The SOUTH TEXAS VETERANS HEALTH CARE SYSTEM is having data loss problems.  Veterans are receiving letters stating:  "... your full name and social security number may have been disclosed inadvertently when some administrative tracking documents were identified as missing."  How many veterans are affected?  We know, according to the VA, it is more than three and less than 88,000.  No!  I'm not kidding.  That's what they said.  More coming soon.  11-19-09

ATLANTA VA "CONFIDENT" ITEMS TAKEN AT STAND DOWN NOW RETURNED -- VA spokesperson says employees have returned merchandise meant for distribution to homeless veterans.   10-23-09

VA EMPLOYEES STEAL FROM HOMELESS VETERANS -- Internal email says employees took merchandise specifically donated to help homeless veterans at Stand Down held by Atlanta VA.  VA is offering amnesty to thieves ... and much, much more ... "For every item stolen, there is a veteran somewhere whose day-to-day life is now a little more difficult."   10-19-09

HOW SOME VA EMPLOYEES WANT TO SOLVE THE CLAIMS BACKLOG -- In this "Under the Radar" report we look at what some VA employees want to do to clear up nearly 1 million claims.   09-15-09

BIG SHAKE-UP COMING TO VBA? -- The Washington, D.C. rumor mill is indicating that top execs will be out at the Veterans' Benefits Administration (VBA) in September.  Sources are naming Patrick W. Dunne, Under Secretary for Benefits and Mike Walcoff, Deputy Under Secretary for Benefits.  These would be the two top execs at VBA ... the ones many blame for the huge claims backlog crisis.  No one is mentioning who the replacements might be ... but the hope is that it will be new blood and not a couple of VA retreads.  Does this mean that Secretary Eric Shinseki really is planning a 21st century VA?  We can hope.   8/18/09

MORE MISHANDLED VA DOCUMENTS -- VA whistleblower says he found ten boxes of old mail and a widow's claim from September of 2007.  Full details here...    5/6/09

From a Veterans' Benefits Administration (VBA) Regional Office (RO) in the Midwest:  Why is the VA spending so many man hours "redacting?" We're redacting everything in our work areas. We are supposed to work in secured buildings; on secured floors; in secured areas but yet we are now required to redact everything to include our own personal information kept at work. We have to even redact our training manuals & training material which we do not take out of the building let alone the floors we work on. We are blacking out names, ss#, address, date of birth with black markers---and you can still see the information through most of the redacting. Since "shred-gate" began, we're no longer allowed to lock our desk drawers after working hours but we're told to keep our passwords in a locked and/or secured place. It was suggested to find a "hiding" spot on your desk like between two books---real secure.   4/23/09

This comes from Bob Brewin at NextGov.com ... It looks like Dr. Stephen Ondra may be the new head of the Veterans' Health Administration, replacing Dr. Michael Kussman.  Although the official announcement of Kussman's "retirement" said he would leave by May 9, those who answer the phone say he is gone now.   4/16/09

The new Service Center Manager at a VBA Regional Office in a Southern state is causing quite a stir among the employees.  It is reported that this Manager was once officially reprimanded for running a fantasy football pool on VA time using VA computers.  Not to mention, the Manager has been quoted as saying that just because "something was mandatory doesn't mean we have to do it."  Unhappiness abounds at this Regional Office.   4/15/09

The VA has been silent for nearly a week on the contaminated equipment issue.  Last week, late on Friday afternoon (4/03/09), the VA did a "one cheek sneak" and left town so there was no one around to comment or explain.  The "one cheek sneak" is the old trick of releasing bad news late on Friday... and hoping the press will miss it or praying it will get lost in the weekend shuffle.  That happened last week.  The media didn't catch the VA release until Monday.  Are they going to do this again today?  I wouldn't be surprised.   4/10/09

In all the fuss surrounding the proposal from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to bill insurance companies for a veteran's service-connected VA care, it appears the most strident opponents were the ones from which we didn't hear.  That would be the insurance companies.  According to OMB estimates, the insurance companies stood to pay out at least $500 million in the first year if the VA adopted the proposal.  A number of sources indicate that it was the insurance companies who stirred the pot the hardest when the proposal became public.  Stories were fed to the media.  This added to the frenzy that the veterans' service organizations (VSOs) had already created.  And, it all worked.  Proposal dropped.  Insurance companies breathe easier.   4/9/09

VAOIG is looking at VA hospital in Western state.  Allegation is that patient was put on ward and neglected for more than four hours because of improper patient / nurse ratio... basically, too many patients on ward for number of nurses on duty.  Supervisors were told of problem but ignored the warning.   4/7/09

With a new VA Secretary, many felt two of the VA's most controversial appointees would be removed.  Not yet... but it appears to be in the works.  Head of the Veterans' Benefits Administration (VBA) is Adm. Patrick Dunne... and many advocates feel he has done little to resolve the huge backlog of disability claims.  And, head of the Veterans' Health Administration (VHA) is Dr. Michael Kussman... who many feel has dropped the ball in the area of veterans' healthcare, especially the treatment of PTSD.  Now, sources say the clock is ticking for both of these gentlemen.  With a Search Committee and the vetting process, this could take six months to a year... tick, tick, tick, tick, tick,   4/6/09

QUESTIONS TO VA ON CONTAMINATED EQUIPMENT GO UNANSWERED -- Although VA's latest press release on this issue states that they will "care" for vets who have become infected, some questions go unanswered.  Over a week ago I asked the VA Central Office:  1. If a vet is infected, will VA offer care with no fees or co-pays?  2. If vet is infected, will VA test spouse or significant other (SO) at no charge?  3. If spouse or SO is infected, will VA offer care with no fees or co-pays?  4. If vet's disease becomes disabling, will VA stand in the way of any attempt to obtain disability compensation?  So far... NO ANSWERS from the VA.   4/5/09

Why did Sen. Richard Burr (R-NC), Ranking Member on the Senate Vets' Committee, hold up the confirmation of Tammy Duckworth to her VA post?  The theory floating around the Hill is that Burr wants something from Committee Chair Sen. Daniel Akaka (D-HI).  That quid pro quo never happened, so Tammy sits and waits.   4/4/09

I spoke with a surgeon at a major VA facility about the contaminated equipment problem.  He is certain his staff is complying with all procedures for the proper cleaning of colonoscopy equipment.  But, he pointed out an upside to all of this... it is making the staff even more careful when handling, cleaning and packaging endoscopic equipment... he calls it a "high alert"... and it has raised his comfort level.   4/3/09

An employee of the Veterans' Benefits Administration (VBA) who works at a Regional Office in a Southern state reports more document mishandling.  The employee has found VA forms with veterans' personal information lying in the parking lot... and has documented many instances of a veteran's personal information being sent to other veterans.  Management refuses to take action.  VAOIG has been notified... but has not responded to request for investigation.   4/2/09

Homeless women veterans in SF Bay Area continue to have problems accessing VA and VA approved programs and associated housing.  They cite problems at the "Veterans Academy" at the old San Francisco Presidio and the housing program at Treasure Island.  Allegations include mismanagement and mishandling of veterans' personal information.  VAOIG has been notified.  Will they investigate?   4/2/09

VA IS MISHANDLING CONTAMINATED EQUIPMENT SCARE -- Why is the VA so quiet about what they have / have not found?  From a Veterans' Service Officer:  "I just wish they'd say SOMETHING.  I got scared guys."  From an attorney who practices veterans' law:  "Why have the individual VAMCs and clinics that follow industry standard cleanliness standards not come out and made that simple statement?  Two possible reasons come to my mind.  (1) VA has ordered silence so as not to finger the facilities that do not comply or (2) none of them do.  Either way - something very bad is going on."  From me:  "VA's silence is maddening and disheartening.  It can only lead veterans to lose faith in the VA healthcare system."   4/1/09

RUMOR CONTROL --  I've been getting lots of email with photos that purport to show "mass graves for U.S. citizens" being dug and crypts being installed at the VA's Phoenix cemetery (and other locations).  This disinformation is coming from websites that pander to the paranoids and offer the most outrageous conspiracy theories as fact.  Disregard this nonsense!  Here is what is happening... http://tinyurl.com/cydpom Just planned cemetery upgrades.   4/1/09

Sources tell me that VA Secretary Shinseki's new Chief of Staff, John R. Gingrich, is running VA's Central Office like it's D-Ring at the Pentagon... no one is saluting, yet... but they're all practicing.   4/1/09

The Veterans' Service Organizations (VSOs) haven't jumped into VA's contaminated equipment debacle because they don't want to "pile on," a source tells me.  Right now they are content to wait for any press releases or reports the VA may issue... but they do wish VA would say something, anything, to help put the veteran community at ease.   4/1/09

The VA's Office of Inspector General (VAOIG), while looking into the VA shredding and document mishandling problems, was reminded for the umpteenth time that there are sexual harassment issues not being investigated.  The one that keeps popping up allegedly involves some top-ranking female Veterans' Benefits Administration (VBA) employees who demand sexual favors from male AND female employees at the agency.   4/1/09

Why don't we have statements about the VA's contaminated equipment problems from Rep. Bob Filner (D-CA), House Vets' Chair and Sen. Daniel Akaka (D-HI), Senate Vets' Chair?  One pundit opined, "It's because they don't understand it."  While that is entirely possible, more likely is the fact that they are both Democrats and don't want to appear to bust the chops of a Democratically-appointed VA Secretary.   4/1/09

The Veterans' Service Organizations (VSOs) are carefully watching the 2010 VA budget process.  There is still no inclusion of the promised advance appropriation.  Obama had supported mandatory funding for VA healthcare and backed away from that... then said he'd support advance appropriation and backed away from that, as well.  VSOs are unhappy, but still pushing budget weenies for inclusion of advance appropriation.   4/1/09

The media is getting mixed messages from VA about the contaminated equipment problems.  Some reporters are calling their local VA facility and being given access for interviews.  Others are being shut out and told to get their info from VA Central Office.  What gives?  VA's Public Affairs Office needs to get a handle on this.   4/1/09