VA says more than 57,000 patients are waiting for first visit

An internal audit by the Department of Veterans Affairs has exposed some major flaws that have people on "waiting lists" forever it seems.

Very alarming.

Apparently "waiting lists" have more than one meaning.

This has been going on unabated for years and IMO is the "unintended" template for the entire medical system very soon.

Great example of how government interference "at its best" can wreck anything by default.

The report cites confusion at all levels with no one able to correct anything.

Bureaucracy at its finest moment.

The Department of Veterans Affairs said Monday that more than 57,000 patients are still waiting for their first medical appointments at VA medical centers after at least 90 days.

Another 64,000 veterans who enrolled in the VA health-care system over the past decade have never had appointments, the department said.

The information comes from the agency’s internal audit of 731 VA medical centers. The department released the findings on Monday.

VA says more than 57,000 patients are waiting for first visit

Horrible and Ridiculous

No Excuse for Failure

a reply to: xuenchen

Just another fine example of how the government could screw up a train wreck. You can add the VA to the list of things that they are total failures at. Affordable Care Act there's an Oxymoron, it is quickly making the same list. 5 billion and you don't have a functioning website. I could buy an entire internet for that. You could own 10% of Goldman Sachs for that and make money instead of spending it. Yet day after day we talk about a deserter they traded for 5 Taliban.

a reply to: xuenchen

I said it before and I will say it again.....If 0bama had a single payer system, it would look like the VA.

And to think, his statements that the VA is a great working system, just a couple years back is just another example of a moron stating moronic things.

Many of the new vets signing up are low income vets that could not or did not want to sign up for Obamacare.

This is just what the democrats want. They want to close the VA health care system and put all vets on Obamacare.

Add 9 million vets to Obamacare and it will fail faster. AND THE VETS WILL GET NO BETTER HEALTH THEN THE VA GIVES.

Don't forget people that is who they want running our healthcare system.

That 'fabulous' single payer delusion.

Think there is ample evidence that anything the US Federal Government touches.

IT DESTROYS.

originally posted by: ANNED
Many of the new vets signing up are low income vets that could not or did not want to sign up for Obamacare.

This is just what the democrats want. They want to close the VA health care system and put all vets on Obamacare.

Add 9 million vets to Obamacare and it will fail faster.

Do you think this just started under Obama? The VA has been screwed up for decades before Obama even walked into office. There is one group of people that gets screwed over no matter what party gets into office and that's the veterans. They will always get screwed.

AND THE VETS WILL GET NO BETTER HEALTH THEN THE VA GIVES.

LOL yeah right.

a reply to: buster2010

Nope but OBama is the one who has been running his mouth about 'taking care' of the VA issues for the past 6 years.

Second verse same as the first verse with the third verse ruling in favor.

Majority RULES.

Don't ya love 'democracy' in action.

A senior VA official said Monday that the department will distribute about $300 million over the next 60 to 90 days to help accelerate care, including through increased hours and by contracting with non-VA health clinics.

That's not bad when compared to 180 days when Bush was in office.

originally posted by: neo96
a reply to: buster2010

Nope but OBama is the one who has been running his mouth about 'taking care' of the VA issues for the past 6 years.

Second verse same as the first verse with the third verse ruling in favor.

Majority RULES.

Don't ya love 'democracy' in action.

When the wait time has been cut in half when compared to the previous admin then yes he is taking care of vets.

originally posted by: buster2010

A senior VA official said Monday that the department will distribute about $300 million over the next 60 to 90 days to help accelerate care, including through increased hours and by contracting with non-VA health clinics.

That's not bad when compared to 180 days when Bush was in office.

Nice political trolling there.

The topic is about the VA and the EPIC failures of the current admin KNOWING there were problems there.

a reply to: buster2010

When the wait time has been cut in half when compared to the previous admin then yes he is taking care of vets. - See more at: www.abovetopsecret.com...

How so ?

Not what the topic says.

And it is not what the families of those vets have been saying.

President Obama's Veterans Day Address: "We Take Care Of Our Own"

"We take care of our own. We take care of our veterans. We take care of your families, not just by saluting you on one day, once a year, but by fighting for you and your families every day of every year. That’s our obligation, a sacred obligation to all of you," Obama said.

'We take care of our own'.

November 11th, 2012

a reply to: buster2010

Yep, another Republican created scandal but the GOP-owned RW media is doing it's best to shift blame elsewhere.

The Republican party more than any other has consistently tried to defund the VA. Any VA scandal rests squarely on the shoulders of Congress. Blame Obama? Just another blame-shift for their own actions.

Senate Republicans Kill a Bill to Expand Veterans' Benefits
Republicans Vote Against Increased VA Funding (GOP has been constant in the past decade in trying to defund the VA. They vote against the Dems every single time over funding the VA.)
Senate GOP Obstructionists Throw Veterans Under The Bus
GOP's actual track record on supporting veterans
GOP blocks COLA on benefits for disabled veterans and survivors
Senate GOP Obstructionists Throw Veterans Under The Bus-Vote Down Bill To Help Vets In Need Of Jobs
Meet the 40 Senate Republicans Who Betrayed Veterans By Killing $1 Billion in Jobs
GOP Voted Against 7 Bills to Help Veterans
Republicans Vote Against Increased VA Funding
Major GOP Donor Arrested in $100 Million Veteran Charity Scam
VA trouble has long been brewing, as past scandals during Bush's tenure show:
Walter Reed Scandal Unfolds with General's Firing (2007)
Witness slams 'nightmares' of Army medical system (2007)
Cuts, Cuts, and more Cuts:
Bachmann Takes Heat From Veterans' Group for Proposing Benefits Cuts

Since Obama took office - all the bills and laws the GOP voted on to defund the VA and cut benefits:

Bill's Blocked By Republican's Since President Obama Took Office.

David Gregory, John McCain, and the media aren't covering this story so we have to.

Here's a concise extraction for easy viewing for those who are INTERESTED IN VETERANS ISSUES and need to know which party supports veterans and which party does not.

The rejected Bills are named:

H.R. 466 – Wounded Veteran Job Security Act became H. R. 2875.

H.R. 1168 -- Veterans Retraining Act

H.R. 1171 – Homeless Veterans Reintegration Program Reauthorization

H.R. 1172 -- Requiring List on VA Website of Organizations Providing Scholarships for Veterans

H.R. 1293 -- Disabled Veterans Home Improvement and Structural Alteration Grant Increase Act of 2009

H.R. 1803 -- Veterans Business Center Act

H.R. 2352 – Job Creation Through Entrepreneurship Act

DETAILS OF BILLS REJECTED BY REPUBLICANS:

H.R. 466 – Wounded Veteran Job Security Act – This bill would actually provide job security for veterans who are receiving medical treatment for injuries suffered while fighting in defense of their country. It would prohibit employers from terminating
employees who miss work while receiving treatment for a service-related disability.

H.R. 1168 -- Veterans Retraining Act – This bill would provide for assistance to help veterans who are currently unemployed with their expenses while retraining for the current job market.

H.R. 1171 – Homeless Veterans Reintegration Program Reauthorization – This bill would reauthorize programs in support of homeless veterans, to assist them with job training, counseling, and placement services through the Department of Veterans Affairs through 2014.

H.R. 1172 -- Requiring List on VA Website of Organizations Providing Scholarships for Veterans which does nothing more than direct the Department of Veterans Affairs to include information about scholarships for veterans.

H.R. 1293 -- Disabled Veterans Home Improvement and Structural Alteration Grant Increase Act of 2009 – Here’s another bill in support of those who have fought for their country, passed by House Democrats and blocked from becoming law by Republicans.

This would increase the amount paid by the VA to disabled veterans for necessary home structural improvements from $4,100 to $6,800 for those who are more than 50% disabled, and from $1,200 to $2,000 who are less than 50%, disabled. This means, if a veteran lost the use of his legs in service of his country, the country will pay for the wheelchair ramp so that he can live at home.

By the way, the last time this ceiling was lifted was in 1992. There isn't even a fiscal reason for being against this bill, as the total cost of this bill, according to CBO estimates, would be a “whopping” $20 million. That's about a quarter (25 cents) per family of four.

H.R. 1803 -- Veterans Business Center Act – This bill would set up a Veterans Business Center program within the Small Business Administration, which would specialize in such programs as grants for service-disabled veterans, help them develop business plans and secure business opportunities. In other words, folks, it would create jobs and offer opportunities those who have fought in defense of our country.

H.R. 2352 – Job Creation Through Entrepreneurship Act – This bill essentially combines a number of other bills that Republicans had blocked in the Senate previously, and adds a few elements. The bill would again establish a Veterans Business Center Program; .... it would establish a Military Entrepreneurs Program; ...

a reply to: frankensence

The Republican party more than any other has consistently tried to defund the VA. Any VA scandal rests squarely on the shoulders of Congress. Blame Obama? Just another blame-shift for their own actions. - See more at: www.abovetopsecret.com...

Is that right ?

When the Democrats have CONSISTENTLY Gutted defense spending for the last 6 years.

Blaming the 'republicans' !

And the current potus is the guy who appointed the guy who just 'resigned'.

HOW THE HELL can people blame the right for the VA is pushing intellectual dishonesty.

Especially after how the Potus was going to be all about the 'year' of action. and 'He's got a pen, and a phone'.

Hell why didn't be bypass congress like he did with that terrorist release.


Yeah blame the RIGHT ! ! ! ! ! ! !

Obama: "We're Not Going To Be Waiting For Legislation... I Can Use That Pen To Sign Executive Orders"

Guess the VA doesn't rate in his world.

Scandal Backfires as Veterans Groups Rip Republicans for Politicizing Problems At the VA

To Neo: Defense budget and VA budget are two separate things. GOP loves massive spending programs on military projects that not even the Pentagon wants, but never want to spend a dime on veterans.

The GOP has crippled and gutted the VA budget.

Those are facts.

originally posted by: frankensence
Scandal Backfires as Veterans Groups Rip Republicans for Politicizing Problems At the VA

To Neo: Defense budget and VA budget are two separate things. GOP loves massive spending programs on military projects that not even the Pentagon wants, but never want to spend a dime on veterans.

The GOP has crippled and gutted the VA budget.

Those are facts.

And ?

What was the point ?

Their opposites love massive spending too.

See the trillion dollar plus student loan debt.
See social security
See medicare
See medicaid.
See the $787 'stimulus' that even 6 years later hasn't got a GD thing to show for it.
See massive cost of the 'affordable' care act.
See the billions blown on the 'Solyndras'.

But then again when the current potus took power, and held the house, and senate not a peep about the VA.

EVEN KNOWING and CAMPAIGNING on it.

hmmm.

a reply to: frankensence

Can you show us how all that "extra" money would have stopped the scheduling problem ?

Ditto for the other "programs".

How much more spending will it take to correct this boondoggle ?

a reply to: xuenchen

Im confused. My late brother and every other vet I know goes to VA URGENT CARE. They are seen that day. They are given an apointment usually really soon after.

So, is this just vets who decide they should prob get a check-up and call for an appointment for their 1st round?

Know whats funny? The Bush regime started two wars. Didn't bother to fund either. Those wars resulted in tens of thousands of new VA patients. Republicans fought increasing any increases in the VA budget.

The Republicans hate veterans.

The VA Scandal Is Rooted In the Delusional Republican Belief That Wars Are Free

Faux Outrage From Fox News Ignores GOP Role In Veterans Administration Scandal

2/12/2007: The Bush administration’s budget assumes cuts to funding for veterans’ health care two years from now — even as badly wounded troops returning from Iraq could overwhelm the system.

03/21/2012: If enacted, the Ryan GOP budget would cut $11 billion from veterans spending, or 13 percent from what President Obama proposes in his own plan.

02/27/2014: U.S. Senate Republicans blocked legislation on Thursday that would have expanded federal healthcare and education programs for veterans, saying the $24 billion bill would bust the budget. [...] For example, it called for 27 new medical facilities to help a healthcare system that is strained by veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars.

10/10/2013: Politicians love to love veterans, but the military heroes could be suffering some major losses due to the ongoing GOP-led government shutdown.

Ongoing delays in treating Vets originated under GOP admins: Freedom of Information Act request reveals that…

“A database of paid claims by the VA since 2001 includes 167 in which the words ‘delay in treatment’ is used in the description. The VA paid out a total of $36.4 million to settle those claims, either voluntarily or as part of a court action.”

Republicans War-Monger, Then Complain When We're Overwhelmed By Sick Vets

If there’s been one side pushing for greater resources for the Veterans Administration in the age of austerity these past five years, it hasn’t been the Republicans. It was the much-maligned economic stimulus package of 2009 that included $1 billion for the V.A. While the V.A. itself was protected from the budget sequestration that Republican fought to keep in place last year, many other veterans programs—providing mental health services and housing, among other things—were hit hard by the sequestration cuts. And when the Senate was poised to pass a $24 billion bill for federal healthcare an education programs for veterans three months ago, Senate Republicans, led by McConnell, blocked it in a filibuster, saying the bill would bust the budget and complaining that Senate Democrats had refused to allow an amendment on Iran sanctions to be attached to the bill.

But there is a whole other level of context to consider here as well. There is a pretty basic reason for backlogs at V.A. facilities and in the disability claims process, the other ongoing V.A. mess. Put simply: when you go to war, you get more wounded veterans, and in a country without a universal health care system, they are all funneled into this one agency with limited capacity. Every one of the Republican leaders quoted above attacking Obama for the V.A. backlogs strongly supported launching the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan that resulted in nearly 7,000 fatalities and a huge surge in medical needs and disability claims. Nearly one-half of veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan have filed claims for permanent disability compensation. These claims need to be assessed for their validity, just as we attempt to do with claims for other programs, such as Social Security disability, unless we want to simply throw open the doors on a compensation program that is already expected to cost close to a trillion dollars for Iraq and Afghanistan vets.

Yep, those wars broke the budget, and the GOP refuses to increase the VA budget appropriately to care for all those thousands of wounded and sick returning vets.

They need to increase that budget by a trillion to handle the influx of wounded vets - that is the price of war. But all we can get from the Republicans is blame, blame, blame. They are completely incompetent.