Chronicle Editorial

VA overhaul a must

     After more than a month of unsettling revelations, Veterans Affairs Secretary Eric Shinseki resigned from his position last Friday following outcry from both politicians and the public. Though Shinseki's resignation was warranted, the move does very little to fix glaring systematic flaws within the VA.

     In mid-April, a congressional hearing and testimony from a former VA physician uncovered damning infractions at one hospital in Phoenix. VA employees were tampering with appointment-scheduling protocol for veterans seeking medical care there, which included a list of 1,700 former servicemen and women. Workers altered records to make it appear patients were receiving timely medical care, but in reality were making them wait much longer than the paperwork indicated. The discovery created outrage after claims that long waitlists led to the deaths of handful of veterans due inadequate medical attention.

     Further investigation found that the reprehensible scheduling practices weren't isolated to the Phoenix VA hospital, but were widespread throughout the entire country. Shinseki's was unaware of the circumstances and by no means condoned the practices, but his resignation was necessary to remove distractions and refocus attention on reforming the VA.

     The situation in Phoenix appears to have stemmed from one common problem seen at nearly every VA hospital throughout the country: more and more veterans need medical care, but hospitals are crowded, overbooked and short-staffed. Though it's not a popular solution in many political circles, federal lawmakers should investigate the VA budget and discuss funding increases. Obviously, reforming the VA's convoluted and abhorrent scheduling practices is a must, but boosted funding could help alleviate various problems that create a trickle-down effect and lead to bigger issues.

     More funding could lead to an expanded VA staff nationwide, which would alleviate the impetus to pull scheduling tricks to make it appear hospitals are providing timely care. If a major portion of the problem is a lack of physicians, increasing the VA budget seems like a logical solution to address this concerning reality. Prioritizing tax dollars to right an obvious wrong would most likely see little resistance in Congress. Nobody wants to appear like they're advocating against our veterans.

     Additionally, lawmakers would be wise to investigate the possibility of privatizing segments of the VA. If shifting portions of medical care onto private hospitals addresses some of the logjams at VA facilities, then there's no reason it shouldn't happen. Reports have indicated that VA hospitals will see ongoing congestion problems as veterans' needs increase. Vietnam War veterans will need added care as they continue to age, and veterans from Iraq and Afghanistan also need increased attention. Privatizing portions of the VA's services has the potential to address problems that will no doubt continue well into the future.

     These solutions are merely hypothetical. Throwing money at something doesn't always make it right, and privatizing portions of the VA could prove problematic. Nonetheless, something needs to get changed swiftly. Politicians were quick to admonish the VA's scheduling practices once they were uncovered, and they need to be just as quick to correct them. Congress should use this wave of bipartisan outrage to reform the VA and make it stronger as we look towards the future. Our veterans sacrificed their time, effort and in some cases, their health, defending our freedoms. They deserve nothing less than timely medical care that addresses each and every one of their specific needs.