Legion pushes for alternative opioid treatments
As allegations that Tomah (Wis.) Veterans Affairs Medical Center staff overprescribed opioids to patients continues to surface, The American Legion is actively advocating on behalf of veterans like Marine veteran Jason Simcakoski, who tragically died at the facility last August.
Last week The American Legion had a strong presence both in Tomah and on Capitol Hill following an announcement earlier this month from the Department of Veterans Affairs stating that improvements would be made at the Tomah VA.
During a press conference hosted by Sen. Tammy Baldwin, D-Wis., on June 24, Ian de Planque, director of the Legion’s Legislative Division, discussed the proposed Jason Simcakoski Memorial Opioid Safety Act. He gave the audience, including members of Simcakoski’s family, a snapshot of the testimony he planned to present to Congressional members following the event. He also urged lawmakers to explore alternative solutions that would steer medical professionals away from prescribing high quantities and doses of medications.
“Medications in and of themselves are tools – not necessarily good, not necessarily bad – you want to make sure you’re using the right tools in the right situation,” de Planque said. “There are other tools that are available. Some complementary and alternative therapy might work better for particular veterans or for veterans that may have circumstances that are particularly exacerbating.”
Baldwin also noted that the VA has been complacent with the way it has handled the situation, becoming “overly reliant” on its ability to prescribe opioids to veterans battling severe pain and other compounding issues.
“That has resulted in getting our veterans hooked, rather than getting them help,” she said.
Simcakoski’s father, Marv, said that he realized his son didn’t stand a chance after looking back at the situation. He recalled times when doctors continued to prescribe pain medications even though they knew his son was addicted to them. As his voice slightly wavered, Marv talked about moments he shared with his son, reminiscing on how he would pick Jason up after he completed VA inpatient programs and his son would be slurring and delirious. Jason told his father that he did not want to live a life of addiction.
In testimony before the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee later that afternoon, de Planque praised Baldwin’s leadership in the Tomah crisis. He stated the importance of “working with VA to establish clear, clinical guidelines based on medical principles to ensure no other families have to suffer the way Mr. Simcakoski’s has.”
The American Legion also supported legislation backing more accountability within the VA and expansion of the caregivers program to include families of veterans who served prior to the post-9/11 era.