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Lyndhurst NJ, a Bergen County man today admitted his role in a scheme to steal prescription HIV medication from the Department of Veterans Affairs, Acting U.S. Attorney Rachael A. Honig announced.
January 31,2018
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Paramus NJ, This was a big week for Bergen County hospital news first New Bridge CEO Deborah Visconi, Associate Director of VA New Jersey Health Care System John Griffith, announced that New Bridge Medical Center has been designated a “Veterans Choice” facility by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. This is a big day for Bergen County Veterans who as a result of this agreement, veterans will be able to receive procedures and treatment at New Bridge Medical Center that would otherwise require travel to the VA’s East Orange campus. It was well attended by local politico’s including Bergen County Executive Jim Tedesco.
Veterans Affairs Secretary David Shulkin , “Under President Trump’s leadership, VA is engaged in the largest transformation and modernization effort in decades. As part of this effort, the department is tackling head-on issues that have lingered for years, including accountability, whistleblower protection, improving transparency and customer service for Veterans and expanding suicide prevention and mental health care services.
As outlined in tonight’s address, VA will have another groundbreaking year in expanding and improving our services for Veterans, particularly when it comes giving them more choices over their health care decisions, and improving yet again on the timeliness of our decisions on Veterans’ benefits.”
Bergen County Executive Jim Tedesco also joined Valley Health System to celebrate the opening and to help cut the ribbon of their new medical fitness center, Valley Health Lifestyles, in Mahwah. The facility is designed to help everyone achieve and maintain optimal health and includes many health related services including a pharmacy, urgent care, and on site physicians. We’re proud that our partners in the community, especially in the healthcare sector, share our commitment to investing in the well-being of our residents. This facility is a great addition to northern Bergen County.
Lawmakers make pitch for veterans clinic
By Rob Jennings New Jersey Herald
Posted: Jan. 8, 2016 12:01 am
U.S. Reps. Scott Garrett, of Wantage, and Rodney Frelinghuysen, of Harding, spoke behind closed doors on Capitol Hill with VA Under Secretary for Health David Shulkin.
Shulkin was president of Morristown Medical Center until last spring, when the U.S. Senate confirmed his nomination by President Obama to the VA post.
Garrett and Frelinghuysen, in separate interviews afterward with the New Jersey Herald, recapped the meeting.
Garrett said, “We were expressing our concern about the lack of adequate facilities here and to get a clarification on exactly what the VA is doing.”
Frelinghuysen said, “I think we made some progress.”
“He was very positive in his reaction to our request,” Frelinghuysen said of Shulkin.
The meeting was prompted by a Nov. 24 letter from Frelinghuysen to VA Secretary Robert MacDonald after Frelinghuysen, who said he had been led to believe that the clinic was nearing approval, subsequently learned of an apparent moratorium on new facilities.
Garrett said, based on their discussion Thursday, the moratorium was actually a short-term delay aimed at giving Shulkin an opportunity to assess the sprawling system.
Garrett said he is optimistic about the clinic’s prospects for approval, though Shulkin offered no commitments.
“I think it was a productive meeting. We made our cases strongly. It was heard,” said Garrett, whose 5th District includes most of Sussex County.
“We put a strong case that our veterans in Sussex, and also in Warren, are important. They’ve served. They’ve put their lives on hold,” Garrett said.
“A lot of them are just not taking advantage of the services that are available and that is in part due to the distance,” Garrett said.
The VA’s New Jersey Health Care System consists of two “main campuses” in East Orange and Lyons, with additional “satellite outpatient clinics and access points” in Brick, Elizabeth, Hackensack, Hamilton, Jersey City, Morristown, Paterson, Piscataway and Tinton Falls.
