May 16, 2014
At a special May 15 hearing before the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee, VA Secretary Eric Shinseki was grilled by senators on both sides of the aisle about a reported secret waiting list and long delays at a VA hospital in Phoenix.
Committee members demanded to know if the practice was prevalent throughout the VA healthcare system. They highlighted examples from Government Accountability Office reports and Inspector General (IG) inspections at a number of VA facilities that documented local practices of “cooking the books” to make it appear that access standards were being met when in fact veterans often waited months for needed care.
Secretary Shinseki acknowledged he was “mad as hell” over the alleged secret wait-lists and launched an IG investigation to get the facts and determine if the alleged waiting lists were being used in Phoenix and elsewhere across the VA healthcare system.
When asked by Sen. Mark Begich (D-Alaska) if he had fired anyone for manipulating the records, Shinseki replied he would move quickly to take action once he had the results of the investigation.
Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) there was a “crisis in confidence” among veterans in Arizona, and suggested giving veterans greater flexibility on how they can get healthcare.
A second panel of witnesses of veterans groups offered recommendations on the way ahead.
With the exception of the American Legion, the VSOs were generally supportive of Secretary Shinseki, noting that their members were “extremely satisfied with their healthcare and medical providers.”
There was general agreement from committee members, stakeholder groups and from surveys that once in the door veterans receive good care. The problem lies with access to care. A primary care appointment may take two weeks, but specialty appointments can take months or even years.
Rick Weidman, Executive Director of the Vietnam Veterans of America emphasized that funding is not the primary issue; rather the VA does not have enough direct clinical care personnel.
The VA Inspector General indicated that an impartial, deliberate, and thorough investigation of Phoenix would be completed by August.
MOAA fully supports the investigation and believes the current crisis presents a unique opportunity to take a fresh look at VA health care in the 21st century. MOAA plans to recommend an independent, bipartisan commission to examine the current VA healthcare structure and suggest reforms.
Update: Secretary Shinseki announced on May 16 that Dr. Robert Petzel, M.D., Under Secretary for Health in the VA, is resigning.