From the:
Chairman Miller Statement Regarding Allegations of Veteran Deaths, Secret Waiting List at PVAHCS
Apr 24, 2014
WASHINGTON, D.C.— Following media reports that 40 veterans seeking care at the Phoenix VA Health Care System died while awaiting treatment and may have been placed on a secret waiting list, Chairman Miller released the following statement:
“These are extremely disturbing allegations, which is why weeks ago I called for a complete and thorough inspector general investigation into delays in VA care – in Phoenix and department wide – and shared with the IG all of the evidence our committee has acquired as part of our own investigation. If proven true, these charges will only add to the growing pattern of preventable veteran deaths and patient safety incidents at VA medical centers across the country that are united by one common theme: VA’s extreme reluctance to hold its employees and executives accountable. In fact, if you look at recent VA preventable deaths linked to mismanagement – in Pittsburgh, Atlanta, Columbia, S.C., Augusta, Ga., and Memphis, Tenn. – department executives who presided over mismanagement are more likely to have received a bonus or glowing performance review than any sort of punishment. It's well past time for VA leaders at all levels to heed the alarms many in the veterans community have been sounding for more than a year. That means holding employees accountable - instead of rewarding them - for mismanagement that harms veterans and being honest with Congress and the public about the department's problems. This is the only way VA can regain the trust of the veterans it is charged with serving and bring some much-needed closure to the families of those who have died.” – Rep. Jeff Miller, Chairman, House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs
Chairman Miller Preservation Request to Sec. Shinseki
VA Litigation Hold (Preservation Order)
“These are extremely disturbing allegations, which is why weeks ago I called for a complete and thorough inspector general investigation into delays in VA care – in Phoenix and department wide – and shared with the IG all of the evidence our committee has acquired as part of our own investigation. If proven true, these charges will only add to the growing pattern of preventable veteran deaths and patient safety incidents at VA medical centers across the country that are united by one common theme: VA’s extreme reluctance to hold its employees and executives accountable. In fact, if you look at recent VA preventable deaths linked to mismanagement – in Pittsburgh, Atlanta, Columbia, S.C., Augusta, Ga., and Memphis, Tenn. – department executives who presided over mismanagement are more likely to have received a bonus or glowing performance review than any sort of punishment. It's well past time for VA leaders at all levels to heed the alarms many in the veterans community have been sounding for more than a year. That means holding employees accountable - instead of rewarding them - for mismanagement that harms veterans and being honest with Congress and the public about the department's problems. This is the only way VA can regain the trust of the veterans it is charged with serving and bring some much-needed closure to the families of those who have died.” – Rep. Jeff Miller, Chairman, House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs
Chairman Miller Preservation Request to Sec. Shinseki
VA Litigation Hold (Preservation Order)
Chairman Miller Responds to Calls for VA Leadership Changes
May 5, 2014
WASHINGTON, D.C.— Following the American Legion’s calls for VA leadership changes, Chairman Miller released the following statement:
“Make no mistake. There is a crisis of confidence with VA’s top leadership, and the American Legion’s calls for the resignations of the department’s top leaders should be sending shock waves through the White House. I have the utmost respect for Commander Dellinger’s opinion, and while I am going to wait until VA’s inspector general releases its report on the situation in Phoenix before deciding to call for any personnel changes, this much is clear: for nearly a year, we have been pleading with top department leaders and President Obama to take immediate steps to stop the growing pattern of preventable veteran deaths and hold accountable any and all VA employees who have allowed patients to slip through the cracks. In response, we’ve received disturbing silence from the White House and one excuse after another from VA. Right now, President Obama and Sec. Shinseki are faced with a stark choice: take immediate action to help us end the culture of complacency that is engulfing the Veterans Health Administration and compromising patient safety, or explain to the American people and America’s veterans why we should tolerate the status quo.” – Rep. Jeff Miller, Chairman, House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs
“Make no mistake. There is a crisis of confidence with VA’s top leadership, and the American Legion’s calls for the resignations of the department’s top leaders should be sending shock waves through the White House. I have the utmost respect for Commander Dellinger’s opinion, and while I am going to wait until VA’s inspector general releases its report on the situation in Phoenix before deciding to call for any personnel changes, this much is clear: for nearly a year, we have been pleading with top department leaders and President Obama to take immediate steps to stop the growing pattern of preventable veteran deaths and hold accountable any and all VA employees who have allowed patients to slip through the cracks. In response, we’ve received disturbing silence from the White House and one excuse after another from VA. Right now, President Obama and Sec. Shinseki are faced with a stark choice: take immediate action to help us end the culture of complacency that is engulfing the Veterans Health Administration and compromising patient safety, or explain to the American people and America’s veterans why we should tolerate the status quo.” – Rep. Jeff Miller, Chairman, House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs
Chairman Miller Writes Sec. Shinseki About Delayed Action to Preserve Phoenix VAHCS Evidence, Shredded Waiting List
May 1, 2014
WASHINGTON, D.C.— Today, Chairman Miller wrote to Veterans Affairs Secretary Eric Shinseki regarding the department’s delayed actions to preserve possible evidence related to allegations that veterans seeking care at the Phoenix VA Health Care System may have died while awaiting treatment and may have been placed on a secret waiting list. Chairman Miller’s letter also addressed VA’s admitted shredding of a waiting list department officials have said may be the “secret” list cited by Phoenix VA Health Care System whistleblowers.
View the letter here.
View the letter here.
Chairman Miller Calls on Shinseki to Restore Faith in Phoenix Investigation
May 2, 2014
WASHINGTON, D.C.— After media reports that officials at the Phoenix VA Health Care System may have been intentionally destroying possible evidence related to the federal investigation of the Phoenix VA Health Care System as recently as April 27, the department’s delayed actions to preserve possible evidence, and VA’s admitted destruction of a waiting list department officials have speculated may be the “secret” list cited by Phoenix VA Health Care System whistleblowers, Chairman Miller released the following statement:
“As if the allegations of patient deaths and a secret waiting list at the Phoenix VA Health Care System weren’t bad enough, now we’re hearing reports of possible attempts to cover up this despicable situation. VA Secretary Eric Shinseki did the right thing by placing three Phoenix VAHCS administrators on leave. But by no means does that common-sense step, which should have already been done weeks ago, take VA out of the hot seat. In order to restore Americans’ faith in the integrity of the federal investigation in Phoenix, Sec. Shinseki needs to answer some very direct questions in short order. Why did it take VA a full eight days to order the preservation of possible evidence related to the investigation? What are VA leaders doing to ensure evidence is not destroyed in Phoenix? Why is VA Under Secretary for Health Robert Petzel claiming there is ‘no evidence’ to support the allegations in Phoenix even though he is not involved with the investigation? What is the factual basis for Petzel’s claim? Now is not the time for carefully crafted press releases. Sec. Shinseki needs to answer these questions publicly, and he needs to answer them now.” – Rep. Jeff Miller, Chairman, House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs
“As if the allegations of patient deaths and a secret waiting list at the Phoenix VA Health Care System weren’t bad enough, now we’re hearing reports of possible attempts to cover up this despicable situation. VA Secretary Eric Shinseki did the right thing by placing three Phoenix VAHCS administrators on leave. But by no means does that common-sense step, which should have already been done weeks ago, take VA out of the hot seat. In order to restore Americans’ faith in the integrity of the federal investigation in Phoenix, Sec. Shinseki needs to answer some very direct questions in short order. Why did it take VA a full eight days to order the preservation of possible evidence related to the investigation? What are VA leaders doing to ensure evidence is not destroyed in Phoenix? Why is VA Under Secretary for Health Robert Petzel claiming there is ‘no evidence’ to support the allegations in Phoenix even though he is not involved with the investigation? What is the factual basis for Petzel’s claim? Now is not the time for carefully crafted press releases. Sec. Shinseki needs to answer these questions publicly, and he needs to answer them now.” – Rep. Jeff Miller, Chairman, House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs
HVAC Webpage To Track How VA Stonewalls the Press
Mar 24, 2014
WASHINGTON, D.C.— Today, Chairman Jeff Miller launched VA Honesty Project, a new web component of Veterans.House.Gov designed to highlight the Department of Veterans Affairs’ lack of transparency with the press, and by extension the public. View the page here.
Because the Department of Veterans Affairs is a taxpayer funded organization, it has a responsibility to fully explain itself to the press and the public. Unfortunately, in many cases, VA is failing in this responsibility, as department officials – including 54 full-time public affairs employees – routinely ignore media inquiries.
VA Honesty Project documents nearly 70 recent instances in which VA has failed to respond to reporters’ requests for information or refused to answer specific questions. The department’s apparent disregard for the press has become an object of reporters’ scorn, leading some to openly accuse VA of “thumbing their nose at us” and others to write entire articles focusing on VA’s stonewalling tactics. VA Honesty Project will be continually updated with new examples of VA refusing to respond to the press as they arise.
Following the launch of VA Honesty Project, Chairman Miller issued the following statement.
“With 54 full-time public affairs employees, VA’s media avoidance strategy can’t be anything other than intentional. What’s worse, the tactic leaves the impression that department leaders think the same taxpayers who fund the department don’t deserve an explanation of VA’s conduct. VA Honesty Project is dedicated to showing America’s veterans, American taxpayers and department leaders how VA’s media avoidance strategy is doing the public an extreme disservice while damaging VA’s reputation in the process. By keeping a running record of VA’s attempts to stonewall the press, we hope to convince the department to put a renewed focus on being responsive and transparent with the media so America’s veterans and taxpayers can get the answers they deserve.” – Rep. Jeff Miller, Chairman, House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs
Because the Department of Veterans Affairs is a taxpayer funded organization, it has a responsibility to fully explain itself to the press and the public. Unfortunately, in many cases, VA is failing in this responsibility, as department officials – including 54 full-time public affairs employees – routinely ignore media inquiries.
VA Honesty Project documents nearly 70 recent instances in which VA has failed to respond to reporters’ requests for information or refused to answer specific questions. The department’s apparent disregard for the press has become an object of reporters’ scorn, leading some to openly accuse VA of “thumbing their nose at us” and others to write entire articles focusing on VA’s stonewalling tactics. VA Honesty Project will be continually updated with new examples of VA refusing to respond to the press as they arise.
Following the launch of VA Honesty Project, Chairman Miller issued the following statement.
“With 54 full-time public affairs employees, VA’s media avoidance strategy can’t be anything other than intentional. What’s worse, the tactic leaves the impression that department leaders think the same taxpayers who fund the department don’t deserve an explanation of VA’s conduct. VA Honesty Project is dedicated to showing America’s veterans, American taxpayers and department leaders how VA’s media avoidance strategy is doing the public an extreme disservice while damaging VA’s reputation in the process. By keeping a running record of VA’s attempts to stonewall the press, we hope to convince the department to put a renewed focus on being responsive and transparent with the media so America’s veterans and taxpayers can get the answers they deserve.” – Rep. Jeff Miller, Chairman, House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs
Note: This is probably the longest post I have made. If you want to see how the VA stonewalls the public, the veterans and even the government that is alleged to regulate them, go to the first link in the last article and it will make you sick. Absolutely no accountability. It's also here : View the page here
If this doesn't make you wonder about how an agency has run amok with no accountability to the public, the veterans it serves or the government body that oversees it, it's simply unthinkable. As a disabled vet, I could tell you stories but I won't, preferring to say much of my dealings with the VA have been exemplary, while others have bordered on what I consider criminally negligent in inception of timely treatment. The vets get excuses on why a severe issue is not handled and in the interim, they get worse and die. Then the VA has to do nothing, one less patient to see. Granted they are overloaded with patients, some as a result of their grandiose offer to provide 5 years of free medical treatment to the vets from the War on Terrorism. None of the other wartime vets received that, we either had to have a disability and some waited years to gain medical status, or had to pay for VA treatment based on income. I can understand any vet from any conflict with a disability receiving free treatment. But to globally offer free treatment for 5 years with no disability requirements was simply to immediately overload the system and place the older vets on the back burner to accommodate the new influx of cases. Does that lengthen the appointment process? Sure it does. I used to see a specialty doc every three months. Now I'm lucky to see one every 9 months to a year. He might tell me "I'll see you back here in 3 months, but somehow it gets kicked out of the system and I have to call or e-mail and ask for an appointment which may be months down the road, then be cancelled and longer yet. And I'm one of those like a bulldog who keeps on their ass until I get action. I pity the vets without the skills or will to keep fighting the system or an advocate who will. And NOT the patient advocates at the VA hospitals. From my experience, they are seat warmers and useless.
Finally, I have to agree with Mr. Miller...the VA promotes to the highest level; of incompetence. I have seen that happen at least once this past year. I called and asked for a supervisor, being sure he would have been fired by now as he appeared to be so incompetent. Nope. He was promoted to manager and they are looking for a new supervisor; yet his department still cannot get things right. Amazingly, although the VA promulgates forms on line for the veterans to use, the VAMC's then state the forms are no good and they use their own forms to make it more difficult on the vets to use the system. What ever works for the employees and screws the vets must be the name of the game. And those in Washington are not aware as they are sleeping at the switch!
