VA Says 'No Proof' Hospital Delays Caused Deaths

The Department of Veterans Affairs says there's no proof that delays in medical care at a VA hospital caused any deaths.

This past spring brought shocking revelations that up to 40 veterans died while awaiting care from the Phoenix VA hospital. That news exposed serious problems at other VA facilities.

It was later revealed that while veterans waited months for care, VA employees were falsifying records to cover up the delays.

But a new draft report by the VA's Office of Inspector General says they could not "conclusively" prove that delays caused any deaths.

Still, VA Secretary Robert A. McDonald admits the VA is "in the midst of a very serious crisis."

"Veterans were waiting too long for care and there were things being done, there were scheduling improprieties happening at Phoenix and frankly at other locations as well," Deputy VA Secretary Sloan Gibson said. "Those are unacceptable."

The inspector general's final report has not yet been issued. The inspector general runs an independent office within the VA.

In July, Congress approved spending an additional $16 billion to help shore up the system.

That includes $10 billion in emergency spending over three years to pay private doctors and other health professionals to care for veterans who can't get timely appointments at VA medical facilities, or who live more than 40 miles from one.

The new law also provides $5 billion for hiring more VA doctors, nurses, and other medical staff and $1.3 billion to open 27 new VA clinics across the country.

The legislation also makes it easier to fire hospital administrators and senior VA executives for negligence or poor performance.