Russell to fed Dems: Investigate VA's decision to switch providers

Assemblywoman Addie J. Russell, D-Theresa, asked the north country's three Democratic federal lawmakers Friday to call for an investigation of the Veterans Administration, which ended its affiliation with Carthage Area Hospital for a local clinic and awarded a contract to Valor Healthcare, a Washington D.C.-based organization.

“I cannot understand why the VA would end a six-year operation with the second best customer service record in the state and bring in a Washington, D.C. outfit that has had issues in some of the other VA clinics that it operates,” said Mrs. Russell in a statement.

The assemblywoman said Valor has no established ties to the north country, and argued that a portion of its revenue would go to Washington instead of staying in the north country.

"The Carthage Clinic turned services around for our veterans and having them reestablish with a new physician and medical team is very troublesome and stressful," she said.

Mrs. Russell's call was directed toward Rep. William L. Owens, D-Plattsburgh and U.S. Sens. Kirsten D. Gillibrand and Charles E. Schumer. All three representatives focused their effort Thursday on asking the VA to address a potential service gap between November and February, the time period when the Carthage clinic will be closed and before the Watertown clinic is open.

James Cody, director of the Syracuse VA Medical Center, said Friday that there will be no gap in service for local veterans, although Carthage Area Hospital Administrator Walter Becker said his group hasn't been contacted about extending service past Nov. 30.