March 29, 2024

Congressmen Address Baltimore VA Issues

Posted for Congressman Steny Hoyer

Congressmen Steny H. Hoyer (MD-5), Chris Van Hollen (MD-8), Dutch Ruppersberger (MD-2), and John Sarbanes (MD-3) met earlier this month with the Department of Veteran Affairs (VA) Secretary Bob McDonald to learn what actions are being taken to address an Inspector General’s Report on the VA’s Baltimore Regional Office. This Maryland congressional delegation additionally sought assurances that issues highlighted in a July 2014 report would not be  repeated in the future.

The administrative failures discovered were so severe the resultant backlog had not yet been cleared at the time of the congressional meeting.

According to the IG report, “a supervisor had inappropriately stored 8,000 documents and 80 claims folders in an office for an extensive period of time and “1,500 documents were found to be inappropriately stored in employees workspaces,” including unprocessed mail and completed ratings decisions. In addition to the poor operating procedures highlighted in the IG report, there continues to be a significant claims backlog at the Baltimore office, according to the report received by the Congressmen.

All four Congressmen remarked on the progress the VA has taken to rectify the situation and remain hopeful about the future of VA care.  “I was pleased to meet with Secretary McDonald  to discuss how the Department of Veteran Affairs is working to meet the needs of veterans at the Baltimore Regional Office and throughout the country,” said Congressman Hoyer. “Our veterans deserve to receive timely care and the best treatment possible. I look forward to continuing to work with Secretary McDonald and the Maryland Congressional Delegation to ensure that the backlog at the VA Baltimore Regional Office is eliminated and to ensure that Maryland veterans have access to the health care they have earned.”

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