According to a recently distributed flyer from the Department of Veterans Affairs, your doctors appointment could be canceled if you are caught with a smart phone or backpack.

The VA had always banned firearms and knives from its medical centers, but commonplace items such as phones and backpacks have never been regulated. As the flyer continues to circulate, veterans are wondering why the VA has changed its policy.

Benjamin Krause, a disabled Air Force veteran, veterans law attorney and founder of DisabledVeterans.org, explained that forcing disabled vets to leave their phones and bags at home would make attending doctor’s appointments more difficult.

Iphones are routinely used to help veterans suffering from traumatic brain injuries take notes and remember appointments. VA doctors often prescribe use of these devices to help disabled veterans.

Additionally, veterans with bad backs, using crutches, or using wheelchairs will also be prohibited from using backpacks as accommodative devices under threat of losing our due process and legal right to receive a disability examination. Many paralyzed veterans will not be able to house their colostomy bags, apparently.

Krause also questioned whether the VA was trying to prevent veterans from video recording their appointments with smart phones.

Patients often record what their doctors say to defend against medical malpractice and increase hospital transparency, and in some states it’s perfectly legal to record someone without their consent. For example, the controversy currently engulfing Planned Parenthood was sparked by secret recordings of pro-choice activists. Perhaps the VA is trying to protect itself from similar scrutiny.

Have you received a flyer like this? Has your phone been confiscated in a VA hospital? Let us know in the comments.