A Veterans Affairs Inspector General report released Tuesday said veterans are still dying while awaiting care at the Phoenix VA Health Care System.
The Phoenix system was at the center of a national scandal in 2014 when VA internal investigations identified 35 veterans who died while awaiting care. And veterans on secret waiting lists reportedly faced scheduling delays of up to a year.
House Veterans Affairs Committee Chairman Jeff Miller said many of the original problems still remain and delays may have contributed to the recent death of at least one veteran.
"More than two years after the Phoenix VA Health Care System became ground zero for VA's wait-time scandal, many of its original problems remain, and this report is proof of that sad fact," Jeff Miller said in a statement. "It's clear veterans are still dying while waiting for care, that delays may have contributed to the recent death of at least one veteran and the work environment in Phoenix is marred by confusion and dysfunction."
Miller didn't release any other information about veterans who died. Phoenix VA officials didn't immediately return a call seeking comment on the report.
The latest report includes allegations the staff inappropriately canceled consults and that managers provided inappropriate direction to staff, among other citations.
As of July 2016, there reportedly were 38,000 open consults at the Phoenix VA.
Associated Press contributed to this story.
