Ogden Veteran Says Mail Delays Causing Prescriptions To Arrive Late

OGDEN, Utah – The financial crisis the U.S. Postal Service is facing is also impacting U.S. veterans, delaying mail-order prescriptions for thousands across the country.

Katie Matheson’s husband gets his prescription medication for chronic pain through the mail.

“My husband is a disabled vet. He gets his care through the Salt Lake City VA and it comes through the U.S. Postal Service,” said Matheson, who spoke on behalf of her husband.

The VA fills about 80% of veteran prescriptions by mail, which means deliveries to about 330,000 veterans a day.

However, they were both concerned when the shipment that normally takes two days to get to their Ogden home still wasn’t there on day nine.

“Alarm bells went off in my head because I know things are going on where mail is delayed with the U.S. Postal Service right now,” said Matheson.

With recent operational changes to the U.S. Postal Service, a backlog of mail has been created that's causing delays. An Ogden veteran says that delay meant prescription medicine arrived a week later than normal. And it's happening all across the country. @KSL5TV at 10. #ksltv pic.twitter.com/u9DuBoMRhr

— Alex Cabrero (@KSL_AlexCabrero) August 15, 2020

So, she posted a few tweets about it on social media, did some research and found out they’re not alone.

“This is a thing that a lot of people are really experiencing right now,” she said. “It’s veterans, its seniors, and it’s folks, particularly in rural areas, that may have an issue getting their medications in time.”

Matheson thinks it’s political with recent policy changes creating mail backlogs in postal facilities.

“It shouldn’t be a partisan issue, and frankly, it really isn’t. It’s just recently been made into a partisan issue,” said Matheson. “My husband shouldn’t be a pawn in this game. Nobody should be a pawn in this game.

It has the attention of Congress.

In a statement, Rep. John Curtis said, “Congress should get out of the way and help the USPS succeed, and especially should look at reforms that will allow long-term profitability with safeguards to ensure groups of particular need, such as those receiving medications, living in rural areas, etc., will have reliable service.”

The problems with the @USPS have been with us long before this Administration, in large part due to unworkable mandates from Congress. Congress should get out of the way & help the USPS succeed, and especially should look at reforms that will allow long-term profitability… 1/3

— Rep. John Curtis (@RepJohnCurtis) August 14, 2020

W/that said, we’ve had great success with mail-in elections in Utah. All state & local governments need to take into account the realities of the postal system‘s current capacity concerns, that have been around for multiple Administrations, as they plan for this Nov.’s election.

— Rep. John Curtis (@RepJohnCurtis) August 14, 2020

That’s what Matheson wanted to hear, and she’s hoping whatever is going on gets settled soon.

“It’s about our vets, it’s about our disabled vets, it’s about our senior, it’s about our communities,” she said. “It should be a simple fix.”