Leadership and operational changes at the United States Postal Service (USPS), including the surprising installation of new Postmaster General, Louis DeJoy, who has no previous experience at USPS, and is a major donor to President Trump, has led to widespread mail delays. 

These delays, according to a press release, are of concern to the American Diabetes Association (ADA) and 20 other health organizations, because of the fact that 133 million Americans with a chronic disease rely on medication deliveries to receive life-saving drugs. 

DeJoy, a North Carolina businessman, took the reins at USPS on June 15. In one of his first acts, DeJoy announced that late arriving mail would be left behind by carriers and delivered the next day. This move was seen as an attempt to eliminate overtime hours for USPS mail carriers. 

Other changes DeJoy attempted to implement, including reducing post office hours and removing postal boxes, had been blamed for slowing mail delivery. Due to widespread outcry, the USPS announced earlier this month that these cost-cutting measures will be postponed until after the November presidential election. 

But the organizations, which also includes the American Cancer Society, Arthritis Foundation, and National Kidney Foundation, are calling for more than just the suspension of policy changes. The organizations are seeking a return “to the status quo.” This would “ensure that all Americans get the access to the health supplies they need,” the letter stated.

The organizations maintain that certain drugs can lose their efficacy if there are mail delays. Furthermore, with an over 20 percent jump in the number of prescriptions mailed in March of this year compared to 2019, more people are relying on prescription delivery from the USPS than ever before. 

DeJoy recently testified before a Congressional House Oversight and Reform Committee hearing. And today, the House Committee on Oversight and Reform announced that it plans to issue a subpoena to DeJoy. The chairwoman of the Committee accuses DeJoy of withholding documents from Congress.