Johanns Supports Measure to Revoke Bonuses of VA Employees Involved in Secret Waitlists

Press Release

U.S. Sen. Mike Johanns (R- Neb), a member of the Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee, today cosponsored bipartisan legislation that would take back bonuses paid to employees involved in the manipulation of electronic waitlists at the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).

Because the VA used compliance with wait-time metrics as a factor in determining employee bonuses, some VA employees were incentivized to use secret waitlists to artificially inflate compliance data in order to maximize their bonus payments. According to one report, employees at the Phoenix VA hospital received approximately $10 million in bonuses since 2011, while simultaneously using secret waitlists to hide delays in patient care.

"As a member of the Veterans' Affairs committee, I take these allegations of misconduct very seriously," Johanns said. "These bonuses were based on fabricated performance levels. The VA must rescind these bonuses to avoid rewarding deceit. We must continue to ensure the VA is accountable for previous wrongdoings while we work toward a long-term solution that puts veterans' care first."

The legislation was introduced by Sens. Kelly Ayotte (R-N.H.) and Claire McCaskill (D-Mo.). Yesterday at a Senate VA hearing on the nomination of Bob McDonald to be the next VA Secretary, Johanns reinforced the need for major changes at the VA to ensure all veterans are receiving proper care.

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