EL PASO, Texas (AP) — Some Veterans Affairs facilities in Texas have some of the nation’s longest wait times for veterans trying to see a doctor for the first time — including four centers with some of the nation’s longest delays for patients seeking mental health care, according to federal data released Monday.
The findings were part of a national audit at 731 VA hospitals and large clinics conducted amid an uproar that began with reports of veterans dying while awaiting appointments and of cover-ups at the VA facility in Phoenix. Veterans aren’t supposed to wait more than 14 days for an appointment, but the national audit says that’s “not attainable,” given growing demand for VA services and poor planning.
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