Senator Patty Murray is the Chair of the Senate Budget Committee and serves on the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee. Her office issued the following:
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: Murray Press Office
Monday, June 09, 2014
(202) 224-2834
VETERANS: Murray Statement on VA’s Nationwide Access Audit
“Disturbing” data from new VA report shows gaps in quality, access to care
(Washington, D.C.) – Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), a
senior member of the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee, released
the following statement after the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA)
released the results from its
Nationwide Access Audit of veterans health facilities.
“Today’s
report paints a serious and disturbing picture of the VA’s system-wide
failure to provide timely access to care for our nation’s heroes. I am
especially concerned
by the number of facilities that serve Washington state veterans that
have been flagged for further review and investigation. This information
confirms what I have been hearing from so many veterans who are
struggling with extended wait times in the Pacific
Northwest.
“These
are not new problems, but I hope today’s data will spur continued
bipartisan momentum as we work to pass the Sanders-McCain compromise.
Finalizing this legislation
is a critical step toward addressing some of the immediate
accountability and access concerns plaguing the VA. In addition, as
further investigations and reviews are completed, we need to keep
working to ensure the VA continues to take substantive action to
address any management, resource, and personnel shortcomings that have
contributed to today’s findings.”
The
VA Access Audit and Fact Sheet on the Veterans Integrated Service
Network (VISN) 20, which includes Washington state facilities, can be
found
here.
Today,
the VA also released information Senator Murray has been requesting as
part of her ongoing call for transparency, including:
medical center quality and efficiency data and
mental health provider survey data.
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Meghan Roh
Press Secretary | New Media Director
Office of U.S. Senator Patty Murray
Mobile: (202) 365-1235
Office: (202) 224-2834
veterans
