You’re Fired: Bowman Termination ‘To Knock Shulkin Down A Peg Or Two’
The White House fired “a warning shot” at Secretary David Shulkin by aiming to fire Deputy Secretary Thomas Bowman for “freewheeling a little too much.”
Termination of Thomas Bowman, which is reportedly pending right now, is a warning to Shulkin for failing to stick to the program to advance the Veterans Choice Program further. Instead of working within the agenda set by the White House, “Shulkin has been working with senators who don’t agree with the White House provisions.”
There are presently two bills pending in Congress to amend the existing Choice Act. The White House favors the version that would most aggressively expand options for veterans. Those options would allow the veterans to see providers who are not on the government payroll.
Present animosity between VA and the White House over how far Choice should go. The agency is pushing for less expansion because they oppose veterans having a choice in who provides their healthcare.
The move to fire Bowman is likely more layered than what was revealed to Washington Post last night.
RELATED: Shulkin Begs Congress For More Veterans Choice Funds
Thomas Bowman Termination Layers
The Deputy Secretary has deep ties within the agency from his previous involvements under W Bush and Obama at the same agency. Bowman knows where the bodies are buried. He also owns certain contractor relationships that are likely not in favor of the agenda set by the White House.
The retired Marine was ultimately forced out of VA around 2010 and then took up shop in a staff role with Congress ultimately landing under Senator Johnny Isakson (R-Ga). He worked there for a few years until landing back at the agency after Isakson strong-armed President Donald Trump into keeping an Obama holdover to lead the agency.
Apparently, to grease the wheels a bit, Isakson ensured the agency would follow the Senator’s agency by infilling the role of Deputy Secretary with Bowman.
With Bowman’s departure, Shulkin will be walking on thin ice.
RELATED: State Rejects Failed VA Leader
Trump Must Appoint VA Undersecretaries
Unfortunately, the position of Trump is somewhat compromised because he has failed to appoint anyone from his own camp into substantive leadership roles to head either the healthcare side or benefits side of the agency.
Instead, VA is still fundamentally lead by Obama Team holdovers, which explains many of the problems the agency faces in implementing Veterans Choice and ensuring bad leaders are terminated when they should.
Bowman is the first big head to roll.
I’m old and only have a few years left. I believe I will live longer w/o any VA “medical ‘don’t ‘ care” and have a cloud of gloom, caused by dealing with this corrupt system, darkening the few years I have left. I believe what the Bible says and it is a strong consolation to have faith in a God that will handle up on these swamp creatures and take care of those who trust Him.
let veteran’s vote on who becomes the next VA Sec.
it’s very simple: privatize VHA, turn VAMCs into real hospitals where staff have to actually do their jobs or join the unemployed (and save billions of dollars). Give veterans the same voice convicts have in prison about their treatment. Open the closed doors at VA so these swamp creatures will have to scurry for cover and go away. VA is lying, Veterans are dying. Shut down AFGE. Do something quick, I have no real healthcare, haven’t seen a doctor in years…
Bowman turning his back on fellow Veterans. Pitiful how fellow brothers turn against there own to have power. Vets like Bowman are a disgrace to true Veterans.
Ben, after dealing with the Choice Program in 2015 for well over a month of phone call, I gave up. It was meant to fail from the beginning. After receiving a notice that there would be a 3 month wait for my VA appointment, a letter included, said I was eligible to use the new Choice Program. I called to use Choice. The choice program is run by a contracted outside company (Healthnet?) and has a VA Dept side to run alongside. After Healthnet asked where I would like to be seen, they set up an appointment in my community. Failing to check if the provider took Choice. I went to said appointment and was told I would have to pay because they did not accept Choice. I got on the phone immediately and, went as far as contacting Dr. Clancy and McDonald. I received a response almost immediately and was told the VA side of Choice would contact me and they would cover everything. I was told to keep my upcoming procedure. Long story short, I paid for my visit and procedure for service connected condition.
Now I’ve been hearing on the news about Tricare having issues.
Tori, when being referred to Choice, you have to keep in mind the VA considers you to no longer exist regarding that medical condition.
With that in mind, what you have to do is find a provider that accepts Choice on your own. Once you confirm they accept Choice, call Choice and tell them…TELL, don’t ask, who your provider is, and that Choice needs to contact them to arrange the appointment.
All of this is done electronically, so there is no reason the VA and Choice cannot do this in a timely manner.
If you are getting the run-around, call the Choice Champion at your VA hospital. Every VA should have one since they raided Choice funding to hire them, so make them do their jobs.
Let’s not forget the Choice programs biggest enemy… Fucking AFGE.
Fuck VA, Fuck AFGE
This is good news! I want to remain optimistic and it’s hard to do considering the VA’s history of being unethical and having self-interest take precedence over the interests of the veteran. And what about the Veteran’s parade? I’m on the fence about this event. On one hand, it is a celebration of the armed services but on the other, it is money that could be better spent on veteran’s healthcare. Also, I may have my rose-colored glasses on, but I would rather have the USA be represented to the world as the gentle giant seeking peace and not braggadocios about our strength and power. I don’t know, It seems as though in these times my idealism is over-rated and outdated. Have a great y’all.
I think a parade is an insult to the time and energy Trump needs to be spending on helping our servicemembers.
Next, this isn’t some dictatorship country. We don’t need to march our military in the streets to show off our might.
Plus, nationwide our veterans, active duty and families are celebrated (to include marches/parades) on Memorial Day, Veterans Day, and local events (i.e. hometown parade for those returning from deployment).
Wanna show national pride for military? Start with fixing the VA. We don’t need a parade or more BS speeches/promises.
That’s what happens when you appoint an Obama fluncky, Shulkin should have been escorted out the front door a while back, something doesn’t seem right to many people in the wrong position, I believe it’s a way not to get Trump’s agenda on the right track
I sincerely believe Shulkin stayed because Isakson wanted him there to keep that Gravy Train running on time.
I believe your on the mark, all the while he jumped from one job to this one and now vets will be put on the back burner till more heads roll, need to appoint someone with the brains and motivation to get the VA on track and get Vets their dues and not a whole bunch of malarkey
What a very clear example of the Swamp Rats trying to protect their nest.
I bet Shulkin doesn’t last another year depending on how this Choice legislation goes.
So Isaksons former flunky now works for the VA, and Isakson and his flunky have more concern over protecting the status quo at that money pit than they do over whether veterans get timely and proper medical care.
How can the White House or others get accountability at the VA and clean up that mess when politicians in congress fight them at every turn with the help of the worthless VSOs?
Why will Shulkin not last another year? Again, that depends on how this legislation works out.
Never once have I ever seen an agency head go against the agenda of the person who appointed them. Yes, they may interact with Congress, but it is the White House that always dictates what will happen, and it is up to the politicians to figure out whether they agree or not.
It reminds me of years ago when the VA was offering their usual excuse for not providing treatment for Gulf War veterans. They kept claiming they just didn’t have the funding. They claimed there was a surge in vets going to the VA. They claimed they needed to research what was going on, etc. During a Senate VA committee meeting, the chairman asked then Secretary Jesse Brown what he needed to fix the VA. The chairman flat out told Secretary Brown he would give him a blank check, which was publicly reported at the time. Many were shocked at the time when Brown said in the hearing that the VA did not need any additionally funding…that they could handle it within their existing budget. It was exactly the opposite of what the VA had been publicly claiming for months.
Secretary Brown had to say that because it was what the White House wanted. The White House under Clinton, and the Office of Management and Budget which works for the WH, did not want to spend more money on veterans. No additional funding was provided then.
If Shulkin keeps playing games, he will not win.
Here is how VA Roseburg games the system. They assigned me to Choice but there is simply no way I qualify according to Choice; I live 3.4 driving miles from our full service facility here in Eugene and the facility is staffed by full time providers. They have assigned me to two seperate Choice referrals without my knowledge or consent beforehand BUT then they used the Choice referral as an excuse to NOT assign a VA provider stating in reaponse to asking them who my provider is; “All episodes of care will be handled through Choice.”
What is the beef then? The beef is this; first of all somebody somewhere is redefining the qualifications for a Choice referral. Who gave Roseburg permission to redefine qualifications??? Secondly the Choice program is administered by an insurance company.
Within the insurance company are folks working full time like a cousin I have. Their SOLE reason for being employed is to seek out ANY technical reason to deny payment. Not having a provider of any kind assigned is just such a case. Not fulfilling a requirement which is keeping a VA provider updated with your case is enough to make the referral useless. Yet VA Roseburg then shows me as opting out of care and my stats do not show up on their waiting list.
Choice program is scammed and used in ways they had not intended. It was not meant for folks living two miles from the clinic who just want simple prescriptions yet this is the attempt by Roseburg. This MUST be going on all over because this is a pretty creative way to get a vet off books with worthless and unwanted Choice referrals. It is arrogant thinking to believe this is the only way the system can be scammed to make numbers look good or that I am the only one they did this to.
Call it what you want but I am absolute proof that VA assigns vets unvountarily in Choice and I cannot find ANY justification for it. Triwest said the official reason I qualify was Roseburg told them “Services not available locally”. Lolz, check for yourself Eugene CBOCs web page – I live less than four driving miles from that place.
Tell me why “services are not available” at the local clinic when they boast a 28 day waiting list wait on average. Choice does not work because it is instantly bastardized by whatever whim a VAMC comes up with.
Choice will fail continuously because VA leadership cannot control their minions and never has.
This copied from the NPR news site about Choice… in 2016 they said,
“Some of the problems that would emerge later with the Choice program were apparent in PC3. For example, within three months, TriWest returned referral authorizations of 172 out of 192 gastroenterology cases, and 57 of those patients had to be seen immediately because they had symptoms of significant ailments, such as cancer.”
SO it does indeed seem this is not a new tactic at all.
I was one of those gastros in 2015, and one of the 57. My PCP had “urgent biopsy required” splashed all over the place to little avail. So after six months of being yanked around, I contacted Roseburg and asked which GI providers in the area had been performing services under Choice. They gave me a name of a guy in Coos Bay. I did my research on him – OK. I called his office, “I’m checking on my appointment for a c-oscopy and biopsies…… whaddya mean there’s no appointment!?? I just got a call yesterday”. So they called Roseburg and two days later I had an appointment scheduled….. via Choice.
It’s a strategy I used when I served. If you know a system is fucked up, fuck with it. In this case, I inserted what I needed into their traffic lanes. I made me exist in the middle. Choice is being gamed at two levels of administration – VA, and Choice/TriWest. Both have different motives to game the system. That usually means keeping US out of the system. So I just made myself look like I was approved.
Oh what tangled webs we weave.
I have done the same windguy, but in each case of mine, the Choice provider has had everything they needed, but Choice never called. Choice just played games when I called and asked for the status.
Dennis. 2 things. 1. Yes, I believe the VA intentionally screws veterans by putting them in this limbo game. Vets waiting months to hear from Choice on a referral are proof of that. If the vet gets POd and demands answers, the vet gets the run-around and likely told some referral has to be done over. Expired, lost, wrong referral, any excuse will do. If the vet pushes harder, the VA can always use the “fell through the cracks” excuse.
2. The VA can refer vets to Choice if they do not have the services available. I have been referred to Choice for Neuro because my VA does not have a neurologist on staff. I do have a Primary Care provider…maybe, depending on who is assigned this week. As it is, I was just told I am being referred to Choice again.
In your case, you should ask through Secure Messaging exactly what services you have requested that are not available at your VA, and see what kind of bullshit response they come up with.
@91Veteran
After publication of the newpaper article I told you about the VA terminated my access to secure messaging. I kept asking for reestablishment of a mental health provider and they got tired of it. I have zero access to any patient advocate and since they refuse PACT team assignment there just is nobody to contact. Even the Chaplain who wrote warm regards to me and such is no longer an option.
I can still log into secure messaging but all the drop down boxes are blank. VA has tried hard to eliminate written records about me. When I FOIA requested minutes of the DBC minutes that decided my fate by DBC they returned the minutes which simply said they discussed the situation and recomend a flag. No mention of what situation, when, where, why, or how, just that they talked it over and voted. No written record likely because all PRFs must by law be based on behavior displayed while “at a VA facility” All six of the PRF flags issued against me were for alleged coms made by me but ALL were coms sent by FAX or voicemail that they expressed concern over.
This means they knowingly were tossing out red flags over behavior (perfectly legal behavior) while at my home and communicating as I saw fit. I was not AT the facility when I called them and my calling them at ANY time I choose is a legal first ammendment right not subject to federal sanction, negotiation, and is in no way to be abridged by the federal government – they were tossing out this shit and when they caught wind that I was savvy to this AND was seeing truth by FOIA they stopped producing written records. It is a rigged game. I have faith though – I am an ordained minister, right?
I better log now. Today is the day I polish my horns and sharpen the tail.
Here is the top part of the statute that lets them conduct these kangaroo courts. Look carefully and see it clearly specifys “AT” a facility. Not, “when engaged in behvior we don’t like anywhere on the planet.”
Look at section 1c. This is critical to know when you get flagged for some phone call you made – they have no legal right. This is why they changed their story six times to try to somehow make hay out of straw.
Ҥ 17.107 VA response to disruptive behavior of patients.
(a)Definition. For the purposes of this section:
VA medical facility means VA medical centers, outpatient clinics, and domiciliaries.
(b)Response to disruptive patients. The time, place, and/or manner of the provision of a patient’s medical care may be restricted by written order of the Chief of Staff of the VA Medical Center of jurisdiction or his or her designee if:
(1) The Chief of Staff or designee determines pursuant to paragraph (c) of this section that the patient’s behavior at a VA medical facility has jeopardized or could jeopardize the health or safety of other patients, VA staff, or guests at the facility, or otherwise interfere with the delivery of safe medical care to another patient at the facility;”
Dennis, its interesting they refused to provide you any written information about why you were flagged.
Why would they provide something in writing that you could then use in your appeal if they followed their own damn policy?
Have you tried becoming a thorn with the VISN yet?
I tried Secure Messaging when I first heard about it. I was told not all providers use it, so I responded saying there was nobody from my VA listed, or any contacts at all. I was told then it had to be requested so providers would be alerted to having to use it.
I think at some point I called somebody at the VISN level about it, who then told my VA they needed to get their act together and start using it.
I’m not saying you should call the VISN to get Secure Messaging back, but to call them to inform them what is happening with you, and ask what they are going to do to resolve it.
I often get the impression the VISN is a bureaucracy that likes to hide from veterans and just collect a paycheck.
A phone call might get someone worried about their job after they saw Paxton moved.
@91Veteran
My friend you have no good reason to trust me BUT TRUST ME VISN-20 is completely and utterly familiar with my ass. I have utilized every imaginable constitutionally protected means and devices to assert myself and my dissent towards them in an ABSOLUTELY clear manner lolz.
They know precisely and exactly who I am and precisely what my legitimate constitutional beefs are with that group. The newspaper as I recall described my efforts as an unrelenting series of civil rights complaints and appeals and she said it true lolz. Those things went out of my posession and were delivered in the prescribed manner allowed under law into the hands of nearly EVERY SINGLE office within VISN 20. My preferred form of dissent is to inform peacefully the entire organization through appropriate channels and I choose to inform A LOT lolz….
A government can weather many things. It can even weather the truth from time to time but not for long if the truth stinks really bad.
However there seems to be a thread among those who accomplish deeds both great and small that points to a set common traits in such men and women that I have had the honor of knowing; unwavering persistance, unrelenting commitment to see a thing through, and a belief that they are making a difference.
Government corruption cannot weather dogged persistance. At some point they will of necessity be forced to comply with law.
As an addition to my other comment Dennis, I just logged into MyHeatheVet.
I have not logged in for some time. Now, before I can get to anything, I get a Terms and Conditions statement that is 5 pages long that I have to accept before I can get in.
The Sharing of Your Information and Data section is interesting. I have to agree to allow the VA to share my data to improve their system, for quality and research purposes, and for population health monitoring.
It also says Secure Messages can be copied into your health record.
It has a rules of conduct section which says I can be blocked for sending profane or threatening messages, or other inappropriate conduct as determined by my facility.
It says the system will be monitored and could be used for official administrative or legal purposes, and I am consenting to such monitoring.
It says the accuracy of the information provided is not guaranteed. As if anyone expected a VA medical record to be accurate.
The document, which I downloaded in PDF format is dated June 2017.
Sounds like the Disruptive Behavior Committee helped draft their 5 page manifesto required to sign with blood to enter…
It is a rigged corrupt game. The longer time goes on the more they all spew out, or show, their true feelings or attitudes about our many issues.
Sessions shows his time and again. He was a big supporter for many things including animal rights and their care, but not for us.
HIT & RUN BLOG
Jeff Sessions’ Advice to Pain Patients: ‘Take Some Aspirin’ and ‘Tough It Out’
“https://reason.com/blog/2018/02/08/jeff-sessions-advice-to-pain-patients-ta”
Easy for that piece of corrupt filth to say. They have their own special medical care, clinic right next to Congress, all the secret pills and treatments others can’t find in the USA they want. And be sure your pets that are in pain get all the meds they need and to keep them out of pain.
It’s just an example of how far out of touch those freaks are and how little they care or know about any of us or proper health care.
Sessions is a certifiable nut job. I mean that literally. Look at the shit he has come up with; “Good people don’t use marijuanna.” is absolutely kooky.
The White House spokesman finnally addressed the issue of state marijuanna and Jeff Sessions vow to go after it. In the election Trump correctly said this is a state issue and he would be hands off (it would not stand up to Supreme Court scrutiny anyway when it goes there). Jeff hits the ground running and essentially tells a nation they are all bad people.
In Oregon I was enrolled very early in the medical program. It meant only a few places would see you and fill out your card so waiting areas were full. I have sat next to EVERYBODY you might see on a city bus. A little girl no more than maybe 9, and cute as a button but only able to control tremors and such with marijuanna has always stuck out in my mind. From young to old. Jeff called that little girl “no good”.
President Trump finally responded to the half of the nation who have tossed the absurd prohibition and choose to grow what they want and use it how they want under the sun in their state. His spokesman said of Jeff, “When you are a part of the Trump administration you follow the Trump agenda – not your own.”
And now the nut job stopped talking about marching federal troops into our state to pill up and burn our crops and imprison our people who have decided as a state to tell the feds to fuck off over this. I have mingled with folks of VERY high political positions by way of family and such and mostly around Thanksgiving and holidays. One fave of mine worked as an Undersecretary of Energy. Harvard guy and smart as a tack.
Its like he said, you can take a drained battery to somebody like Pelosi and explain as the “expert” from DOE that the battery is drained and has no more power. He would laugh and say, “I have fotten more intelligent responses from a brick wall!” Here is what Nancy would say of the drained battery, “We will pass legislation requiring the battery to be charged and ready at all times for America.”
“…but, but ma’am all of the charging machines are already at 110% capacity and we already can’t keep half the batteries charged because of it – there is no more power!”
“Then, she would say, we need to legislate more efficient batteries, and pass laws requiing the battery chargers to make more power.”
“But ma’am the power lines are already carrying so much current that anymore demand will blow the circuit.”
“Well clearly we need laws requiring DOE to regulate the charging of batteries more efficiently…” and the conversation goes round and round and round. The people in D.C. are good at getting elected but so many of them are just dumb as rocks and once in a position of power they go full on kook mode for many.
When congress told Jeff, we know your heart… are you fucking kidding me??? The guy is a petty vidictive hold over from Reefer Madness days that went full kook. Trump will reign him in but Trumps most enormous challenge is finding people with suitable cognitive ability.
Dennis if you need people to prove your you and that you exist and that you need help you got a whole lot of veterans out here more than willing
@Jo3n
After my Harley crash I had a full time caregiver who herself was a peer review trained person for mental health. She had survived a childhood where the drunken father played the game wiht her of “making her dance”with his gun and for punishment he had dug a pit outside the house for her “time outs”
The courts changed her name and protected her as an adult but she had deep childhood trauma. The kindest person I ever knew and she has learned how ro choose life. Whle helping me learn to get out of the wheel chair and walk she was here when the Chief of Staff calle me three times at home threatening me over my decision to make pubkic the police report detailing the drug distribution scheme I had found.
She became furious in her own right and kept repeating over the course of a few months, “They can’t do that!” She had worked long as a 9/11 dispatcher and had great empathy for those in pain and mental anguish.
The problem Jo3n was I was too caught up in my own pain to see what VA was doing to her. Then when the DBC tossed out PRF letter number 6 in 18 months as I was relearning to walk, she broke down.
Her demons came back and the reaulting self injury ended up putting her in the State halway house again for about nine months. Her death was almost complete and she needed two full transfusions to revive her. She chose to martyr herself against this and this is to my shame.
Your words are kind but I will not put another human in harms way because of VA. This lady cared too deeply and saw how very wrong this was but she could not take it anymore than fellow vets can. I do not accept help anymore from any well meaning person over VA and except for forums like this I keep my lips butttoned about it.
This crew destroys lives and that is ok by me – I don’t fear nearly anything but I do fear putting others in harms way over my personal political agenda and I won’t allow it. Your kindness would only hurt you and if they don’t care about Marissa (a volunteer who has served without pay for HUNDREDS of hurt folks in need in our community over YEARS) opening up her veins over me they certainly wont care about you.
Trump’s problem is the GOP has no choices for what he wants to do at the VA. Remember, Veterans are part of the Romney 47%. The entitled grunts. Not the entitled Bankers who need a bail out.
Choice is an expansion of grunt entitlements.
The CHOICE PROGRAM is not accepted at better HOSPITALs and better DOCTORS. Only poor rated hospitals , doctors. Specialists, Cancer centers accept Choice program which puts veterans lives at risk.
How do i lnow this? First hand experience. MOFFITT H. LEE CANCER CENTER DOES NOT ACCEPT CHOICE. CHOICE IS LATE PAYING BILLS OR NOT PAID AT ALL. VETERANS CREDIT DESTROYED.
that is pretty much the way I was told. Choice owes Spectrum Health hospital in Grand Rapids, MI over 20 million
I’m sorry for my ignorance on this issue, but if I’m correct, this expansion the White House is seeking will only allow veterans to obtain medical services from entities outside the VA only if these entities have a “contract” with the government?
If that’s the case, I don’t see this as any better than being stuck with VA losers. Contractors overbill and under deliver…not that far from VA negligence/malpractice, but actually more expensive because the overbilling of taxpayers’ dollars.
What we need is to just allow veterans to choose their medical providers – like your average person does who has health insurance. Get the government out of picking who we can go to. The liberty of “choice” will drive down costs of healthcare and push innovation/competition for veterans’ to choose a provider. That’s Capitalism, I believe.
TaB,
Not quite the way it is suppose to work. The legislation that is supported by trump allows Veterans to choose their providers. I am sure there are limitations such as providers who take Medicare or Medicaid and are Registered in the National Providers Registry.
See: https://npiregistry.cms.hhs.gov/
There is just so much wrong about having Thomas Bowman at the VA even for one more day.
After reviewing some of the BS he has been pulling at the VA he needs to be fired pronto.
Remember that sole source Cerner deal that was arranged last November to take over the IT functions at the VA. Also the big urgent need for money to cement the deal that was going to happen overnight.
Guess what VA Turds were running that scam along with the help of one very crooked Representative from Florida named Debbie Wasserman Shultz. You know the evil witch that rigged the primary against Sanders for Hillary Clinton. Also the same one that kept the Pakistani Spy network up and running that spied on Democratic members of Congress. Let us also not forget her famous moment of threating the head of the Capital Police demanding he give up a laptop that is evidence against the spy network.
She was teaming up with Thomas Bowman on pushing this Cerner deal. Remember how at the start of November the VA needed $374 million to cement the deal with Cerner before the 1st of December. Both Shulkin and Bowman were pushing to steal $324 million from the VA’s patient care fund plus $50 million from the headquarters budget to start the planned project, which involves a multibillion sole-source deal with Cerner, that was scheduled to be signed before the end November.
All while the VA had vacancies for the assistant secretary for information technology and position of undersecretary for health. The primary people who should be making those kinds of decisions. Not the Secretary or the Deputy Secretary.
Overall, they had hoped to reprogram $782 million of fiscal year 2018 funding for the Cerner deal. But they had to start smaller because of restrictions on transfer of funds into VA’s Office of Information and Technology Office account, and restrictions imposed on transferring the funds out of Veterans Medical Care to IT.
To quote the Evil Witch Wasserman Schultz on the subject from an article published last November. “”VA’s foot-dragging on Vista has become our emergency,” said Rep. Debbie Wasserman-Schultz (D-Fla.), ranking member of the Military Construction, Veterans Affairs and Related Agencies subcommittee of the House Appropriations Committee.”
Another quote showing who is in charge of the fraud states “Windom, who led the program executive office during part of the DOD modernization effort, will report directly to VA Deputy Secretary Thomas Bowman.”
_______________
Source: VA needs money fast for health record program
By Adam Mazmanian
Nov 15, 2017
At: https://fcw.com/articles/2017/11/15/shulkin-cerner-approps-hearing.aspx
______________
It is really time to start kicking some of these turds out of Washington. Noting but thieves and con-artist leading the VA currently
Your comment explains a huge amount Seymore.
This makes clear how VA can easily misappropriate funds without getting hammered, or spend money for something that was not originally intended by Congress. Or it is intended all along, but congress just plays this game to hide the true cost (waste) from the public.
Congress can’t hide billions being shoveled at certain contractors, so the VA whines about needing more money to care for our dearly beloved and horribly suffering veterans. The public applauds and goes back to watching Oprah. Once the money is in VA accounts, Bowman starts steering it to contractors, and getting permission from Congress is simply a phone call to a few staffer buddies on certain committees to make it official. The public keeps watching Oprah, and veterans wonder why that appointment has been rescheduled 7 months from the date they were told it would be.
If I were a Congressman or Senator whose VA hospitals keep getting shortchanged on medical care funding for veterans, I would be pissed off.
But then, how many of those congressmen or Senators shut up quickly when a little money starts flowing to a contractor in their state.
All of this explains why the House and Senate VA committees don’t give a damn when its reported how much money is funneled away from veterans medical care and into contractors pockets.
If they only dig one hole the dimensions of a Stairmaster, Bowman and Isaacson might just fit with room for filling half-way with pig shit then fresh cement. Set and forget. Repeat as necessary until the swamp water displays clarity of purpose and mission.
Senator Johnny Isakson (R-Ga)…..What a waste of oxygen
Choice program seems fake, with all the money they have wasted they could have actually helped everyone on the planet at this rate…