Texas Insider Report: WASHINGTON DC U.S. Senators
John Cornyn & Ted Cruz along with Gov. Greg Abbott sent a letter to U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Secretary Robert McDonald urging him to address the improper scheduling practices and
extended wait times for veterans seeking healthcare across Texas.
On March 8 2016 the Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General released 12 reports on VA Health Care Systems in Texas seven of which revealed instances of scheduling mismanagement that led to extended veteran wait times.
The reports concluded that poor training lack of supervision and non-centralized scheduling are the primary causes of data manipulation and that improper scheduling is systemic throughout the VA Texas Health Care System.
We remain troubled that the VA continues to fail to provide timely health care to our nations veterans despite receiving enhanced authorities and funding from Congress to hire new employees and address additional problems facing the VA" they wrote.
Our veterans have fulfilled their solemn duty to the nation and the VA has an obligation to provide them with timely high-quality health care."
Last year Sens. Cornyn and Cruz successfully passed an
amendment to the Omnibus Appropriations Bill for Fiscal Year 2016 requiring the VA Secretary to provide Congress with a plan to address the long wait times for veterans seeking health care at the South Texas Veterans Health Care System.
To read the full letter click here.
