INELIGIBLE WHITE HOUSE STAFF RECEIVED FREE CARE FROM MILITARY HOSPITALS
Reports of the White House staff utilizing free healthcare from military hospitals are leading to more concerns about communication and the health of the workers. Although the reports are focusing on issues from the Trump administration, staff at the White House and their health have been under extra levels of scrutiny in early 2024 for very different reasons. Regardless, it’s another blemish for leadership in government and a system that seems to have used military resources for non-military personnel. Suggested read: Madison Marsh: The First Active-Duty USAF Officer to Win Miss America
White House Staff Had Free Access to Healthcare Not Available to Military Members
The White House Medical Unit (WHMU) operates outside of America’s healthcare system. While it has affiliation with the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD), White House staff still appear to have utilized care they were ineligible for. Various officials and their family members, including the President, VP, and even foreign dignitaries, can receive care from the WHMU. The problem is that staff of the White House were referred to military hospitals for care they didn’t have access to. Specifically, this meant White House personnel receiving surgeries at military hospitals and hundreds of free prescriptions from the medical unit. This includes controlled substances. Now, this is raising eyebrows as to how such a lapse was possible. Having non-DoD beneficiaries receiving healthcare at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, Fort Belvoir Community Hospital, and other facilities also meant a lack of access for military members. To make matters worse, this and the availability of medication without the proper procedures in place all prevented eligible active-duty, retirees, and military families from receiving healthcare they might have needed.
Potential Harm to Patients
U.S. White House staff were under investigation dating back to May 2018 from the DoD Inspector General (DoD IG). Everything from the referrals that made such lapses to the medical practices themselves was questioned. The review of the Defense Department executive medicine facilities in the Washington, D.C. area revealed deficiencies in the WHMU's pharmacy practices. These deficiencies are posing risks of prescription errors and potential patient harm. Some of the issues include inadequate prescription records, such as controlled substances like opioids, and the distribution of name-brand drugs in unmarked pill bottles without proper instructions. Additionally, some staff received name-brand drugs before trying generic alternatives first. This is not how the military's health program, TRICARE, operates. There was fear among providers that not sending referrals for White House personnel could lead to issues with career advancement. Related read: Michael A. Grinston Has Officially Been Named As New AER Director
White House Staff Medical News a Hot Topic Recently
The health of the current White House Chief of Staff and the care from the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center have been in the headlines after a miscommunication caught many by surprise. This came following the surprise breaking news of the hospitalization of Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin. Def. Sec. Austin was receiving care after complications following prostate cancer surgery. Surely, the newest reports do nothing to help instill confidence in the healthcare system. The ramifications to former or current White House staff remain to be seen. However, the oversight is bringing calls for more scrutiny to processes moving forward. Read next: Def. Sec. Lloyd Austin Dealing With Prostate Cancer Complications