Lawmakers probe VA’s failure to compensate vaccine-injured veterans
Republican legislators this month launched a probe into the US Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) for its failure to compensate veterans injured by the COVID-19 vaccine.
In 2021 the Department of Defense ordered all service members to receive the COVID-19 injections. Approximately 8,000 members were discharged for refusing the shots. But those who obeyed the order and suffered subsequent injuries are not receiving relief from the VA.
The Biden administration has been notoriously tight-fisted with victims of the COVID-19 vaccine. In fiscal year 2023 the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) received over $256 million for the Vaccine Injury Compensation Program (VICP). But in almost three years since the vaccines were rolled out, the HRSA has granted only six compensation claims out of 12,233 claims filed.
Military service members, who would normally receive disability benefits from the VA for vaccine injuries, have received zero payouts.
In one case, a 24-year-old Navy serviceman developed myocarditis after taking the COVID shots. He was discharged from the Navy due to his disability, but was refused disability benefits because his condition is not “service-related.”
Political commentator Rogan O’Handley, who goes by the social media handle @DC_Draino, publicized the story. It caught the attention of Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL), whose staff reached out to help.
On October 6th, Senators Rubio, Rick Scott (R-FL), Ted Cruz (R- TX), Tom Cotton (R-AR), Steve Daines (R-MT), and Mike Braun (R-IN) sent a letter to VA Secretary Denis McDonough.
“For years, the VA has evaluated the health effects of certain vaccinations that veterans received during their service, and have expressed concern with certain health impacts arising from these vaccinations,” the lawmakers wrote. “The agency has also provided several resources to veterans seeking the COVID-19 vaccination, but no clear information about how to support members who are injured as a result of the vaccine. Given the high rate of service members who have been vaccinated against COVID-19 under DoD’s mandate, we request information as to how the VA is considering vaccine-related injuries in determining VA benefits and disability claims.”
The letter asks McDonough to describe the VA’s process for considering disability claims due to COVID-19 vaccine injuries, whether the VA has even investigated the health effects of the COVID-19 shots, and what resources service members receive when they believe they are victims of the COVID-19 injections.
