MADISON – Today, Wisconsin Alliance for Reform placed a full-page ad in the Green Bay Press-Gazette that informs readers of Russ Feingold’s failure to address the over-prescription of opiates at the Tomah VA Medical Center.
Background: Reports by USA Today revealed a memo marked as “hand-delivered” to Senator Russ Feingold outlined dangerous prescription practices of the Tomah VA Center’s highest-ranking officials. The memo specifically notes incidents of doctors prescribing 1,000 narcotic tablets per month for individual patients – and examples of staff being punished for voicing concerns.
Five years later, 35-year-old Marine Jason Simcakoski died from a deadly mixture of 13 different medications in a 24-hour period while under the care of Tomah VA doctors. Investigations after his death validated many of the warnings included in the memo that was sent to Senator Feingold.
Wisconsin Alliance for Reform Communications Director Chris Martin released the following statement:
“A memo marked as “hand-delivered” to Senator Russ Feingold provided a shocking level of specificity and detail on the deadly prescription practices by doctors at the Tomah VA Medical Center. The death of a Marine on American soil warrants more than a generic statement from Feingold’s campaign – and Wisconsin deserves to know why this situation wasn’t addressed by his office.”