Hiring Freeze
As was forewarned, Project 2025 under a Trump administration is moving to decimate federal staffing. In response to a blanket federal 90 day hiring freeze, the Acting VA Secretary issued a directive supposedly protecting VA jobs, but exemptions were primarily for medical and medical support staff and did not include nonclinical positions such as food service, custodial, and clerical positions.
Putting profit over patients has devastating results
The report reveals the devastating results for patients in hospitals owned by the for-profit firm, Steward Health Care. Steward closed half-dozen hospitals, “leaving patients health care providers without jobs,” and “death rates for conditions like heart failure at Steward hospitals increased even as they decreased nationwide.”
The VA Inspector General FY2024 report once again shows severe staffing shortages
For FY24, over 80% of VA facilities reported severe shortages of medical officers and nurses every year since FY14, as well as shortages of psychologists, nursing assistants, medical technologists, and non-clinical occupations. Insufficient staffing impacts care. Tell your Members of Congress to demand the VA focus on strengthening VHA by filling vacant positions.
The VA Inspector General ignores the VCCP in its evaluations
Tell your Members of Congress to insist that that the VA Inspector General reviews VCCP third party administrators with the same thoroughness it does with the VHA.
The VA cannot care for patients if it has no staff
As was forewarned, Project 2025 under a Trump administration is moving to decimate federal staffing. Republicans in Congress are now creating bills that would move even more funds from VA care to the private sector. Tell your Members of Congress to insist the VA rescind the hiring freeze by clicking the link and sending the letter.
