Report: Veterans Affairs health care has ‘profound deficiencies’

WASHINGTON — Two years after a scandal over long wait times for veterans seeking health care, the Department of Veterans Affairs still has “profound deficiencies” in delivering health care to millions of veterans, a congressional commission says in a new report.

The Commission on Care says in a report released today that the VA delivers high-quality health care but is inconsistent from one site to the next, and problems with access remain.

The panel says the VA needs to improve its service to veterans, adding that the VA’s health care operations “require urgent reform. America’s veterans deserve a better organized, high-performing health care system.”

Congress created the 12-member commission in 2014 after approving a law overhauling the VA in the wake of the wait-time scandal, which also revealed that employees covered up chronic delays with false paperwork. As many as 40 veterans died while awaiting care at the Phoenix VA hospital, according to an investigation.

President Barack Obama said Tuesday that the report includes a number of proposals that he will review closely.

“We will continue to work with veterans, Congress and our partners in the veteran advocacy community to further our ongoing transformation of the veterans’ health care system,” Obama said. “Our veterans deserve nothing less for their sacrifices and their service.”

VA Secretary Bob McDonald also hailed the report and said he was pleased to see that many of the panel’s recommendations are in line with ongoing efforts to transform the VA into what McDonald calls a “veteran-centric organization.”

Work on that effort has been underway for two years and has resulted in increased access to health care and a better experience for veterans, McDonald said.