Politics on the Hudson

A report by the Government Accountability Office on the treatment of veterans has Sen. Hillary Clinton and Congresswoman Nita Lowey up in arms.

The GAO reported yesterday that:

almost half of wounded service members eligible for personalized care are not receiving it

the disability evaluation system continues to be slow with payments delayed by an average of almost six months

staff shortages persist

the Department of Defense and the Department of Veterans Affairs need to do more to share medical records

“It is inexcusable that seven months after deplorable conditions at Walter Reed were exposed, returning members of our Armed Forces are still forced to deal with deficient care, and that delays of six months or longer are typical for veterans of current or prior conflicts who need disability benefits,” Lowey said.