<body><div><figure><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=0aUS1y_1AzjRros00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=0aUS1y_1AzjRros00" width="1920" height="1080" ><figcaption>The Department of Veterans Affairs requested $488.2 billion for fiscal year 2027, but questions on Capitol Hill focused on doctors and nurses rather than dollar</figcaption></figure>WASHINGTON — The Department of Veterans Affairs requested $488.2 billion for fiscal year 2027, but questions on Capitol Hill focused on doctors and nurses rather than dollars.Senator Jon Ossoff said the numbers appear to move in the wrong direction.“It appears that the FY 27 request for physicians would employ fewer physicians than the FY 26 request for physicians,” Ossoff said. “Likewise, fewer registered nurses.”Ossoff said the department sees growing demand for VA care, but the request does not reflect investments in clinical staff to match that demand.<h2>Staffing shortages increase 50 percent</h2>The VA Office of Inspector General found 4,423 severe occupational staffing shortages across 139 VA facilities, including Augusta. That represents a 50 percent increase from the year before.Civilian hospitals are struggling too, but Secretary Doug Collins said the VA faces an added challenge: pay.Congress sets salary caps for VA employees, and Collins said those limits have not kept up with the market.“I’m offering them 3 to 400,000 less than they can make in the open market,” Collins said. “I mean, I’m sorry they have to take care of their own family. They’re not going to come to the VA if they can make $400,000 down the street.”A law signed last year allows the VA secretary to waive the cap for up to 300 doctors, but Collins called that a partial fix that creates uneven pay inside the same hospital.“Say I hire Senator boozman and I get him in to work but Senator Fisher was already working over here in the facility then there are going to be inequitable outcomes in pay,” Collins said. “Is where we’re having to add we’re also running the risk of losing those that we can’t bring up over 300 because we had to spread 300, 300 positions over 1.5%, basically of our doctor force.”<h2>Community care funding increases</h2>Ossoff pressed the secretary on where new money is going, including a sharp increase in community care, where veterans get treatment outside of VA facilities.“We have this huge imbalance in the requested funding for outsourced privatized care versus direct care through the VA,” Ossoff said.Ossoff pointed to what he said is more than a 17 percent increase in funding for community care.“I hope we can get some clarity on the justification for those changes,” Ossoff said.In written testimony, Collins said the goal is faster care, whether at a VA hospital or in the community.It has been more than 20 years since Congress increased federal salary caps.</div></body>

Block Source: WRDW-TV

Misinformation

Clickbait

Old or repetitive news

Explicit content

Location not relevant

WASHINGTON — The Department of Veterans Affairs requested $488.2 billion for fiscal year 2027, but questions on Capitol Hill focused on doctors and nurses rather than dollars. Senator Jon Ossoff said the numbers appear to move in the wrong direction. “It appears that the FY 27 request for physicians...

VA budget request funds fewer doctors, nurses despite growing demand

NewsBreak

WASHINGTON — The Department of Veterans Affairs requested $488.2 billion for fiscal year 2027, but questions on Capitol Hill focused on doctors and nurses 

VA budget request funds fewer doctors, nurses despite growing demand

Comments