“Why GAO Did This Study
For several decades, GAO has issued hundreds of reports containing recommendations for VA to improve its management and oversight of the services it provides to veterans. The number of open recommendations to VA is one reason that GAO added VA health care to the GAO High-Risk List in 2015. In March 2019, GAO also added VA’s acquisition management to the High-Risk List. Further, several other government-wide high-risk areas—including strategic human capital management, improving and modernizing federal disability programs, and ensuring cybersecurity of the nation—have direct implications for VA and its operations…”
“What GAO Found
The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is responsible for providing benefits, including health care to over 9 million enrolled veterans, as well as various types of financial assistance and burial services. However, VA has faced longstanding challenges managing and overseeing its operations. As of January 9, 2019, VA had 223 open recommendations. GAO considers 30 of these recommendations to be the highest priority for VA to implement, as of March 2019. These recommendations are in the areas of veterans’ access to timely health care, veterans’ use of community-based health care, quality of care and patient safety, information technology, and national policy reform, among others…”
“What GAO Recommends
GAO is not making any recommendations…”
Read the full 17-page report here.
Source: Actions Needed to Improve Management and Oversight of VA Operations – April 10, 2019. GAO.
