Veteran Prescriptions Held Up by USPS Delays

Northville, MI (Law Firm Newswire) October 29, 2020 – As the controversy surrounding the United States Postal Service mounts, veterans have been especially affected by mail delays, which have left many without their prescription medications. 

The Department of Veterans Affairs fills more than 80 percent of prescriptions given to veterans at VA health facilities through an automated mail-order pharmacy system called the Consolidated Mail Outpatient Pharmacy (CMOP) system. This pharmacy system processes nearly 500,000 prescriptions a day. The USPS then delivers more than 330,000 prescription orders to veterans with each day’s mail. 

“Prescription medication is necessary for anyone who needs it,” said James G. Fausone, lead attorney at Legal Help for Veterans, VA disability law firm in Northville, Michigan. “Mail delays would wreak havoc on the pharmacy system used by the VA, resulting in excessive and unacceptable delays and, ultimately, time without the treatments they need.”

Mail delays started when newly appointed Postmaster General Louis DeJoy implemented new policies to cut USPS costs, including accepting delayed mail to cut down on overtime expenses for postal carriers and workers. Specifically, mail carriers have been instructed to leave mail behind at sorting and processing facilities if it will cause them to be delayed on their delivery route.

Veterans affected by prescription delays are waiting two and three weeks for medications that previously took days to arrive. This has resulted in some missing doses of medications and experiencing withdrawal symptoms and relapses in conditions previously helped by prescription medication. Veterans treated for chronic pain, PTSD, depression and other serious mental health conditions are especially vulnerable to treatment gaps. 

The number of complaints regarding USPS delays has skyrocketed, and VA facilities are working to find solutions. Those affected by prescription delays have already suffered more than just stress, some even requiring hospitalization. The VA has begun recommending refills earlier and turning to other delivery services like FedEx and UPS. 

Local VA facilities fulfill only around 20 percent of all VA prescriptions, leaving the other 80 percent to mail options. Veterans who live further from VA medical facilities, especially those in rural and remote areas of the country, are especially dependent on mail-order prescription service and have few other options for acquiring prescriptions when theirs are held up. 

Legal Help for Veterans is a VA disability law firm in Northville, Michigan run exclusively for veterans, by veterans. For more information on James G. Fausone and his staff, visit https://www.legalhelpforveterans.com/.

Learn more at http://www.legalhelpforveterans.com Legal Help for Veterans, PLLC 41700 West Six Mile Road, Suite 101 Northville, MI 48168 Toll Free Phone: 800.693.4800