Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
GAO: Veterans Still Face Months-Long Wait Times When Seeking Health Care
The report, released by the Government Accountability Office, comes just before a House Veterans Affairs’ Committee hearing on the issue. “This report proves what we’ve long known: wait-time manipulation continues at VA and the department’s wait-time rhetoric doesn’t match up with the reality of veterans’ experiences,” Rep. Jeff Miller (R-Fla.), the committee chairman says.
Veterans newly enrolling for health care from the Department of Veterans Affairs and requesting an appointment can endure a months-long wait before they first see a medical provider, according to an audit issued Monday. The Government Accountability Office also said that the department’s method of measuring wait times understates the delay a veteran experiences. The average waiting time — as measured from the time veterans requested that VA contact them to schedule appointments to when they were seen — at the six medical centers GAO studied ranged from 22 to 71 days. (Yoder, 4/19)
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