Make Veterans Healthcare Great Again: Fire Shulkin, Decommission the VA

David Shulkin, the Trump Administration’s nominee and then confirmed secretary for the Department of Veterans Affairs, worried me from the start. In February 2017, at his first confirmation hearing, he declared that the VA “will not be privatized under my watch.” Bursts of applause filled the Senate Committee Chambers. The Washington Post focused on the dissonance of Shulkin’s statement with White House’s intended goals to expand private care as well as access and accountability. The proper focus should have been that one more cabinet secretary would not address the fundamental problem at the VA.

It doesn’t help that he was an Obama appointee, either, since during Obama’s tenure veterans died on secret wait lists or were abandoned, left for dead in showers. Now Shulkin faces heavy criticism for charging his wife’s travel to the government. He declares that he was faithful to all ethical guidelines, and his chief of staff formally announced her retirement. In effect, she threw herself on the grenade to shield her boss. That magic word “retirement” indicates that her stepping down is not even a punishment. But wait! There are more reports of misused dollars and expensive trips all over the world taken by the “esteemed” Secretary. UGH.

Shulkin also faces fire from an Inspector General report on the operations of the VA. The internal watchdog slammed Shulkin for failures during his prior tenure under the Obama Administration to deal with dirty supplies in one major hospital. Why should this unchecked incompetence and disregard surprise anyone? Obama got away with a decrepit, poorly running VA system throughout his administration, especially because the press never hammered him about it. The mainstream media focused on General Shinseki, who ended up resigning. The buck stopped there. Such was the complicity of the fawning, left-wing press dedicated to cover for their Golden Boy at all costs.

But wait! Shulkin promised Republicans he would do a better job under the Trump Administration, right? Wrong. Still our veterans are not getting the care they need. Last November, lawmakers repeatedly blasted the never-ending efforts of upper management to protect bad medical personnel instead of getting rid of them. Congressman Bruce Poliquin (R-Maine) couldn’t contain his shock at the criminal cover-up: ““I think you’re protecting your butts; That’s what I think’s happening. This mismanagement is breathtaking.”

Yes, indeed. Again, we are talking about another bureaucracy, even if they are supposed to address and care for the men and women who sacrificed the most in caring for us. The VA is still a government entity. There are no market mechanisms, no quality controls based on price or profit. The only incentive for any reforms to take place fall into one of two categories: pass more laws or elicit change through intense scrutiny from the press (HA!) and third-party special interest groups.

Passing laws has failed spectacularly on another front, viz. the Brentwood VA in West Los Angeles. The facility languished for decades under long-time liberal Congressman Henry Waxman. Only when he faced his toughest re-election fight in 2012 did he pay attention to the Brentwood VA. For too long, the administrators and the agency as a whole were not directing use of the beds and the on-site housing for the veterans. Private companies were implementing solar panels, laundry services, and even a school open on the property, but what about the veterans? Los Angeles County has the largest population of homeless veterans in the country. This tragedy hasn’t improved, even with more legislation demanding stricter oversight and more money.

The uproar is bringing a critical mass demanding real chances for veterans health care this year, and we have a President who honestly cares for our veterans. How are things working out now? Last year, Shulkin declared his willingness to privatize health care somewhat, to bring in more competition. To his credit, perhaps, Shulkin is also firing three executives and consolidating oversight power over VA’s in 12 states into a new executive director in Washington DC. I have no problem getting rid of administrative overhead, but how does consolidation of power into Washington DC ensure better oversight, management, and correction in far-flung VA hospitals all over the country?

Of course, the bigger issue isn’t just that Shulkin is under investigation. Critics fear that his removal would signal a successor who would more likely push for privatizing the VA, and some veterans groups are unhappy with that. This is crazy. Privatization is precisely what is needed.

Socialized medicine, thy name is the Veterans Administration. If you want to see what single-payer, government-run health care looks like, look at the VA. What a shame. What a sham, and it’s time to pull the plug on this scam and the Scam Artist in Chief David Shulkin.

We need to rethink how this country serves our most deserving. They put their lives on the line in fields of battle and foreign theater. Then we expect them to line up for the DMV version of medical care, complete with long waits, bad service, inattentive staff, and criminal intent. A friend of mine from North Los Angeles County has to drive to Van Nuys for health care. As a veteran, he wanted to proudly display the American Flag on his back. Federal police on the property told him to stop, then took down his name and information, as though he was some common criminal.

Unbelievable.

In 2007, The Walter Reed Institute was forced to shut down following disturbing revelations of unclean colonoscopy scopes and rotting walls. The whole VA is rotten from top to bottom, with political appointees and bureaucrats out to safeguard their jobs rather than the save the lives of our distinguished military.

If President Trump really wants to make Veterans Healthcare great again, he needs to fire Shulkin and decommission the VA. This move would not just drain the swamp but ensure that our military get the care they need through private firms offering better care. Now’s the time. Our veterans deserve better, and they cannot wait any longer.

Letter to the Editor: Lower-Level VA Employees Followed for Unattainable Standards

I read your article about firing VA Secretary Shulkin.  

I wanted to point out the monthly Adverse Action reports on the VA Accountability and Whistleblower Protection website.  Office of Accountability and Whistleblower Protection

Office of Accountability and Whistleblower Protection By Office of Public and Intergovernmental Affairs

   

In one of Mr. Shulkin's recent talks, he mentions how VA employees are being held accountable.  However, he is not being held totally accountable for his own misconduct.  Someone in my position would be fired for the same misconduct he is guilty of.    

The VA Accountability Act was originally created because of the misconduct of two top VA officials, Diana Rubens and Kim Graves.    VA management is now using the same act to FIRE droves of lower-level employees in order to privatize.   Many of these employees are veterans or sadly, disabled veterans.   If you review these reports, very few managers are noted because they circle their wagons to protect themselves.   Many managers have no prior managerial experience or no military service.   Most of my co-workers on my level are veterans.  I would guess close than two-thirds of VA employees are veterans.

Fire David Shulkin NOW!

They are using the Accountability Act as a way to get rid of many of us lower-level employees based on performance standards that are unattainable and unfair.  Many of our new employees are leaving because the work is too much for them to handle.  If I could, I would leave but I'm a single mom with two young kids.  VA managers do not care about us.  They only care about watching their own backs.  They would rather blame a lower-level employee than take the heat for their own mismanagement.

 

Many of my co-workers are dedicated to help our nation's veterans.   Management blames the underdogs any type of backlog. What the public does not know is how many of us are veterans helping veterans or we are employees related to veterans helping other veterans.    In the process of trying to help, we subjected to workload procedures that change daily,   We are held to a very high quality standard. For example, mine is 96%.  Our quality is based on a review of only 5 cases per month.  If I have 1 error, then my quality will be 80%.  Our quality is measured cumulatively from October 2017 to September 2018.  If our quality is down, we have 2 pay periods to improve.  Based on the "act", they can fire us if we don't meet the standard in those 2 pay periods.  We are given 1 chance to improve in a Fiscal Year.  Only 1.

Our work systems and programs are constantly down because our servers can't handle the data from scanning countless records and  claim documents.  Also, due to our programs are being constantly updated due to procedural changes.

ADVERSE ACTIONS

Lower level employees are being fired for minor infractions or discipline or conduct issues discovered more than a year after it happened. 

If you look at the monthly reports from the above website, you will see housekeepers are being fired a half dozen at a time. This leaves the VAMC no choice to hire private contractors to do the work ASAP until they can hire more housekeepers if that actually happens.

Take a look at how very few managers ares being terminated.

I have to go or I will get on in trouble for being over my break.  

If this something significant to write about, please share.  

Your help is appreciated.

--Lady T

Letter to the Editor: Another Scandal Under Shulkin

Scandal at VA in Media

https://m.cityweekly.net/utah/triggered/Content?oid=5424623

Even after an investigation conducted by VA Central Office (Office of Accountability Review) was done, Veterans disability benefits are still being unlawfully denied at Salt Lake City VA. Please the 2 BVA remands I sent you for proof of that. 

The Central Office investigation unsubstantiated the allegation that Bennion (then Chief of Administrative medicine- compensation/pension) was making his subordinates unlawfully deny Veterans' benefits to cover it up. 

Wrongdoers in management such Bennion/Gribbin/ Stovall are being protected promoted and rewarded. 

Although Bennion was technically demoted to become Director of Employee Health (tier 2 salary), Stovall gave him a tier exception so that he could keep his previous higher tier 3 salary. He is still being allowed to unlawfully deny Veterans' disability claims despite substantiated anti-Veteran bias during investigation. 

Gribbin appears to be unscathed as she continues to remain the Chief of Staff.

Stovall was promoted from Acting Director to Director though Andrew Kalinen's testimony in investigation shows that she was aware of the problems with Bennion all along but she only protected Bennion/Gribbin and retaliated with disciplinary actions against whistleblowers (upheld admonishments against both Kulkarni's despite no faults found in their work), and asked both the Kulkarnis to resign in EEO settlement counteroffers. 

When we asked the Central Office for copy of the Investigation report, they suppressed it from us. In collusion with Central Office, in an unsolicited email to us Stovall covered up the 2 substantiated findings of mismanagement of compensation and pension by Bennion and Gribbin. The report was later made available to us when the House Committee of Veterans affairs got involved. 

On the other hand, whistle-blowers like us (Kulkarnis) are being forced out and made to suffer. Stovall upheld admonishment against us though no faults were found in our work. She asked both of us to resign in EEO settlement counter-offer. She also demoted us from higher pay table 2 to lower pay table 1 without justification. 

On the other hand, VA secretary Shulkin is wasting taxpayer money on himself , his wife, and his crony VA bosses, while Veterans' benefits are being unlawfully denied under his watch. 

Utah has the 2nd highest Veteran suicide rate, after Montana. Unlawful denial of their benefits surely does not help decrease Veteran suicide. How many Disabled Veterans could receive food clothing and shelter with the tax payer money wasted on Shulkin's recreation and tier 3 exception given to the mismanager Bennion by his accomplice Stovall?

Recently Shulkin wanted to take unemployment benefits away from older Veterans. Media is the only way to hold these misbehaving VA bosses accountable!!! Will you help our Veterans get what they have earned and deserve.....

S. and A. K. (Writers asked for anonymity, since they have multiple retaliation efforts)