Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Bill Cutting Some Of Red Tape Involved In Firing VA Employees May Be Sent To Trump By Next Week
The Associated Press: House To Act On VA Accountability; Dems Wary On Private Care
The House will vote next week on Senate-passed legislation to make firing employees easier for the troubled Department of Veterans Affairs, as the department sought to speed forward on initiatives urged by President Donald Trump to expand private care and boost accountability. Testifying before a Senate panel, VA Secretary David Shulkin urged Congress to act by this fall on additional legislation to give veterans broader access to private doctors. The plan to eliminate administrative restrictions and give the program more money immediately prompted Senate Democrats to criticize aspects of it as unacceptable "privatization." (6/7)
Politico: McCarthy: House Will Send Trump VA Accountability Bill Next Week
If enacted, it will be the first law passed in years to beef up VA accountability. The legislation was inspired by horror stories coming out of the department — including the VA's struggle to dismiss a psychiatrist caught watching pornography while seeing a patient. It’s also part of an ongoing effort to overhaul the VA culture, which came under intense scrutiny three years ago amid reports that veterans were waiting months or sometimes years to receive care. VA Secretary Eric Shinseki resigned over the matter, and ever since, Congress has tried to steady the troubled agency. (Bade and O'Brien, 6/7)
