CONYERS, Ga. - They served our country, but now, disabled military veterans are being neglected by the Department of Veterans Affairs, according to a center paid to take care of them.
Daily Haven Adult Day Healthcare said the government owes them $10,000 for services that they're refusing to pay.
Navy Veteran Alfred Jones Junior go to the center every chance he gets.
“It's extremely important, extremely important,” Jones said. “I get to leave my problems behind for a little while.”
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He plays bingo, takes his meds, and hangs out with other disabled veterans who served. All of that is supposed to be paid for by his VA benefit but the Daily Haven financial officer said the VA is refusing to pay.
“I know this administration is very pro-veteran, but I don't think it trickles down to the people actually doing the work,” Dan Maughon said.
The center keeps a full staff of nurses, dietitians, and exercise specialists. All of it is supposed to be covered by the VA benefits for their disabled veterans but Daily Haven told 11Alive all they're getting is red tape.
Maughon said the government denied dozens of claims for veterans telling the center they needed to submit a Form 1500 confirming their military service dates. But here's the kicker, the benefit denial was stamped on that very form.
Their financial officer said it makes no sense and they can't even get a call back from the VA.
“You're put on terminal hold. I was put on hold for hours. Not minutes. Hours,” Maughon said.
He's called everyone from Washington D.C. to Atlanta and he can't get an answer.
“We take care of them anyway,” he said. “We just can't continue to afford to take care of them and the government not paying what is due to the veterans.”
Dan Maughon said they're at the VA's mercy. 11Alive reached out to the VA and they said they were “working to resolve the issue.”
“I just think they don't care, is what I think,” he said.
Maughon said they service private insurance and Medicare patients all the time with no issues. It's only the VA that's a problem.
“The veterans don't get it,” he said. “They're last in line and it shouldn't be that way.”
The new Secretary of the Department of Veteran Affairs was just appointed on Monday by President Donald Trump but will a new face for the department really make a difference?
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