Printer Friendly Page
SECRETARY NICHOLSON VOWS TO IMPROVE VA
HEALTHCARE -- But, still living in denial as he
testifies
to Congress, "I think the VA is adequately
staffed."
This is like a bad dream that keeps
happening over and over and over.......
VA Secretary Nicholson keeps stating that
the VA is properly-funded and has adequate staff.
How about an 18-month wait for surgery?
Story here...
http://vawatchdog.org/07/nf07/nfMAY07/nf051007-5.htm
How about excessive red tape and long
waits for services and claims? Story here...
http://vawatchdog.org/07/nf07/nfMAY07/nf050607-1.htm
How about faking VA waiting lists?
Story here...
http://vawatchdog.org/milcom/didthevareallyeliminatewaitinglists.htm
How about budget shortfalls? Story
here...
http://www.vawatchdog.org/old%20newsflashes%
20SEP%2006/newsflash09-21-2006-1.htm
And, Nicholson stating that he is going
to fix it, refers only to his Task Force recommendations on returning
OEF / OIF veterans. He has been tasked to do this "using existing
resources"...which means no additional funding or staffing. Story
here...
http://vawatchdog.org/07/nf07/nfMAY07/nf050107-1.htm . This
leaves older veterans at the end of the line for services.
Rep. Bob Filner (D-CA) is the Chairman of
the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs. Nicholson testified
before his Committee and Filner wasn't buying it. In the story
below Filner tells Nicholson that if he said the VA was adequately
staffed before a group of vets, they would "boo you off the stage."
Booing Nicholson off the stage is not the
answer. Getting Nicholson out of the VA, while a good idea, is not
the answer, either.
Mandatory funding for VA healthcare is
the answer.
Now, it's up to Congress, Bob Filner
included, to stop talking and start acting.
Today's story here...
http://www.guardian.co.uk/
worldlatest/story/0,,-6621453,00.html
Story below:
---------------
Nicholson Pledges to Improve Health Care
By HOPE YEN
Associated Press Writer
WASHINGTON (AP) - VA Secretary Jim Nicholson told skeptical House
members Wednesday he would work hard to improve veterans' care and said
he would take personal responsibility for implementing a presidential
task force's recommendations.
Responding to renewed criticism of performance bonuses given to senior
officials, Nicholson generally defended the award of hefty bonuses to
top senior Veterans' Affairs officials. Those officials crafted a budget
that fell $1 billion short and have been accused of jeopardizing health
care, but Nicholson said many Veterans Affairs employees could get
higher salaries in private business.
``We recognize our shortcomings,'' Nicholson told the House Veterans
Affairs Committee. ``They could be making tremendous money on the
outside. But they're staying.''
Nicholson testified to the House members about recommendations issued
last month by the presidential task force he chairs on improving
veterans care. Among the proposals are for computerized record-keeping
of patient information, better Pentagon and VA collaboration and
additional screenings for brain injury.
President Bush ordered the immediate implementation of the
recommendations. But lawmakers from both parties have questioned whether
they will actually take effect, noting that many of the proposals were
made years ago with little success.
On Wednesday, Nicholson said he would accept blame if the
recommendations don't make significant headway.
``I take personal responsibility in assuring Congress, veterans and
service members that this report will be accompanied by definitive and
measured actions,'' Nicholson said. ``I can't wave a wand over all these
different agencies, but it's taken very seriously, and I'm in charge of
follow-up.''
Asked if the VA regretted not asking for more money in previous years to
address growing demands from veterans returning from Iraq and
Afghanistan, Nicholson responded: ``I think the VA is adequately
staffed.''
That drew a harsh response from Rep. Bob Filner, D-Calif., the committee
chairman. He said if Nicholson made that claim to any veterans groups,
they would ``boo you off the stage.''
``We can't keep saying we have this backlog and we're going to solve
it,'' Filner said, in calling for more money and staff for training,
treatment and diagnoses of post-traumatic stress disorder and other
psychological problems. ``We've got to cut through it.''
``I think people want bolder action. They don't want this process
stuff,'' Filner said.
Rep. Steve Buyer, R-Ind., the top Republican on the panel, reminded
Nicholson that there has been report after report on improving
Pentagon-VA collaboration over the last 15 years.
``We must now have implementation,'' Buyer said.
Nicholson responded that he is seeing a renewed zeal to solve problems,
with top officials from the Pentagon and VA meeting earlier this week to
discuss ways to break bureaucratic obstacles that have delayed reforms
in the past.
Regarding money for veterans care, Nicholson said the VA ``can probably
always make good use of more money.''
Democratic lawmakers also renewed their criticism of the VA's payment of
$3.8 million in performance bonuses.
The bonuses, which ranged up to $33,000, were given to several top
officials who devised a budget that investigators later found to be
misleading and put veterans care at risk.
Hawaii Sen. Daniel Akaka, who chairs the Senate Veterans Affairs
Committee, and groups including Veterans of Foreign Wars and Iraq and
Afghanistan Veterans of America, have called on Nicholson to explain why
officials involved in a budget foul-up would be rewarded.
A House Veterans Affairs subcommittee plans hearings to investigate the
payments in the coming weeks.
``I am hearing from a number of our soldiers who've returned home who
can't get their benefits because of a backlog at the VA. When they hear
about a senior VA official getting a bonus while they can't even get a
benefit to keep them in their home or feed their family, it's pretty
disturbing,'' said Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., at a Senate hearing
Wednesday on VA backlogs.
---
On the Net:
Department of Veterans Affairs:
http://www.va.gov/
House Veterans Affairs Committee:
http://veterans.house.gov/
---------------
Larry Scott --
