Sens. John McCain and Jeff Flake sent an angry letter to Veterans Affairs Secretary Robert McDonald ordering him to “swiftly remove” VA officials who were in charge during the period of major delays and mismanagement at VA hospitals — some of which resulted in the death of some veterans waiting for care.
In a letter sent Thursday, McCain and Flake, both Arizona Republicans, told McDonald they are “extremely disappointed,” that he has not responded to a letter the two Senators sent last month about VA officials in Phoenix who have yet to implement congressionally mandated reforms to the system.
Congress last summer approved legislation earlier this year that allows veterans facing long wait times at VA hospitals to seek care at other approved facilities. President Obama signed the bill into law on August 7.
“Rest assured that we will work with our colleagues to disallow the past dysfunctional culture and failures of leadership of the VA from continuing,” McCain and Flake warned.
The letter pointed specifically to Sharon Helman, the former director of the Phoenix VA Health Care system. Helman has been on paid administrative leave for six months, despite reforms made to the law that are supposed to allow the VA secretary to more swiftly fire executives for poor performance.
Helman is still getting paid around $170,000 despite being forced out of her job. She’s accused of overseeing a system of false waiting lists and long wait times for veterans at the Phoenix hospital.
“Ms. Helman and other senior leaders collected huge bonuses for the timely delivery of health care to veterans, many of whom died while awaiting care after being placed on secret waiting lists,” McCain and Flake wrote in the letter. “This is unacceptable.”
