The Ugly, Nasty, Disgusting Truth About The V.A. Scandal.

[Care4all]

This is turning into one hell of a sick joke. To claim there is not enough funding but the sons of bitches are carrying over surpluses is plain flat out looney tunes.

They have received what they have requested and the one article has them at 10 billion more than four years ago.

For crying out loud are the left wing that nuts that despite all the proof to the contrary they are still going to cry poor for the VA?

the carry over, was this money for hiring medical doctors and nurses? Are we having a hard time hiring Doctors and nurses due to the amount of money the gvt pays them vs what they can make in the Private sector and this is the surplus carry over money?

Aren't you even the least bit curious as to what is actually causing the "wait time" problem with the VA? Or is this ALL ABOUT POLITICS to you TD?

I don't know how much more money the VA will need or not need...

to me, we need to find out what is CAUSING their wait time lag problems first, then we can address whether we need more money or not....I won't rule out either, we could need more money to solve the problem or we could just need some heavy duty revamping the system with no money involved....ONLY finding out what is CAUSING our wait time problems, can give us an answer to the money issue....

The VA has asked and received the money they said they needed. They have surpluses.

Hiding the wait times is the key here. And they did it on a grand scale. It is criminal behavior period full stop because veterans have died.

How on earth can I tell you who screwed up on presenting the budgets to Congress? Or how can I determine why they were hiding wait times and getting bonuses for running " smooth "operations.

They've gotten every dime they've asked for. This is why an IG is on the case.

As I said, the surplus money carry over COULD BE FOR Doctors and medical staff they were not able to hire.... If that is the case, WHY haven't they been able to hire them? Is it their recruiting method that is lacking? Or is it that what is being paid to these doctors and professionals not comparative to the private sector, thus the difficulty in filling positions? What?

Let's get to the bottom of this before coming to a conclusion before any of us, both right and left wingers, know the FACTS.

there should be no REASON for these administrators to have to create these phony secret lists in order to receive a bonus, they should be able to receive their bonuses due to having short wait times among MANY other things.... you do know that wait times if they were even part of their bonus structure, were a small part of it....it wasn't the ONLY thing ranked to see if they qualified for a bonus, right? And personally, I see no reason why wait time reduction should not be a part of the admins bonus structure....so the concept is not faulty.....if this were a private organization, I can see "reducing wait times" as one of the admin's bonus criteria to meet....

the fact that some of these (sub humans imo) admins decided to cheat for the sole purpose of their own financial greed, at the expense of veteran's lives is a separate issue.

 

[Stephanie]

how about that title

liberals are just to dramatic to even be given the right to vote

was that dramatic enough?

 

[caddis]

In your opinion, what has caused the WAIT TIMES to be so long in nearly every VA?

Government + Union?

Outside of the military, when is it beneficial for a government employee to be more efficient? How often are inept government employees or union workers fired? It seems to me they are two entities that breed mediocrity and promote failure

 

[tinydancer]

how about that title

liberals are just to dramatic to even be given the right to vote

was that dramatic enough?

The left just doesn't even seem to care what the scandal is about. They just go into a knee jerk position of protect Obama and attempt to find a way to blame Republicans.

This scandal is about fraud committed by managers in the VA to hide wait times NOT because of a budget.

Plain and simple they were doctoring the books so they could look good to receive promotions and bonuses.

It's criminal.

 

[JoeB131]

[

I don't know why I bother with a serial liar like you, but I will this one last time....

The VA's budget has been exploding, even as the number of veterans steadily declines. From 2000 to 2013, [

Some will argue that the increase in health spending was the direct result of all those wounded warriors coming back from Iraq and Afghanistan.
But these vets aren't driving VA costs higher.

Well, first, if you are going to cite "Rich Douchebag Magazine" as a source, you kind of lose credibility.

Fact is, the number of heavily disabled veterans has increased.

While spending hasn't really gone up that much.

[


And I'll tell you why? Faced with all these facts, with all this evidence, you'll still never admit to being wrong...... About anything.

Right is right and wrong is wrong. Except to you. Because you're a scumbag.

No, you see, guy, I totally admit I was wrong.

I voted for Reagan, Bush-41 and Bush -43.

And watching how they gutted the middle class and sold the country off to multi-national corporations, I totally know I voted for the wrong guys.

In 2008, i stood there with a busted 401K, an underwater mortgage and a job that paid 20% less than I was making 2 years earlier.

And at that point, I started questioning whether the GOP had my best interest at heart.

Then the GOP nominated a Weird Mormon Robot who talked about how he liked to fire people, had binders full of women, and totally awesome it was that they had these Chinese chicks locked up behind barbed wire making money for him.

Which totally settled the question for me.

 

[Stephanie]

how about that title

liberals are just to dramatic to even be given the right to vote

was that dramatic enough?

The left just doesn't even seem to care what the scandal is about. They just go into a knee jerk position of protect Obama and attempt to find a way to blame Republicans.

This scandal is about fraud committed by managers in the VA to hide wait times NOT because of a budget.

Plain and simple they were doctoring the books so they could look good tor receive promotions and bonuses.

It's criminal.

exactly what it is...they're so transparent...but they follow MSnbc so you'll get nothing else from them.

 

[tinydancer]

[

I don't know why I bother with a serial liar like you, but I will this one last time....

The VA's budget has been exploding, even as the number of veterans steadily declines. From 2000 to 2013, [



Well, first, if you are going to cite "Rich Douchebag Magazine" as a source, you kind of lose credibility.

Fact is, the number of heavily disabled veterans has increased.

While spending hasn't really gone up that much.

No, you see, guy, I totally admit I was wrong.

I voted for Reagan, Bush-41 and Bush -43.

And watching how they gutted the middle class and sold the country off to multi-national corporations, I totally know I voted for the wrong guys.

In 2008, i stood there with a busted 401K, an underwater mortgage and a job that paid 20% less than I was making 2 years earlier.

And at that point, I started questioning whether the GOP had my best interest at heart.

Then the GOP nominated a Weird Mormon Robot who talked about how he liked to fire people, had binders full of women, and totally awesome it was that they had these Chinese chicks locked up behind barbed wire making money for him.

Which totally settled the question for me.

This has nothing to do with Republicans whatsoever. The VA's budget requests have been met.

10 Billion dollars more than 4 years ago to accomodate all the extra veterans. This is a case about massive fraud.

Sheesh. You don't get it either. It's just blame Republicans. Somehow greedy managers cooking the books to look good for promotions and cash are just conservatives fault.

Got it.

 

[Stephanie]

I just put this in a new thread...

SNIP:
May 29, 2014 11:15 AM
While Vets Wait, VA Employees Do Union Work
Millions of dollars are spent on paying health professionals to do full-time work for their unions.

By Jillian Kay Melchior

In 2012, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs paid at least $11.4 million to 174 nurses, mental-health specialists, therapists, and other health-care professionals who, instead of caring for veterans, worked full-time doing union business.

The list of these taxpayer-funded union representatives at VA offices around the nation and their salaries was obtained through the Freedom of Information Act by Georgia representative Phil Gingrey’s staff and provided to National Review Online.





“So many health-care providers were on that list — nurses or physical therapists or whatever they may be — when so many veterans are falling through the cracks,” a Gingrey aide tells me. “It’s kind of shocking that these paid employees wouldn’t be fully dedicated to patient care.”

In total, the VA spent at least $13.77 million on 251 salaried employees performing full-time union work. Others, who were not included on the list provided by the VA, work part-time for unions at the taxpayer expense. In fiscal year 2011, the latest on record, the VA used 998,483 hours of this “official time,” costing taxpayers more than $42 million.

The newly released records show that in Baltimore, which has the nation’s longest wait times for veterans’ claims, taxpayers covered $372,674 in salary costs in 2012 for a clinical dietetic technician, a patient-services assistant, a health technician, a medical-support assistant, and two nurses to spend all their time at work on union issues and none of it working with veterans.

In Columbia, S.C., the VA pays one health technician a $40,706 salary to work for the American Federation of Government Employees.

ALL of it here
While Vets Wait, VA Employees Do Union Work | National Review Online

 

[boedicca]

To the Dumbass OP.

The VA Budget has more than doubled in the past decade.

 

[whitehall]

The short answer is that the administration rewarded VA administrators for killing VA patients. Who ever heard of bonuses for civil service government workers before the former community activist was elected? The Obama administration doesn't even blame lack of funding or Bush for the VA debacle so why would the true believers try to play that game? Every stinking bureaucrat drone who accepted a bonus for making up a secret death list for VA patients should be indicted for negligent homicide but don't expect the A.G. drone to do anything.

 

[Care4all]

The short answer is that the administration rewarded VA administrators for killing VA patients. Who ever heard of bonuses for civil service government workers before the former community activist was elected? The Obama administration doesn't even blame lack of funding or Bush for the VA debacle so why would the true believers try to play that game? Every stinking bureaucrat drone who accepted a bonus for making up a secret death list for VA patients should be indicted for negligent homicide but don't expect the A.G. drone to do anything.

what a croc of poop whitehall!

George Bush jr added bonuses to employee pay, not certain if Clinton did as well, or any of the other presidents....it could have been common with them as well?

they didn't receive their bonus for killing people, there was no bonus given for how many people they could kill the bigger the bonus....

these administrators LIED AND CHEATED on the criteria set for their bonuses....they didn't get paid extra to kill them off, as you implied....and yes, they are scum of the earth for doing what they did...

but..........

Where is your pride in honesty?

 

[Care4all]

To the Dumbass OP.

The VA Budget has more than doubled in the past decade.

are entitlements Disability payments and discretionary is the medical facility spending and mortgage help spending and Va loans etc?

do you have a link for the article that had this chart?

 

[CrusaderFrank]

Obama's in trouble

Obama Fluffers, to the Kneepads!!

 

[OKTexas]

Republicans block Senate bill to boost veterans' benefits - CSMonitor.com.

Senate Republicans BLOCKED $24 Billion Dollar Spend Bill for Veteran's Health Care and Education on February 27, 2014. The vote was 54 Democrats in favor, 41 Republicans opposed. Even with a majority vote the bill was defeated by the Republicans.

41 Republicans refused to vote for money that would benefit the Health Care and Education of our Veterans.

Next.

The fact that if there had been no Illegal, Immoral and Unconstitutional War(s) in Afghanistan and Iraq, there would be no scandal in Veteran's Administration.

But because the shrub and dead-eye dick(less) lied this country into those wars, with strong ConJob, NeoNut, RePug and TeaHadist support.

Every fucking Conservative at this forum wanted these wars and supported these wars.

Do not blame Secretary Shinseki for YOUR blind absolute, unconditional support for two wars that should never have been fought. If those wars had not been fought, the current crisis would not be happening.

You people wanted those fucking wars.

The blame is in fact yours.

More ugly truth that you commies ignore. The VA has carried over health care monies from year to year for more than 5 years. So it ain't the money.

 

[Care4all]

Republicans block Senate bill to boost veterans' benefits - CSMonitor.com.

Senate Republicans BLOCKED $24 Billion Dollar Spend Bill for Veteran's Health Care and Education on February 27, 2014. The vote was 54 Democrats in favor, 41 Republicans opposed. Even with a majority vote the bill was defeated by the Republicans.

41 Republicans refused to vote for money that would benefit the Health Care and Education of our Veterans.

Next.

The fact that if there had been no Illegal, Immoral and Unconstitutional War(s) in Afghanistan and Iraq, there would be no scandal in Veteran's Administration.

But because the shrub and dead-eye dick(less) lied this country into those wars, with strong ConJob, NeoNut, RePug and TeaHadist support.

Every fucking Conservative at this forum wanted these wars and supported these wars.

Do not blame Secretary Shinseki for YOUR blind absolute, unconditional support for two wars that should never have been fought. If those wars had not been fought, the current crisis would not be happening.

You people wanted those fucking wars.

The blame is in fact yours.

More ugly truth that you commies ignore. The VA has carried over health care monies from year to year for more than 5 years. So it ain't the money.

what money are they carrying over? was it money slotted for more Doctors and nurses and they have not been able to hire enough to fill the open positions?

can they take money SLOTTED for Doctors and nurses and use this money elsewhere in the VA budget, for other things? probably not....

 

[tinydancer]

I just put this in a new thread...

SNIP:
May 29, 2014 11:15 AM
While Vets Wait, VA Employees Do Union Work
Millions of dollars are spent on paying health professionals to do full-time work for their unions.

By Jillian Kay Melchior

In 2012, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs paid at least $11.4 million to 174 nurses, mental-health specialists, therapists, and other health-care professionals who, instead of caring for veterans, worked full-time doing union business.

The list of these taxpayer-funded union representatives at VA offices around the nation and their salaries was obtained through the Freedom of Information Act by Georgia representative Phil Gingrey’s staff and provided to National Review Online.





“So many health-care providers were on that list — nurses or physical therapists or whatever they may be — when so many veterans are falling through the cracks,” a Gingrey aide tells me. “It’s kind of shocking that these paid employees wouldn’t be fully dedicated to patient care.”

In total, the VA spent at least $13.77 million on 251 salaried employees performing full-time union work. Others, who were not included on the list provided by the VA, work part-time for unions at the taxpayer expense. In fiscal year 2011, the latest on record, the VA used 998,483 hours of this “official time,” costing taxpayers more than $42 million.

The newly released records show that in Baltimore, which has the nation’s longest wait times for veterans’ claims, taxpayers covered $372,674 in salary costs in 2012 for a clinical dietetic technician, a patient-services assistant, a health technician, a medical-support assistant, and two nurses to spend all their time at work on union issues and none of it working with veterans.

In Columbia, S.C., the VA pays one health technician a $40,706 salary to work for the American Federation of Government Employees.

ALL of it here
While Vets Wait, VA Employees Do Union Work | National Review Online

Oh sweet Lord I want to bazooka barf. Un freaking real.

 

[freedombecki]

Republicans block Senate bill to boost veterans' benefits - CSMonitor.com.

Senate Republicans BLOCKED $24 Billion Dollar Spend Bill for Veteran's Health Care and Education on February 27, 2014. The vote was 54 Democrats in favor, 41 Republicans opposed. Even with a majority vote the bill was defeated by the Republicans.

41 Republicans refused to vote for money that would benefit the Health Care and Education of our Veterans.

Next.

The fact that if there had been no Illegal, Immoral and Unconstitutional War(s) in Afghanistan and Iraq, there would be no scandal in Veteran's Administration.

But because the shrub and dead-eye dick(less) lied this country into those wars, with strong ConJob, NeoNut, RePug and TeaHadist support.

Every fucking Conservative at this forum wanted these wars and supported these wars.

Do not blame Secretary Shinseki for YOUR blind absolute, unconditional support for two wars that should never have been fought. If those wars had not been fought, the current crisis would not be happening.

You people wanted those fucking wars.

The blame is in fact yours.

Project much?

 

[boedicca]

If the VA doesn't have enough money, why does it roll over so much surplus budget each year, and spend tons of money on fancy furniture?

VA expects to carry over $450 million in medical-care funding from fiscal year 2014 to fiscal year 2015. VA received its full requested medical care appropriation of $54.6 billion this fiscal year, which is more than $10 billion more than it received four years ago.

This is part of an ongoing trend.

VA carried over $1.449 billion in medical-care funding from fiscal year 2010 to 2011, $1.163 billion from fiscal year 2011 to fiscal year 2012, $637 million from fiscal year 2012 to 2013, and $543 million from fiscal year 2013 to 2014.

The Daily Caller reported that VA spent more than $3.5 million on furniture the night before the government shutdown on the last day of fiscal year 2013 so as not to lose that money in the department’s budget the next fiscal year.

VA expects to have too much medical care funding this year | The Daily Caller

 

[OKTexas]

Republicans block Senate bill to boost veterans' benefits - CSMonitor.com.

Senate Republicans BLOCKED $24 Billion Dollar Spend Bill for Veteran's Health Care and Education on February 27, 2014. The vote was 54 Democrats in favor, 41 Republicans opposed. Even with a majority vote the bill was defeated by the Republicans.

41 Republicans refused to vote for money that would benefit the Health Care and Education of our Veterans.

Next.

The fact that if there had been no Illegal, Immoral and Unconstitutional War(s) in Afghanistan and Iraq, there would be no scandal in Veteran's Administration.

But because the shrub and dead-eye dick(less) lied this country into those wars, with strong ConJob, NeoNut, RePug and TeaHadist support.

Every fucking Conservative at this forum wanted these wars and supported these wars.

Do not blame Secretary Shinseki for YOUR blind absolute, unconditional support for two wars that should never have been fought. If those wars had not been fought, the current crisis would not be happening.

You people wanted those fucking wars.

The blame is in fact yours.

More ugly truth that you commies ignore. The VA has carried over health care monies from year to year for more than 5 years. So it ain't the money.

what money are they carrying over? was it money slotted for more Doctors and nurses and they have not been able to hire enough to fill the open positions?

can they take money SLOTTED for Doctors and nurses and use this money elsewhere in the VA budget, for other things? probably not....

Google or Bing is your friend, if you want to rebut what I said provide proof, speculation gets you no where.

 

[depotoo]

When at first they don't succeed in spreading their lies, they try, try again. Thankfully you are here to correct them each time.

Truth. It eludes left wing whackos but it is out there.



FY 2013 Budget: The Facts for Veterans
Issues: Veterans

Several media outlets are reporting that the GOP Budget cuts funding for veterans. These same outlets charge that the GOP budget doesn’t even mention the word “veterans.” Both charges are wrong.

These reports stem from a misreading of the GOP Budget and by comparing the CBO scoring of the GOP Budget and the President’s Budget, with that of OMB’s score of the President’s Budget. Using CBO scoring for both budgets, the GOP Budget exceeds the funding levels for veterans over the next 10 year as compared to the President’s budget (see chart below).

The Facts

FACT: The GOP Budget Keeps Discretionary Spending for Veterans Exactly the Same as Proposed By President Obama: $61.342 Billion. Using CBO numbers (which, by law, every Congressional budget resolution must use), the GOP budget assumes discretionary spending (i.e., VA medical care, construction, claims processing and national cemetery administration, etc.) on veterans in FY 2013 at exactly the amount requested in the President’s Budget.

In both budgets, this translates to a 4.3% increase above the FY 2012 funding level for VA, as recommended in the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs’ bipartisan Views and Estimates letter.

FACT: The GOP Budget Fully Funds VA Entitlement Programs in FY 2013 and Beyond.

Again, using CBO numbers, the GOP budget fully funds VA entitlement programs (i.e., disability compensation, pension, GI Bill, etc.) this year and beyond. The only difference between the GOP Budget and the President’s Budget under mandatory spending is the exclusion of the President’s $1 billion Veterans Jobs Corps proposal, on which the Administration has yet to produce any details.

The exclusion of the Veterans Jobs Corps in FY 2013 spending is supported by all 11 House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs’ Democrats and Senator Patty Murray of the Senate Committee on Veterans' Affairs (see SVAC V&E letter).

FACT: The Word “Veterans” Appears 41 Times in the GOP Budget. FY 2014 advanced appropriations for veterans’ medical care is dictated by Section 501(c) of the GOP budget resolution, which permits advance appropriation not exceeding $54.462 Billion “for the following programs in the Department of Veterans Affairs – (A) Medical Services; (B) Medical Support and Compliance; and (C) Medical Facilities accounts of the Veterans Health Administration.” The word “veterans” clearly appears in the GOP Budget.

FY 2013 Budget: The Facts for Veterans | House Committee on Veterans' Affairs

[/QUOTE]