Lawmakers Lash Out at HHS Over Post-September 11 Care

The Department of Health and Human Services is dragging its feet on implementing a new health care program for September 11, 2001, responders suffering from illness related to the terrorist attacks, Reps. Jerrold Nadler and Carolyn Maloney said yesterday at a press conference in front of 7 World Trade Center.

At issue is a contract HHS awarded in June to Logistics Health Inc. to provide medical monitoring and treatment services to September 11 responders who live outside the New York metropolitan area. While the exams were meant to begin in July, the start date has been moved to September. Mr. Nadler and Ms. Maloney say the health department has done little to reach out to those eligible for the program and that the delays are making it difficult for sick responders to get medical help quickly. They also criticized the contract as a "sweetheart deal" for a former member of the Bush administration, noting that a former HHS secretary, Tommy Thompson, runs LHI.

Earlier this week, Mr. Nadler and Ms. Maloney, along with Rep. Vito Fossella, sent a letter to the current HHS secretary, Michael Leavitt, expressing concern over these issues.

"The heroes of 9/11 have already waited too long for the comprehensive health care they deserve, and LHI's continued foot-dragging is outrageous," Mr. Nadler said at yesterday's press conference. "People are getting sicker and sicker as a result."

Calls to HHS and LHI were not immediately returned yesterday.