Chairman, for holding this hearing. I certainly echoed the concerns of my colleagues and the need for structural and systemwide changes. Healthcare system is a promise that we made to americas veterans that we will take care of them in return for their service and sacrifice. The close to 10 million veterans that access care through the v. A. Systems need to trust that they are receiving high quality care when they need it, and i do note that 10 million veterans signed up for the healthcare huge here that is greater than the population of a number of states, including the state of hawaii. When we fail to provide proper care for our veterans, we not only fail them, but their families as well, and these families have also sacrifice for our nations security, and provide essential care and support for our veterans. While the immediate focus might be on the phoenix case and similar allegations regarding a hospitals,ther v. A. It is important to see what is happening systematically at the v.
I do not think any took place did the v. A. Take to respond to the memorandum that to see to it that hospital directors followed their orders . We have worked very hard to root out these inappropriate uses of the scheduling system and these abuses. We have been working continuously to try to identify where those sites are and what we need to do to prevent that from happening. It is absolutely inexcusable. The schedulers response validity is to nature that that program is administered with integrity. What do you do when you uncover one . What do you do to hold them accountable . The individuals are held accountable. I cannot give you an example of specifically, but if someone were found to be manipulating the scheduling system, they would be disciplined. Would they lose their job . I do not know whether that is the appropriate level of punishment or not. We can probably give you a little better answer to this, because youre focused on scheduling. In 2012, we involuntarily removed 3000 e
Of their inalennable aalienable right to get 30rate mortgage. Think feelings like that are zapping some of the current momentum. Anymore. O crisis wondering about the begin is the major constituencies agency,ederal finance wall street, the banking industry, fair housing advocates are there others that i accompliced . Homeowners. Basically, the federal Housing Finance agency is a very agency. Mel watt is very powerful because he doesnt answer to a board or commission or the president. Hes an independent regulator. The policies that he sets governing the mortgages that and freddie mac affect about 2 3 of american mortgages. Thats how many mortgages are freddieby fannie and now in the market. So if he puts in place a policy that might change Mortgage Rates or might mean you cant get a bigger or smaller loan, thats going to affect people who are to buy a house. Its difficult for the public to react to his speech. Other constituencies have voices. How good they react to the things he laid o
Thank you very much. Thank you, mr. Chairman. I cant thank you enough for being here today, the sacrifices that you have made. I pray that the sacrifices that you and your entire family made will make us a better nation at the end of the day. I think most that sign up to serve have that intention, that they will make this a better nation at the end of the day. I am a physician and also a reservist and i served in iraq for a year. That has led me to want to be here today. One of the things i know as a doctor and im sure dr. Somers you can relate, that when you have patients, regardless of their problems, there is a level of anxiety that, because they have something wrong, whether its muscular, skeletal or mental, it doesnt matter. Something is wrong and there is anxiety. It makes it more difficult and heightens the anxiety when you have all these administrative problems. I know you started to deal with that in private practice. More so maybe than when you first started. The prescription
Warrior program where they have that, the actual battalion where when somebodys got a problem, they go into that system there. I just want to get your feelings. Maybe im going down the wrong road because i think they need somebody that has a problem, they need an ombudsman, somebody thats going to look out for their interests. That if they have a particular hospital, that they can go to the administrator. They can go to anybody and say, hey, wait a minute. This is an immediate situation. This is general quarters and we need to have a meeting right now or somebody is going to die on your watch. Can you comment a little bit more on that . Its pretty much what you were talking about, buddytobuddy, the same things over and over and over again, but to cut through the red tape right then and there with individuals that understand severity of the problem. Yes, sir. This is a crucial element is to have somebody to come alongside of these severely injured, cut through that red tape and get trea