As Senator Ron Johnson makes a stop in Tomah, American Bridge is releasing new research that his staff visited the Tomah VA health care center within months of the deadly overdose that brought the prescription drug issues to light.
The Republican senator’s staff traveled to the Tomah VA center 39 times before the veteran overdose that brought the scandal to light. In fact, just two months prior in June 2014, Johnson’s staff, including Milwaukee Regional Director Scott Bolstad, held office hours at the center to discuss “veterans’ perspectives of the VA health care system.”
However, Johnson claimed that he knew nothing about the Tomah VA scandal until January 2015. Yet, Johnson’s Senate stafff not only received the whistleblower complaints about the over-prescribing four months earlier — Johnson’s staff had also recently visited the center.
Background
Tomah Staff Travel
Johnson Senate Staffers Frequently Traveled To Tomah, Wisconsin While Prescription Drug Scandal Raged
From January 2011 Until April 2015 Ron Johnson And His Staffer’s Traveled To Tomah At Least 51 Times
From January 2011 Until Jason Simcakoski’s Death In August 2014 Johnson Staffers Traveled To Tomah, Wisconsin 39 Times
Johnson Staffers Filed Expenses Reports That Showed Travel With Tomah Being A Destination 39 Times From January, 2011 Through August, 2015. [Ron Johnson’s Official Office Expenditure Disclosure, Accessed 1/28/16]
After Ryan Honl’s Whistle Blower Letter To Ron Johnson And Until Johnson Admits Knowing About The Problems Johnson Staffers Traveled To Tomah Three Times
Johnson Staffers Filed Expenses Reports That Showed Travel With Tomah Being A Destination 3 Times From September, 2014 to December, 2015. [Ron Johnson’s Official Office Expenditure Disclosure, Accessed 1/28/16]
From January 2015 To April 2015 Johnson And His Staffers Made Nine Trips To Tomah
Johnson Or His Staffers Filed Expenses Reports That Showed Travel With Tomah Being A Destination 9 Times From January, 2015 to April, 2015. [Ron Johnson’s Official Office Expenditure Disclosure, Accessed 1/28/16]
March – April 2013: Over a six week period Jill Grennan Goes to Tomah 11 Times.
Jill Grennan’s Official Title According to Legistorm Was “Regional Director” In Ron Johnson’s Office From June 2011 Until July 2013. [Legistorm.com, Accessed 1/29/16]
Jill Grennan Files Expenses Reports For Travel To Tomah That Show Tomah Being A Destination 11 Times From March 6th, 2013 to April 17th, 2013. [Ron Johnson’s Official Office Expenditure Disclosure, Accessed 1/28/16]
- This Accounts For 20% Of All Ron Johnson Senate Staff Trips To Tomah From 2011 Through March Of 2015 That Were Reported In Official Office Expenditures.[Ron Johnson’s Official Office Expenditure Disclosure, Accessed 1/28/16]
June 2014: Johnson’s Staff Held Office Hours In Tomah “To Hear Veterans’ Perspectives Of The VA Health Care System.”
June 2014: “Ron Johnson’s Staff Held Office Hours At The Tomah American Legion Specifically “To Hear Veterans’ Perspectives Of The VA Health Care System.” According to a press release from the office of U.S. Senator Ron Johnson, “The office of Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Wis., issued the following news release: Senator Ron Johnson (WI) announced today that his staff will be available for mobile office hours at the dates and locations listed below. These office hours will allow constituents to meet with the senator’s staff, who will be available to hear veterans’ perspectives of the VA health care system. Note: Staff led mobile office hours are closed to press. Recording devices of any kind are not allowed. These restrictions are put in place for the privacy of constituents we are here to assist. […]Thursday, June 26, 9 a.m. – 10 a.m. Tomah American Legion 800 Wisconsin Ave., Tomah.” [Press Release – Ron Johnson, 6/11/14]
- Scott D. Bolstad Filed An Expense Report For “Staff Transportation Eau Claire To Tomah, Eau Claire, New Richmond, Chippewa Falls And Return” For June 25th – 26th, 2014.[Ron Johnson’s Official Office Expenditure Disclosure, Accessed 1/28/16]
- Scott Bolstad Was The Regional Director Of Senator Ron Johnson’s Milwaukee Office. [Legistorm.com, Accessed 1/29/16]
August 7th – 20th 2014: Two Johnson Staffer’s Combined For Four Trips To Tomah
August 2014: Johnson Staffers Mark Nielsen And Scott Bolstad Filed Expense Reports That Said They Traveled To Tomah A Combined Four Times In August Of 2014. [Ron Johnson’s Official Office Expenditure Disclosure, Accessed 1/28/16]
August 2014: One Veteran Died Of An Overdose While At Tomah
August 2014: Marine Corps Veteran Jason Simcakoski Died From An Overdose At Tomah. According to Center For Investigative Reporting, “Data obtained by CIR shows the number of opiate prescriptions at the Tomah VA more than quintupled from 2004, the year before Houlihan became chief of staff of the hospital, to 2012, even as the number of veterans seeking care at the hospital declined. In August, a 35 year old Marine Corps veteran died of an overdose in the inpatient psychiatric ward. […]Two days before Jason Simcakoski died of an overdose in the Tomah VA psychiatric ward, the head of the unit, Dr. Ronda Davis, discussed his care with Houlihan. Simcakoski had checked himself in, citing an addiction to painkillers and severe anxiety that was destroying his relationship with his wife and 11 year old daughter. The Marine Corps veteran’s medical record shows Houlihan advised Davis to add Suboxone to his existing cocktail of 14 drugs, which included antipsychotics, tranquilizers, muscle relaxants and the opioid painkiller tramadol.” [Center For Investigative Reporting, 1/8/15]
An Inspector General Investigation Later Faulted Tomah Doctors
August 2015: The VA Inspector General Faulted Tomah VA Doctors In The Overdose Death Of Marine Veteran Jason Simcakoski. According to LaCrosse Tribune, “A VA investigation has found that psychiatrists at the Tomah VA Medical Center did not discuss the hazards of a synthetic opiate prescribed to a 35-year-old Marine Corps vet who died from a drug overdose while at the hospital last year and did not have anti-overdose medicine on hand. Jason Simcakoski died in August 2014 from a fatal mix of opiates and diazepam, an anti-anxiety medication also known as Valium, prescribed to him by VA physicians, although a report from the VA’s Office of Inspector General could not rule out the possibility that he may have taken extra doses. The OIG report found no evidence that Simcakoski provided written consent for the off-label use of opiates as required by VA policy, and the two doctors who prescribed it acknowledged they did not discuss the risks with their patient.” [LaCrosse Tribune, 8/8/15]
Acting Tomah VAMC Director John Rohrer Said At Least One Doctor Had Been Fired In Relation To Simcakoski’s Death. According to LaCrosse Tribune, “Acting Director John Rohrer said Friday that the VA already had implemented several of the report’s recommendations before its release, including firing one of the physicians involved in the case and having anti-overdose medication available in the event of medical emergencies. Rohrer did not identify the physician who was fired. Spokesman Matthew Gowan said later that ‘Dr. Rhonda Davis no longer works for the Tomah VA’ but declined to elaborate, saying it was a personnel matter.” [LaCrosse Tribune, 8/8/15]
Published: Nov 4, 2016