillator on site. The story got even worse, though.

“To top that all off, there was then a cover-up,” Gallego said. “We did not know about the problems until the whistleblower came out, finally told the OIG … and we got a report just last week.”

Lawmakers took action about veteran who died after visit to VA facility in Phoenix

Gallego was one of a bipartisan group of Arizona lawmakers who sent a letter asking the Department of Veterans Affairs to provide answers about what went wrong and how it is being addressed.

The letter was also signed by Sens. Mark Kelly and Kyrsten Sinema, as well as Reps. Eli Crane, Debbie Lesko, Andy Biggs, Greg Stanton, David Schweikert, Raul Grijalva and Juan Ciscomani.

“We’re asking: ‘How does this happen? Why did this happen? What are you doing in the future and who should be held accountable both for what happened that day but also for this cover-up that should have been reported immediately?'” Gallego said.

This case is personal for Ruben Gallego

This is a personal issue for Gallego, because as Marine veteran he used to go to the Hayden medical center for services.

“I’ve been there both as an elected official but as a veteran,” Gallego said. “It is just horrific to think that some veteran died because of just lack of oversight, lack of leadership.”

However, Gallego, who is running for U.S. Senate this year, urged veterans not to use this story as an excuse to skip from critical services.

“It’s important to use the VA,” he said. “Ninety-nine percent of them are great employees.”

He said veterans who avoid service at the VA will eventually deal with the consequences.

“For many years, I avoided service at the VA and didn’t deal with my PTSD. So don’t do that,” Gallego said. “This is when you reach out to your congressman — Democrat, Republican — and you tell them, ‘Hey, I’m having problems and help me get in there.’ That’s what we’re supposed to do.”

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Rep. Ruben Gallego says he wants to solve cover-up around Arizona veteran’s death