Whistle-Blower Claims Phoenix VA Covered-Up Deaths Of At Least 7 Vets

PHOENIX — A whistle-blower claims that the Phoenix VA tried to hide the deaths of at least seven veterans who died while awaiting care.

Pauline DeWenter, a scheduling clerk for the Phoenix VA Health Care System, told The Arizona Republic that someone at the VA tried to cover up the deaths of the vets by altering computer forms.

DeWenter said that she originally typed the word “deceased” on the form explaining why an appointment for the vet never happened.

When inspectors checked the form during their investigation, they found that the “deceased” designation” was replaced with “entered in error” and that an appointment was “no longer needed.” More