Editorial: VA’s continued failures

Thursday, Sept. 13, 2007 | 7:40 a.m.

After months of scathing criticism over poor care of veterans, the Veterans Affairs Department has been accused of falsely reporting how quickly it provides care.

In April the agency told Congress that 95 percent of veterans seeking medical care were seen within 30 days. But a department inspector general's report said only 75 percent received such timely appointments. Of those who had to wait more than 30 days, more than a quarter had serious health issues related to their service, such as amputees and those with frequent panic attacks.

One case cited by the inspector general was of a veteran with an eye problem who went to a VA doctor in December 2005 and was told to return in six weeks. However, it took the VA nine months just to set an appointment, which came nearly a year after the original appointment.

"This is simply not acceptable," said Sen. Daniel Akaka, D-Hawaii, chairman of the Senate Veteran s Affairs Committee. He called the report "disturbing" and said it showed the VA was "skewing" its performance.

The inspector general noted that VA officials have not addressed previous warnings issued about wait times. The report found some "gaming" of the system, noting that schedulers in some offices were not putting veterans on a waiting list to be seen, a way to mask the actual wait times.

Responding to the report, Michael Kussman, VA undersecretary for health, defended the department. While saying scheduling could be improved, he attacked the report and said he would hire a consultant to "obtain a more objective, professional analysis." That is incredibly arrogant and deceitful. Inspectors general are set up to be independent, professional and thorough. There couldn't be a more objective or professional analysis than an inspector general's report.

Kussman is disgracefully trying to shoot the messenger, perhaps hoping no one will remember that he told Congress the VA was promptly treating veterans.

But that sums up the legacy of VA Secretary Jim Nicholson, who steps down Oct. 1 never having adequately addressed the obvious failures. The next secretary needs to clean house. Veterans deserve much better than this.