NC Veterans Agency Adds Hotline For Health Care Complaints

There's a new tip line veterans can call to report misconduct in Veterans Administration facilities.

The Vet Tip Hotline launched Monday. The number is 844-NC4-VETS  (844-624-8387). The tip line is run by the North Carolina Division of Veterans Affairs.  The state agency forwards information to the appropriate authorities within the federal Department of Veterans Affairs, which runs the nation's health care system for veterans.   

Ilario  Pantano is the director of the state Division of Veterans Affairs, the state's advocacy agency for those who have served in the military. He says the tip line will help address systemic problems in VA health care.

Pantano says the names of the callers will be removed before they are passed on to the federal VA. Information from callers will be compiled quarterly, so that people can see what problems have been reported and what the VA has done in response. Pantano says that will add transparency to complaints against the administration.

Pantano says the first quarterly report should be available in mid-September. The reports will be posted on the division's Web site.