VA’s fudged numbers continue
Back in February, we wrote a bit about the Washington Post’s Michelle Ye Hee Lee and her examination of the actual numbers compared to the claims of Robert McDonald, the VA Secretary, to Congress that 60 VA employees had been fired because of the scandal last year that enveloped the agency. Ms. Lee whittled the 60 down to eight or so, who hadn’t yet resigned or retired to escape punishment. The New York Times whittles it down even further today;
Robert A. McDonald, asserted in a nationally televised interview that the department had fired 60 people involved in manipulating wait times to make it appear that veterans were receiving care faster than they were. In fact, the department quickly clarified after that interview, only 14 people had been removed from their jobs, while about 60 others had received lesser punishments.
Now, new internal documents show that the real number of people removed from their jobs is much smaller still: at most, three.
[…]
The documents given this month to the House Committee on Veterans Affairs, which provided them to The New York Times, show that the department punished a total of eight of its 280,000 employees for involvement in the scandal. One was fired, one retired in lieu of termination, one’s termination is pending, and five were reprimanded or suspended for up to two months.
The only person fired was the director of the Phoenix hospital, Sharon Helman, who technically was removed not for her role in the manipulation of waiting lists but for receiving “inappropriate gifts,” according to the department.
So, actually one was fired, and she was not fired for her part in the scandal even though she actually caused the problem that became a scandal. But one is almost 60, right?
In a statement…the department…said that more than 100 other employees were facing disciplinary action.
A year later.
“Rather than disciplining bad employees, V.A. often just transfers them to other V.A. facilities or puts them on paid leave for months on end,” [Representative Jeff Miller, Republican of Florida and chairman of the House Veterans Affairs Committee] said in a statement.
And then they lie to the American people and veteran service organizations about it.
Category: Veterans' Affairs Department
Nuke the VA and the Civil Service system and start all over again… when will the lying stop from these twatwaffles?
Think VISN 19 VHA and Western Area VBA.
So 60 employees fired becomes three, then eight, then no, wait… They were put on leave or transferred…
VA math is worse than Army math! I bet a fair share get placed on paid administrative leave which turns out to be little more than an extra-long paid vacation. FUCK ’em all…
McDonald LIED on MTP on the 15th of Feb when he claimed 60 firings.
The VA LIED when they issued the revised number of 14.
Washington Post looked at weekly documents turned over to the House in February to determine that the number was closer to 8 and earn the 60 claim 4 Pinocchios.. We now know those documents were also a LIE.
60=14=8=3=0
Next we are going to discover that the retiree and “firing” are working as consultants for the VA to bring the final number of people fired to -2.
Doesn’t surprise me. This is the same VA that is granting benefits to over twice as many “ex-POWs” from the Vietnam and Gulf Wars than the number of people who actually returned alive after being held captive in SEA and Iraq, respectively.
I’m seriously wondering if it isn’t time to disestablish the VA entirely and start over from scratch.
Hondo. As I’ve said before, it’s sad when the people that work there know someone is full of shit and they can’t do anything about it. Then you have vets with real issues the Docs and caseworkers know it, then something called the VBA won’t listen to them, it’s out of control. And no one seems willing or able to fix it.
Several of those who were blamed for the problems out there, were the targets of personal vendettas. Not defending what went on there, but not everyone accused was actually guilty of what they were accused of…
VA needs a lot of work, and a lot of that has to do with making it a more uniform operation across the nation. I do not think that disbanding it and turning it over to private practice is the answer. The places the VA works well need to be emulated, because where it does work well it is a far better place for veterans to be than on the “outside”… If you think care in civillian hospitals is uniform and better than the VA nationwide, you are barking up the wrong tree.
Ditto
I also agree. The VA has treated me very well and has literally saved my life three time and my soul once.
I would be in a far, far worse life, or dead, had it not been for the men and women that took such good care of me when I needed it.
The Milwaukee VA is a very good place and the Houston VA seems to be quite good also.
I had a few problems getting set up here in Houston but now everything is working well and I again find myself being taken care of medically quite well.
I am indebted to the VA and the people that work there, it is, unfortunately, a debt I will never be able to repay.
I continue to say to all who ask, Thank God I am a veteran…
Man I gotta find out what facility y’all have been going to; three VAMC’s and one CBOC over a decade, and I have never not left pissed off at some fuck up. Pharmacy, is often the culprit but not always, assorted paperwork issues, and buck passing. Had to spend ten days inpatient last year, and thank god the three closest VAMC’s were full going to a private hospital probably saved my life.
As a government employee, this sickens and appalls me. I’m not GS, but what is called STRL, for Science and Technology Research Laboratory, and we have no-shit annual reviews and compete for any bonus or award. Piss-poor performers are counseled, and/or provided training, or shown the door. The VA needs to go to a system like this, and cull the herd.
Well those Civil Service Unions ain’t going to allow that.. The bitch that was killing Vets here in Arizona or up in Phoenix was actually awarded a Bonus after she appealed it WTF !!!!! REALLY !!!!
It Crazy !!!!!!
Exactly. VA is bureaucratic morass that employs predominantly (73%+) non-veteran GS workers. Staff overall doesn’t have any motivation to change, are protected from discipline by unions, plus they’re stuck in 19th century inefficient work processes. This bureaucracy will not improve until they dismantle the whole scum sucking operation.
Ya’ know guys and gals, we need A Veterans Administration.
I am wondering if we need THIS Veterans Administration.
I know that there are some good people – I read about it here. Where are the not-so-good people? How can they be identified and removed?
Exactly. My journey from being cassavac’d through a MEB in till being medically Retired has been uneventful for the most part the story’s from fellow vets at times sound almost unbelievable until I see the news. I hope what I’ve experienced is the normal and not the exception….
So much for that shitseki firing huh?
The ironic thing is that, using common core mathematics, 3 IS equal to 100.
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I often wonder if my dad’s death could be attributed to the wait he underwent while at the VA hospital in Salt Lake. Granted he’d had a massive heart attack but this thought still enters my mind when I hear about this.