After years of ignoring warnings that its decentralized police force resulted in inconsistent standards and lax security at hospitals, VA announced it will be overhauling the force, raising pay rates and creating a unified chain of command that it hopes will solve its long-running issues.
A massive VA omnibus bill is facing unexpected hurdles in Congress and has split veterans service organizations, with some saying it sets a dangerous precedent for how medical disability is calculated, while others argue that its current benefits outweigh future dangers.
Lawmakers are calling for an independent audit of TRICARE’s pharmacy program amid concerns that the contractor tasked with managing the program is pushing servicemembers toward its own pharmacies and driving out smaller retailers.
When Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth announced last month that the military will begin screening male servicemembers for low testosterone, the new policy drew criticism and questions from Democrats. But, the proclamation also fell into line behind a larger effort by current public health officials to loosen rules around testosterone therapy.
VA announced recently that its disability claims backlog fell below 70,000 for the first time since February 2020. That success has been partially attributed to technology modernization, which includes the use of AI in early stages of the benefits process.
Nearly half of women veterans who receive VA healthcare are at an age when menopause is most likely to occur. But, while VA offers care for menopause symptoms, like hot flashes and issues with memory, mood and sleep, an investigation by the Government Accountability Office (GAO) has found that the majority of women veterans are unaware those services exist.
VA policy to minimize the barriers preventing employee use of artificial intelligence (AI ) might be resulting in higher risks for veterans, according to a recent VA Office of the Inspector General report. An investigation found that the agency failed to acknowledge the extent to which providers are using AI chat tools in patient care.
New limitations on how Substance Abuse and Mental Health Administration (SAMHSA) grant can be used has sparked confusion and concern, as has a campaign by Health and Human Services Secretary Robert Kennedy Jr. urging providers to limit psychiatric medications which have been proven effective in combatting depression and preventing suicide.
The Pentagon is partially walking back its decision to make the influenza vaccine entirely voluntary, granting exemptions to the policy change for the services, including requiring it for all recruits entering basic training.
VA is eliminating its LGBTQ care coordinator positions, as well as all activities dealing with veterans’ gender identity, according to a leaked internal memo.
While VA is lauding its progress in creating a haven for homeless veterans on its West Los Angeles campus, lawmakers are concerned about ongoing delays in the project and the unprecedented level of secrecy required of contractors.
VA has historically had long-standing challenges in executing and managing its healthcare related acquisitions, and recent staffing cuts will only exacerbate those problems, according to a recent report from the Government Accountability Office (GAO).
VA police officers tasked with guarding medical facilities consistently failed to detect weapons and other contraband in a security test conducted by the Government Accountability Office (GAO), a recent report reveals.
Tens of thousands of homeless and at-risk veterans who are eligible for VA’s largest housing assistance program are not being referred to it because of staffing challenges at VAMCs, according to a recent Government Accountability Office (GAO) report.
New limitations on how Substance Abuse and Mental Health Administration (SAMHSA) grant can be used has sparked confusion and concern, as has a campaign by Health and Human Services Secretary Robert Kennedy Jr. urging providers to limit psychiatric medications which have been proven effective in combating depression and preventing suicide.
The VA funding request for fiscal year 2027 has the department expecting to spend big on new construction in the coming year, with less emphasis on any new hiring. It also continues to slowly bring spending on community care into parity with VA direct medical care.
Lawmakers are looking to intervene following the latest documented failure by a VA hospital to properly sterilize reusable medical equipment.
An executive order recently signed by President Donald Trump paves the way for expanded federal research into the use of psychedelics to treat mental health disorders, as well as directing the Food and Drug Administration to fast-track products shown to have promising results.
The Air Force recently celebrated a significant expansion of its trauma readiness center in Cincinnati. That is where military medical personnel can hone skills they’ll need to treat combat casualties.
A federal judge has ordered VA to restore its collective-bargaining agreement with the American Federation of Government Employees/National Veterans Affairs Council (AFGE/NVAC), which represents more than 300,000 department employees.