VA Audit Finds 837 San Antonio Veterans Waiting for Care

The Department of Veterans Affairs today released the results of a nationwide audit that examined problems surrounding access to care for millions of America’s veterans. According to the report, schedulers at 76% of VA facilities had engaged in the practice of misreporting appointment requests to hide long waitlists for veterans seeking care. Thirteen percent of scheduling staff interviewed said that they had received direct instruction from supervisors or others to falsify medical appointment records.

The audit flagged certain VA facilities for further investigation and review, including Audie L. Murphy Memorial VA Hospital in the 21st District of Texas. Last week, I met with Acting Secretary of Veterans Affairs Sloan D. Gibson to discuss recent allegations of misconduct at Audie Murphy Memorial Hospital.

According to the VA audit, more than 800 San Antonio veterans are waiting for care. Last week, I met with a veteran who has been waiting more than two years for oral surgery. This is inexcusable. America’s veterans deserve the best care possible, as soon as possible.

Today’s audit confirms the Inspector General’s reports that the VA’s scheduling schemes are systemic. According to the audit, misreporting practices took place in 76% of VA facilities across the country. In San Antonio alone, 837 veterans are waiting to receive care.

I recently met with Secretary Gibson to discuss what the VA is doing to help San Antonio veterans who are stuck on long waitlists. I was reassured that he sincerely wants to fix the problem. And I appreciate that he is taking seriously the new allegations of misconduct at Audie Murphy Memorial Hospital in my district. Further review at Audie Murphy Hospital is needed to help make sure that San Antonio veterans get the care they need and deserve.

America’s veterans have made tremendous sacrifices to protect and defend our freedoms. They deserve the best health care, not delayed health care. I am committed to continuing to fight to ensure that San Antonio veterans have the best care that our nation can provide.

On June 4, I sent a letter to VA Acting Inspector General Richard Griffin regarding reports from employees at Audie Murphy Memorial Hospital that senior managers had directed schedulers to hide evidence of delays for veterans seeking care. In the June 4 letter, I raised concerns about the independence and integrity of the IG investigation in light of reports that investigators were only interviewing schedulers who were hand-picked and coached by senior management.

Last month, I sent a letter to IG Griffin calling on him to immediately initiate an investigation into allegations of misconduct at three VA facilities in Texas. According to media reports, employees at the North Central Federal Clinic in San Antonio, the Austin Veterans Affairs Outpatient Clinic and Waco Veterans Affairs Medical Center were instructed by supervisors to ensure that wait times for veterans were as “close to zero days as possible.” An employee of Veterans Affairs who recently worked at all three clinics claims that staffers falsely logged patients’ desired appointment dates to closely coincide with appointment openings. But in reality, veterans were left waiting for months.

On May 27, IG Griffin responded to me confirming that his office is investigating allegations of misconduct at the three Central Texas VA facilities.