Coburn Report On VA: Poor Care Cost 1,000 Veterans Their Lives

Oklahoma Senator Tom Coburn released a new oversight report Tuesday on the Veterans Administration titled "Friendly Fire: Death, Delay, and Dismay at the VA."

The senator said this report is based on a year-long investigation of VA hospitals around the country.

In the report Coburn is critical of Congress, blaming many of the VA's problems on congressional inaction.

"This report shows the problems at the VA are worse than anyone imagined. The scope of the VA's incompetence – and Congress' indifferent oversight – is breathtaking and disturbing. This investigation found the problems at the VA are far deeper than just scheduling. Over the past decade, more than 1,000 veterans may have died as a result of VA's misconduct and the VA has paid out nearly $1 billion to veterans and their families for its medical malpractice. As is typical with any bureaucracy, the excuse for not being able to meet goals is a lack of resources. But this is not the case at the VA where spending has increased rapidly in recent years," Dr. Tom Coburn said.

The report looked at VA care eligibility, wait times at various VA hospitals, disability benefit claims delays and "scheduling manipulation." The scheduling issue is something VA management has known about for six years according to the report.

According to the report, key findings include...

• Cover-ups and sexual harassment by VA officials.
• Criminal activity by VA employees.
• $20 billion in waste and mismanagement.
• Senate's VA committee to blame due to its failure to act.

Read the entire report.