Nation Jul 09 Top VA official apologizes for whistleblower retaliation WASHINGTON — A top official at the Veterans Affairs Department says he is sorry that VA employees have suffered retaliation after making complaints about poor patient care, long wait times and other problems.
Nation Jul 03 VA says patient access to medical care improving The Department of Veterans Affairs says it has reached out to nearly 140,000 veterans in the past two months to get them off waiting lists and into clinics for medical appointments.
Nation Jun 12 Senate passes bill that allows veterans to seek medical care outside VA system WASHINGTON — After two overwhelming votes in two days, members of Congress say they are confident they can agree on a bill to improve veterans' health care and send it to the president's desk by the end of the month.
Nation Jun 06 VA may have retaliated against workers who reported wrongdoing WASHINGTON — An investigative agency is looking into allegations that Veterans Affairs supervisors retaliated against 37 employees who filed whistleblower complaints, including some who complained about improper scheduling practices at the heart of a growing VA scandal. The independent Office…
Nation Jun 05 Senators reach deal on VA health care Senior senators have reached agreement for a bipartisan bill expanding veterans' ability to get government-paid medical care outside Veterans Affairs hospitals and clinics.
Nation May 22 VA health care delays become campaign issue WASHINGTON -- The growing furor over veterans' health care moved to the political campaigns Thursday as congressional candidates from both parties called for Veterans Affairs Secretary Eric Shinseki to be fired. Democrat Alison Lundergan Grimes, who is challenging Republican Senate…
Nation May 21 Any misconduct at the VA will be punished, Obama says Seeking to head off a growing furor over veterans' health care, President Barack Obama declared Wednesday that allegations of misconduct at Veterans Affairs hospitals are "dishonorable" and will be not be tolerated by his administration.
Nation May 17 Administration moves to address VA hospital allegations The Obama administration and Congress are moving quickly to respond to a growing political firestorm over allegations of treatment delays and falsified records at veterans' hospitals nationwide.
Nation May 16 Top veterans’ health official resigns over falsified records scandal Veterans Secretary Eric Shinseki says he has accepted the resignation of Robert Petzel, the department's undersecretary for health care. Shinseki had asked for the resignation, a department official later said on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to…
Politics May 16 Congress grows impatient for answers on veterans’ deaths WASHINGTON -- Patience is wearing thin in Congress as lawmakers confront allegations of treatment delays and falsified patient-appointment reports at health centers run by the Veterans Affairs Department. A former clinic director says dozens of veterans died while awaiting treatment…