Then and now: Reactions to VA scandal

Dan Caldwell

Arizonan and U.S. Marine Corps veteran who is national legislative and political director for Concerned Veterans for America.

Then: "I know there's a lot of anger. There are a lot of people upset at how they've been treated at the VA ... This is a symptom of a disease down there. And the disease is a lack of accountability."

Now: "I think the changes made are superficial ... problems remain. You can't say veterans' access has substantially improved." The future looks more promising "because of what you see happening in Congress and with the media ... They have shown a willingness to stay on this story for a long time ... they're not taking their foot off the pedal."

Sally Eliano/Barnes

A southeast Valley resident whose father-in-law, Thomas Breen, died Nov. 30, 2013, of bladder cancer after a series of treatment delays and errors.

Then: "As he was dying, he says, 'Don't stop. Let the whole world know they (the VA) let me suffer.' And here I am. That's why I'm doing this (speaking out) — in memory of him."

Now: Improvement "is going very, very slowly. The president is not taking it seriously — it's all talk. It almost feels like it's in slow motion ... veterans are still suffering, the Choice Card is still not working ... and there are lives at stake."

Dr. Sam Foote

Retired VA physician who blew the whistle on delays in care and bogus wait lists in the Phoenix VA Health Care System, triggering the nationwide examination of VA patient access.

Then: "They (VA administrators) just don't respect any rules at all. They just don't care. ... They beat me to the ground. I retired just exactly so I could do this."

Now: "Certainly, progress has been made in identifying several very important problems. But we don't have any solutions. The Choice Card — they got called on the carpet for that. And they still have problems hiring and retaining providers ... high turnover is killing them. I think things are a little bit better ... But I don't see a big culture change."

Verna Jones

National executive director of the American Legion, who led Phoenix town halls to elicit veterans' concerns about VA care.

Then: "The (Office of Inspector General) report came out and told us the things that we knew were happening anyway. It's time for people to make some decisions and stop veterans from being harmed ... There was so much effort put toward making this deceptive system work. ... Imagine if they put that much effort into doing it the right way?"

Now: "The VA has seen some improvement, and we're very proud of that ... But it's definitely not where it needs to be ... Veterans are saying, 'Yes, we're getting appointments scheduled within 30 days, but we're not being seen within 30 days.' ... Consequences will bring about culture change. (VA employees) go in with the intention of doing a good job ... but the amount of work is overwhelming."

Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz.

U.S. senator who pushed reform legislation and continues to advocate for VA accountability.

Then: "President Obama appeared to believe that the only real problem at the VA is a scheduling issue, which is a fundamental misreading of the breadth and depth of the situation there ... New leadership at the VA is just the first step in what must be a significant, sustained effort by President Obama to fix its systemic problems."

Now: "With a mix of military and private sector experience, Secretary McDonald has the potential to be a transformational VA secretary. Unfortunately, he often appears to side with the bureaucracy and takes an unnecessarily antagonistic attitude toward Congress." McCain lauded a recent change in rules for seeking outside medical care, but said reforms are incomplete. "It is clear to me they are opposed to this idea of empowering our veterans to choose when and where they get medical care."

Rep. Jeff Miller, R-Fla.

Chairman of the House Veterans' Affairs Committee, which has spent months probing VA problems.

Then: "Unfortunately, (former VA Secretary Eric) Shinseki's tenure at the Department of Veterans Affairs will forever be tainted by a pervasive lack of accountability among poorly performing VA employees and managers, apparent widespread corruption among medical center officials and an unparalleled lack of transparency with Congress, the public and the press."

Now: "VA's chief problem — a widespread lack of accountability among failed employees — is as prevalent today as it was a year ago ... not a single VA senior executive has been fired for wait-time issues. Further, VA employees at the heart of the scandal in Phoenix remain on paid leave to this day. Everyone knows accountability is a major problem at VA, and right now the department needs to work with Congress to ensure VA has every tool possible to swiftly hold problem employees accountable."

Dr. Katherine Mitchell

A Phoenix VA physician who blew the whistle on unsafe emergency-room conditions and other problems at the medical center.

Then: "The pending investigation has the potential to help address and resolve the issues which have held a stranglehold on our facility, our veterans and our employees for decades. ... Although I welcomed news of an official Senate Committee inquiry ... I have no faith at this point that the VA Medical Center is capable of providing an accurate accounting of its deficiencies, or that an investigative team will accurately document what it finds."

Now: "I think there has been tremendous improvement in scheduling and access. They have significantly reduced the wait times, legitimately, and are following the VACO (Veterans Affairs Central Office) approved scheduling process. But in terms of quality of care, there's still significant work to be done" in the emergency room and in regard to suicidal veterans. And "there's no change of culture ... people are afraid of retaliation if they speak up. The progress is not fast enough."

Lisa Tadano

An Army veteran, mother and VA employee who has used VA for her own medical treatment.

Then: "The work at the VA is excellent. They have spared no expense to treat me and my cancer … We do have to wait, and we can get frustrated on wait times. Sometimes doctors take a little more time to care for and understand each veteran."

Now: "I believe patient care has been improved with Veterans Choice, where they can see other providers. But internally, as far as programs and dealing with employees, there needs to be improvement ... like how they treat employees, and breaches of privacy rights with veteran employees. They're trying to improve, it's just slow progress."