News

Veterans Affairs medical officials recorded their millionth diagnosed COVID-19 case Wednesday, a milestone that department experts say serves as a reminder that the virus remains a public health threat even years after the height of the global pandemic. “COVID-19 continues to be the most significant viral respiratory infection in our community,” said Dr. Gio Baracco, senior advisor for the Veteran...[Read More]

At least 60 Veterans Affairs employees have been placed on administrative leave following the closure of multiple diversity, equity and inclusion offices across the department, part of a government-wide crackdown on the issue. In a statement to Military Times, VA officials said that all department DEI offices are “permanently closed” and that the workers on leave were solely focused on those inclu...[Read More]

Veterans Affairs leaders plan to cut hundreds of payroll workers in coming months as part of efforts to downsize the department’s workforce and increase efficiency in agency operations. The moves, outlined in an internal memo signed by VA Secretary Doug Collins earlier this month, would shutter payroll offices at nearly 50 VA medical centers spread throughout the country, which employ around 600 s...[Read More]

Veterans Affairs leaders plan to eliminate all co-pays for telehealth services and award grants for telehealth clinics in rural areas, part of ongoing efforts to expand virtual care options within the medical care system. In an announcement Monday, department officials said the moves could help “lower costs and expand access to care for all those who served.” Both proposals will have to go through...[Read More]

Veterans Affairs officials on Thursday unveiled plans to expand caregiver support services to thousands more families in coming years, while also easing program rules to minimize disruptions for families already receiving those benefits. The move comes more than two years after department leaders suspended their previous efforts to reform the Program of Comprehensive Assistance for Family Caregive...[Read More]

In his first public address to a veterans organization, Veterans Affairs Secretary Doug Collins vowed to improve the department’s benefits delivery and expand medical care while bringing reforms to the workforce to refocus its work on people, rather than bureaucracy. “I want this to be heard clearly by every organization, but especially by those inside the VA walls and the VA workforce: We will no...[Read More]

Veterans Affairs Secretary Doug Collins on Wednesday confirmed plans to scale back his department’s workforce by roughly 80,000 staffers in coming months, saying the moves are needed to properly balance and reform the massive federal bureaucracy. “If the answer was money and people, then we should have solved our problems at VA a long time ago,” Collins said in an interview with Military Times. “T...[Read More]

Veterans Affairs Secretary nominee Doug Collins on Tuesday pledged to be a fierce defender of the department’s workforce and operations if confirmed to the department leadership role, but also said health care delivery must evolve for the agency to stay relevant for veterans in the future. “Veterans will always be able to use the health care system, the issue is how we make it better,” he said. “W...[Read More]

Veterans Affairs Secretary nominee Doug Collins on Tuesday pledged to be a fierce defender of the department’s workforce and operations if confirmed to the department leadership role, but also said health care delivery must evolve for the agency to stay relevant for veterans in the future. “Veterans will always be able to use the health care system, the issue is how we make it better,” he said. “W...[Read More]

White House officials this week announced that Veterans Affairs Secretary Doug Collins will also serve as the interim head of the Office of Government Ethics and the Office of Special Counsel while the administration reorganizes both agencies. The trio of high-level responsibilities for the just-confirmed Collins raised concerns among some lawmakers who said running the 480,000-employee department...[Read More]