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Shinseki Testifies About State Of VA Health Care

Eric Shinseki
Photo Courtesy of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.
Veterans Affairs Secretary Eric Shinseki testified Thursday in front of a Senate committee about the state of VA healthcare.

Veterans Affairs Secretary Eric Shinseki testified about the state of VA healthcare Thursday morning. Members of a Senate committee insisted the issues at the VA hospital in Phoenix aren’t isolated, but a system-wide problem.

The secretary is facing calls to resign after allegations surfaced of employees at the Phoenix VA hospital having a secret waiting list where as many as 40 patients died while waiting for care. He said he is angered for the veterans and their families that had to deal with the situation.

“Any allegation, any adverse incident like this makes as, makes me mad as hell. I could use stronger language here, Mr. Chairman but in deference to the committee I won’t. But at the same time it also saddens me,” he said.

The inspector general is investigating the claims in Phoenix. Shinseki says he will act once the report is complete. He has also ordered an audit of VA facilities nationwide.

Alexandra Olgin was a Senior Field Correspondent at KJZZ from 2013 to 2016.