Republican Rep. Jaime Herrera Beutler of southwest Washington.
Courtesy of Jaime Herrera Beutler's office
Washington Republican Congresswoman Jaime Herrera Beutler is demanding the Department of Veterans Affairs investigate the death of a southwest Washington man who was forced to wait three months for cancer treatment.
Herrera-Beutler, who represents Washington's 3rd District, said she’s deeply concerned and outraged that John Weston “was forced to wait three months to receive cancer” treatment at the Portland VA.
In a letter to VA Secretary Robert McDonald, the Republican Congresswoman said Weston died in December, and that the VA's delay in treatment may have cost Weston his life.
"It appears to be the VA's fault," Herrera-Beutler told OPB.
“The VA has not given us any information about it, which is in part what we’re trying to get to the bottom of," she said. "In my mind, there’s no excuse for this and my hope is by getting to the bottom of it we can prevent it from happening again.”
In July, Weston was diagnosed with a walnut-size tumor in his liver, Herrera-Beutler said. He switched from the Seattle VA to the Portland VA so he could be near his family while undergoing treatment, she said.
"When he was finally able to schedule an appointment in October, it was too late; seven days before his scheduled appointment, the tumor had grown significantly and burst, spreading cancer through his body," Herrera-Beutler wrote in her letter to McDonald.
Weston was taken to a civilian hospital after he was told the VA didn't have room for him, the letter states.
"It was not until a congressional inquiry was made that he was transferred to a VA facility," Herrera-Beutler wrote.
Washington Sen. Patty Murray’s office says they worked with the Weston family and the VA, but declined to give further details.
Megan Crowley, a public affairs officer for the VA NW Health Network, said it's looking into whether there were any systems issues that contributed to a delay in care.
"There are many details in regard to communication and treatment within the VA, as well as outside the VA emergency treatment, that will be examined and the process will allow us to fully understand the coordination of a complex patient who had numerous issues," Crowley said in a statement Monday.
Despite recent efforts by Congress to reform the VA, Herrera-Beutler said this shows there are still issues with the health care system.
"This is a man who served his country and had health complications as a result," she said in an interview. "He was promised to have health care for life and I want to know, is this happening to other veterans?"