How many Veterans Affairs offices did this, anyway?
A Department of Veterans Affairs scheduling clerk has accused VA officials in Austin and San Antonio of manipulating medical appointment data in an attempt to hide long wait times to see doctors and psychiatrists, the American-Statesman has learned.
In communications with the U.S. Office of Special Counsel, a federal investigative body that protects government whistleblowers, the 40-year-old VA employee said he and others were “verbally directed by lead clerks, supervisors, and during training” to ensure that wait times at the Austin VA Outpatient Clinic and the North Central Federal Clinic in San Antonio were “as close to zero days as possible.”
All of them?
Hot Air has more: see also here and here. And while I understand that VA Secretary Eric Shinseki may not want to resign over this, the problem here is that this apparently systematic abuse and coverup took place while under his command, and command takes responsibility. I find it fascinating that this needs to be explained to a man with Shinseki’s particular background, but I guess time in Washington DC can change a man, and not for the better. Particularly under this administration, which seems to take a vicious delight in sapping people’s honor.
Moe Lane (crosspost)
Funny how other generals are shown the door for various and sundry other, sometimes minor, issues, yet Gen. Shinseki keeps his post. It’s almost… Sebelian.
Don’t know if I’ve mentioned it in this forum before, but I have this uncle who is a vet, and a damned decent guy.
.
He used to work for the state government, and would do the presentation covering state benefits for military mustering out.
.
He almost always followed the VA guy, and his opening line was “Everything that man just told you is bullshit.” In many years of this job, the VA guy *never once* corrected him. Some, privately, thanked him.
.
He’s the kind of guy who could arrange a job interview, a free bus ticket to get there, and a friendly face at the other end of the trip to provide a place to wash up and a hot meal for a vet .. none of it on the State’s dime either.
.
Still remember visiting his office, one wall was “bricked up” with MREs. I asked, he’d offer a few to any vet who came through, they all knew they could come back and ask for as many as they needed, no questions asked.
.
His wife later confirmed they came out of the family grocery budget, which was already pretty thin.. I remember many delicious rice and stew dishes on their menu.
.
So .. yeah. The VA is a dishonorable institution, and its’ leadership – in a city where honor meant something – would do more than just resign.
.
Mew
Wait, are you presuming Shinseki had honor to begin with? Just because he was in the military? Have you ever listened to any infantry officers discussing him?
.
Two things I recall hearing about him. One was that he was a big peacekeeping guy. As in favored that as a mission for the army over warfighting. IIRC, He is also responsible for that Beret nonsense. Army Rangers used to have a special Black Beret that only they wore. Shinseki decided that self esteem outside the Rangers was being hurt, so everyone got to wear a black beret, and the Rangers got a new exclusive color.
.
In other words, apparently another one of Clark’s ilk.
.
This administration has no more ability to fundamentally transform a person’s character or nature than the army does.
.
General officers require congressional permission for promotion. This has effects for good and for ill. It is hardly impossible for scum with political utility to do well at that level.
.
Obama seems to know enough not to trust anyone he doesn’t have a hold on.
OK, simple solution:
.
Any veteran who goes through the VA for any treatment and cannot get an appointment within 48 hours may go to any civilian hospital (Except for emergencies in which case they are allowed to go at once to the civilian hospital).
.
The VA will be responsible for all payments for the hospital bill. If the level of veterans forced to go to outside hospitals exceeds a certain level, the person running the hospital had better have an ironclad excuse or a resignation letter already signed.
It’ll never happen. It’s hard to find a worse medical plan than TriCare, and that’s for active service military personnel the government has a vested interest in keeping healthy.
.
The VA is for those who no longer provide a benefit to the government. (Not even as taxpayers, since anybody who can afford to go elsewhere, does.)
.
The VA has been embroiled in scandal as far back as I can recall. It will be embroiled in scandal long after I die. The mission of the VA is fundamentally at odds with the interests of the bureaucracy it serves.
I’m all for sending a bunch of bureaucrats to the slammer for their conduct. But their replacements won’t be much better for very long.
Simple proposal to fix the VA.
.
Every congresscritter, and their staffs, and their families, will now receive medical care from VA centers in their district, or at Bethesda naval hospital. Period.
.
It’ll be fixed within the calendar year.
.
Mew