×

Congress needs to lend hand to new VA chief

Few Cabinet officers head agencies based almost solely on promises. But Dr. David Shulkin, nominated to head the Department of Veterans Affairs, will be one if he is confirmed by the U.S. Senate.

The VA’s mission is to keep the promise we Americans make to everyone in military service. It is that once they leave the armed forces, we will provide them with certain benefits, including health care.

Many veterans are lavish in their praise of VA health care. But too many others have been let down badly by a system that sometimes places them on wait lists for care they need urgently.

It is not that the VA lacks resources. The agency’s budget has skyrocketed during the past five years, going from about $125 billion in fiscal 2012 to $167 billion now.

With that, the VA uses more than 370,000 employees to provide a variety of services to veterans, including health care. The agency operates nearly 1,300 health care facilities throughout the country.

But waste and inefficiency are rampant. Last week, the nonpartisan Government Accountability Office revealed it will place the VA on its “high risk” list because of waste, fraud, mismanagement and “structural flaws.”

It is critical for Americans upset with the VA to understand Shulkin will not be able to reform the agency alone. Congress needs to become a partner in the process — not just demanding reforms, but also enacting legislation to make them happen and repealing bureaucratic protections that are obstacles to true accountability.

Newsletter

Today's breaking news and more in your inbox

I'm interested in (please check all that apply)
Are you a paying subscriber to the newspaper? *
   

COMMENTS

Starting at $4.65/week.

Subscribe Today