FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: Murray Press Office
Wednesday, March 12th, 2014 (202) 224-2834
VIDEO: EASTERN WASHINGTON: Murray Presses Top VA Officials on Spokane Medical Center, Walla Walla Vets Home
Murray: “You told me there was no evidence that any medical center would be unable to provide the care we expect. Unless your view has changed, Spokane’s assessment seems to disagree.”
Murray: “How are we going to ensure that we’ve got the funds for state veterans homes like Walla Walla?”
Watch VIDEO here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R8k5ueD2lgI&feature=youtu.be
(Washington, D.C.)—Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), a senior
member of the Senate Committee on Veterans’ Affairs (SVAC), pressed U.S.
Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric Shinseki and Under Secretary for
Health Robert Petzel on continuing issues at the Spokane VA Medical
Center, including understaffing and budget shortfalls, and critically
needed federal funding for the planned Walla Walla State Veterans Home.
“The Spokane medical center recently prepared a draft response to
questions from the network about their budget. They talk about the
significant challenges of declining budgets, numerous staffing
vacancies, and, leading the network in new veteran patients,” said Senator Murray. “I want to ask you what you and the network are going to do to get Spokane the resources that they do need?”
“I am concerned about the future of the Walla Walla State Veterans
Home, especially because the budget request proposes reducing funding
for state veterans homes grants. These veterans have been waiting a
long time for this facility, and we have more than a thousand veterans
who need care,” said Senator Murray. “So I want to ask
whether the system is correctly prioritizing state home projects – do we
have enough flexibility? And how are we going to ensure that we’ve got
the funds for state veterans homes like Walla Walla?”
Full text of the exchange below:
SPOKANE VA MEDICAL CENTER
Sen. Murray:
“Secretary Shinseki, several times we have discussed my concerns
about getting medical centers the resources they need to provide
top-quality care for our veterans.
“The Spokane Medical Center recently prepared a draft response to
questions from the network about their budget. They talk about the
significant challenges of declining budgets, of numerous staffing
vacancies, and, leading the network in new veteran patients.
“And they said, and I’ll quote it: ‘Overall, senior management is
very aware of the budget shortfall and is taking actions to limit the
deficit. However, most actions will significantly limit staffing levels
and access to care. These actions will have – and have had – a
significant negative impact on morale and will drive some
dissatisfaction amongst patients.’
“Dr. Petzel, I asked you about a similar budget problem at
Indianapolis at the hearing on the 2012 budget, and you told me there
was no evidence that any medical center would be unable to provide the
care we expect. Unless your view has changed, Spokane’s assessment
seems to disagree.
“I want to ask you what you and the network are going to do to get Spokane the resources that they do need?”
Asst. Sec. Petzel:
“Senator Murray, thank you. I am assuming that that’s some employee’s
assessment of the situation, it’s not the senior leadership’s
assessment of the situation.”
Sen Murray:
“It is the senior leadership’s assessment.”
Asst. Sec. Petzel:
“I am not aware of this. We do believe, and the budget was
distributed back in October, and at that time, there was a consensus of
the network directors and the facility directors that they had
sufficient funds.”
Sen. Murray:
“The questions were asked to them by the VISN, and they
responded back, so it was the senior leadership at Spokane VA Center,
saying very clearly they do not have the dollars to be able to do the
duties that they need.”
Asst. Sec. Petzel:
“I will have to go back and talk with both the network and with Spokane. This is information that is new to me.”
Sen. Murray:
“OK, well, their draft response also calls for a discussion about the mission of the medical center.
“It asks if they will remain a full service medical center, and
whether programs and services should be eliminated. That is deeply
concerning to me.
“Are there any plans to reduce services at the Spokane medical center?”
Sec. Shinseki:
“We have no plans to do so.”
Sen. Murray:
“I need you to follow up on that and let me know what’s happening
that they are facing such a budget shortfall, and it was very clear in
the documents that we’ve seen that they are facing an extreme budget
shortfall that is hampering their ability to care for the veterans in
that region.”
Asst. Sec. Petzel:
“We will follow up.”
WALLA WALLA STATE VETERANS HOME
Sen. Murray:
“I also wanted to ask both of you about the Walla Walla State
Veterans Home. As you know, I’m very concerned about that, especially
because the budget request proposes reducing funding for state veterans
homes grants.
“These veterans have been waiting a very long time for this facility, and we have more than a thousand veterans who need care.
“So I want to ask whether the system is correctly prioritizing state home projects – do we have enough flexibility?
“And how are we going to ensure that we’ve got the funds for state veterans homes like Walla Walla?”
Asst. Sec. Petzel:
“Senator Murray, you and I have discussed on numerous occasions the
Walla Walla State Veterans’ Home, and I share your angst about that
particular project.
“We are looking at whether there is a solution that will allow us to
use the 2014 money in order to accomplish that construction but we’re
not finished looking at what the alternatives are.
“Obviously after we’ve done that, and discussed it with the Secretary, we will get back to you.”
Sen. Murray:
“We need to know where that’s going, and overall, not just that one,
but all of them, how are we going to deal with these veterans homes with
declining budgets?
“I think that as members of Congress, we need to know what the need
is and then we need to figure out how to fund it rather than just being
told everything’s OK. I want to know specifically about Walla Walla,
what we’re going to do, but also the funding in general.”
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Sean Coit
Press Secretary
Office of U.S. Senator Patty Murray
202-224-2834