Over the past few weeks we've started to hear one of the more disturbing stories concerning Veterans Administration troubles. An investigation was recently launched into the deaths of 9 patients at the VA facility in Marion, Illinois, within a 6-month period. According to the Chicago Tribune, Illinois Senator Dick Durbin was briefed on the deaths by VA officials:

"In a private meeting, top VA officials told [Sen.] Durbin...that nine patients died at the Marion VA between October 2006 and March 2007, a number considerably higher than the two deaths they would have expected to see during the time period."

A key figure in the inquiry is Dr. Jose Veizaga-Mendez, who, according to Durbin, VA officials say had at least some connection to each of the dead patients. According to the Boston Globe, Veizaga-Mendez surrendered his Massachusetts medical license last year after "accusations of 'grossly' substandard care in the state." He later began working at Marion VA hospital, without telling Illinois licensing officials about his prior troubles in Massachusetts.

Now Durbin and Barack Obama are getting into the mix. On October 18th they sent a letter to the VA pressing for information and a suitable response on the matter. The letter was addressed to Gordon H. Mansfield, Acting Secretary of Veterans Affairs (that's right, still no replacement for former-VA Secretary Nicholson).

The letter prods deeper into mortality statistics at the Marion VA hospital and the background of Dr. Veizaga-Mendez, but here's the most striking paragraph:

"Underscoring this concern is the account from the veteran’s mother that one health professional at the Marion VAMC went so far as to warn her to take her son elsewhere for care, suggesting that concerns over the quality of health care were well known among at least some of the hospital’s staff."

Durbin has also released a video message on his Website addressing the matter:

"I have been asking many agencies at the state and local level why previous incidents in the doctor's practice were not well known to the Veterans Administration before he was hired at the Marion VA hospital.  It's not clear to me that there was the kind of exchange of information from states like Massachusetts to the Veterans Administration, so that the VA would know about shortcomings in Dr. Mendez's past."

Dr. Veizaga-Mendez may have had his license suspended indefinitely in Illinois--but now he's trying to practice in North Dakota.