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After a 5-year wait, VA gets a new top medical leader

After a 5-year wait, VA gets a new top medical leader

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After more than a five-year wait, the Department of Veterans Affairs has a Senate-confirmed official leading its health care operations again.

Lawmakers on Thursday voted 66-23 to confirm Dr. Shereef Elnahal as the next VA under secretary for health.

“Now more than ever, the Department of Veterans Affairs needs a steady hand to guide the Veterans Health Administration,” said Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee Chairman Jon Tester, D-Montana, in a floor speech just before the vote.

Elnahal “has an impressive record of leading health care systems and health agencies,” he said. “But more importantly than that, he is committed to caring for the more than 9 million veterans currently in VA’s care.”

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VA’s top health care post had been unfilled since early 2017, when Dr. David Shulkin stepped down from the postion to take over as secretary of the entire department. Since then, the job has been held by a series of temporary, unconfirmed executives.

Over the past five years, officials have convened several panels to find candidates for the post without success.

President Joe Biden nominated Elnahal in March. He currently serves as chief executive officer of University Hospital in Newark, New Jersey.

He received largely positive reviews from Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee members during his confirmation hearing in April, but his nomination has been stalled since May after Sen. Rick Scott, R-Florida, blocked an attempt to fast-track his appointment over general concerns about Biden’s nominees.

The move drew the ire of Democratic leaders and VA Secretary Denis McDonough, who said Elnahal will provide valuable help with the department’s electronic health records overhaul and ongoing review of medical facility infrastructure.

Elnahal previously served as VA’s assistant deputy under secretary for health for quality, safety and value from 2016–2018. During that time he co-founded the VHA Innovation Ecosystem, which focused on sharing best practices to improve veteran care.

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During his confirmation hearing, Elnahal said one of his top priorities for the job will be improving recruiting and retention for clinical care positions at the Veterans Health Administration.

“The sacred health care mission of VA simply cannot be fulfilled without having people to do it, talented healthcare professionals who put the mission above all else,” he said. “So this is a major priority for me.”

With Thursday’s vote, the department now has four of its top five leadership roles confirmed by the Senate. The only vacancy is the under secretary for benefits.

Last week, Biden’s nominee for that post, Ray Jefferson, withdrew his name from consideration after a monthslong wait for action by the Senate. VA officials announced this week they have formed a new search commission to look for potential candidates.

Leo covers Congress, Veterans Affairs and the White House for Military Times. He has covered Washington, D.C. since 2004, focusing on military personnel and veterans policies. His work has earned numerous honors, including a 2009 Polk award, a 2010 National Headliner Award, the IAVA Leadership in Journalism award and the VFW News Media award.

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USA Veteran News

VA overhauls patient wait time website, but not policies on other medical options

VA overhauls patient wait time website, but not policies on other medical options

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Veterans Affairs officials are overhauling their website detailing medical wait times at facilities across the country, but that won’t mean significant changes to private-sector care eligibility for patients worried about access issues.

The new site, which went live Tuesday afternoon, is the culmination of months of behind-the-scenes work in response to veterans’ complaints about deficiencies in the old offering.

VA has been publicly posting wait time estimates for the past eight years, with multiple modifications to the data directed by Congress in recent years.

Officials said the new site changes will make the information more user friendly, with information on waits for various specialties at sites displayed on a single page instead of across multiple links.

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They also said sites have begun to calculate average wait items differently, to more accurately reflect delays that patients face in getting care. As a result, the new wait times listed for most sites are expected to increase as compared to the information posted just a few days ago.

But VA leaders in a background call with reporters said the wait times increases are not reflective of increased access problems at VA hospitals.

A screenshot of the new Department of Veterans Affairs Access to Care web site, which includes wait time data to see VA doctors. (Veterans Affairs)

As a result, they do not expect more individuals to seek community care options based on the new numbers, since specific patient eligibility is considered on a case-by-case basis.

Under current rules, veterans can apply to get private-sector health care if they face significant waits (20 days for primary care, 28 days for specialty care) or travel (30-minute average drive time for primary care, 60 minutes for specialty care) to receive care at a VA medical site.

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Calculations for that eligibility are separate from the average wait time data posted online, officials said. Individuals who are interested in private-sector care will still be required to work through VA administrators to check if they qualify.

VA’s Community Care program has been a target of controversy in recent years, with Republican lawmakers lamenting bureaucratic barriers for patients looking to schedule outside medical visits and Democrats warning that shifting too much care outside of veterans hospitals will undermine the VA system.

The website changes also include updated contact numbers for VA facilities and additional information on patient satisfaction.

Leo covers Congress, Veterans Affairs and the White House for Military Times. He has covered Washington, D.C. since 2004, focusing on military personnel and veterans policies. His work has earned numerous honors, including a 2009 Polk award, a 2010 National Headliner Award, the IAVA Leadership in Journalism award and the VFW News Media award.

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Global Veterans News

Single Judge Application; Wait v. Wilkie, 33 Vet.App. (2020); The Court held in Wait v. Wilkie, 33 Vet.App. 8, 17 (2020), that “[t]o establish the presence of a disability . . . there must be competent evidence specific to the claimant tending to show that his or her impairment rises to a level to affect earning capacity, which may include showing manifestations of a similar severity, frequency, and duration as those VA has determined by regulation would cause impaired earning capacity in an average person.”;

Single Judge Application; Wait v. Wilkie, 33 Vet.App. (2020); The Court held in Wait v. Wilkie, 33 Vet.App. 8, 17 (2020), that “[t]o establish the presence of a disability . . . there must be competent evidence specific to the claimant tending to show that his or her impairment rises to a level to affect earning capacity, which may include showing manifestations of a similar severity, frequency, and duration as those VA has determined by regulation would cause impaired earning capacity in an average person.”;

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Designated for electronic publication only
UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS FOR VETERANS CLAIMS
No. 19-9062
ANDREW M. THORPE, APPELLANT,
V.
DENIS MCDONOUGH,
SECRETARY OF VETERANS AFFAIRS, APPELLEE.
Before TOTH, Judge.
MEMORANDUM DECISION
Note: Pursuant to U.S. Vet. App. R. 30(a), this action may not be cited as precedent.
TOTH, Judge: Retired Army veteran Andrew M. Thorpe appeals a September 2019 Board decision, which determined that new and material evidence had not been received to reopen a service-connection claim for a left shoulder disorder.1 He argues that (1) the Board’s new and material evidence determination was clearly erroneous, and (2) the Board erred in relying on an inadequate medical examination. For the reasons set forth below, the Court affirms.
I. BACKGROUND
Mr. Thorpe served from 1986 to 2007. During his last year of service, he filed a VA compensation claim for a “shoulder injury” that he said occurred in July 2000. R. at 1871. In 2008, the regional office (RO) denied service connection for both a left and right shoulder disorder. The RO decision listed in the “evidence” section the veteran’s service treatment records (STRs) from November 3, 1985, until April 18, 2006. R. at 1770. And based on these records, the RO concluded that there was no evidence of a current left shoulder disability. Mr. Thorpe did not pursue an appeal and the 2008 decision became final.
1 The Board also reopened and remanded a claim for service connection for a left knee disorder and remanded a claim for service connection for bilateral pes planus. Because remands are not final decisions, the

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