Renewed effort to ensure veterans are reimbursed for emergency care at non-VA hospitals

WASHINGTON, DC — Hundreds of thousands of veterans are unfairly stuck with massive medical bills for emergency care the Department of Veterans Affairs should have paid for, according to lawmakers.

A Korean War vet at the center of a landmark legal battle has died before getting the money a court ruled the VA had to pay him.

For nearly a decade, members of Congress and veterans groups have been pushing the VA to make sure veterans aren’t stuck with emergency care bills after being treated at non-VA hospitals.

Two courts have ruled against the VA on this issue, but with ongoing appeals, many vets are still left waiting.

Despite years of legal battles, 88-year-old Richard Staab remained hopeful that he would get the nearly $50,000 a court ruled he was owed by the VA in 2016.

It was meant to pay bills for open-heart surgery and treatment he received for a stroke at a non-VA hospital.

“You’ve got to have hope that things will work out,” said Staab in a 2019 interview.

Sadly, Staab died this month before getting the full court-ordered reimbursement.

“They don’t want to pay the money and they’re waiting for people like Dick to pass,” said attorney Jackie Schuh.

Lawmakers say Staab was one of more than 600,000 vets improperly denied reimbursement claims by the VA.

Senate Democrats introduced legislation last year that would have mandated the VA to reimburse veterans for the cost of emergency medical care at non-VA hospitals which are not covered by private insurance.

But the legislation stalled in Congress and its co-sponsors are again calling for action.

“I hope the sad death of Mr. Staab will encourage our senate colleagues to move on our bill,” said Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio).

In a statement, the VA told us:

“The Department of Veterans Affairs is saddened to learn of the passing of Richard Staab and sends its deepest condolences to his family. Per federal law, VA does not have authority to issue any additional payments on Mr. Staab’s claims due to the nature of his remaining medical bills.”

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