Department of Veterans Affairs
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The Senate is still debating whether it should overhaul current programs at the Veterans Affairs Department that give veterans access to private health care or revise certain pieces of it. At the same time, the VA said it's close on finalizing a new appeals process, but the committee is concerned the VA's plan does little to address the current backlog of 450,000 unresolved claims.
May 25, 2016 -
VA Secretary Bob McDonald said his department is different enough from other federal agencies that a separate personnel system is appropriate for VA senior executives. McDonald also said the department is working on new performance standards to measure veterans' satisfaction with VA medical facilities and the time it takes to receive an appointment.
May 23, 2016 -
On a quest for more innovative technology, more agencies are opening up satellite offices in Silicon Valley. But some start-ups and venture capitalists say working with the federal government is a hard sell, because the procurement process takes too long and presents too many unknowns.
May 18, 2016 -
At nearly 400 pages, the Veterans First Act, which the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee introduced last week, covers everything from veterans homelessness to more flexible work hours for VA doctors and nurses. But VA's senior executives are still the main target of the legislation.
May 04, 2016 -
Gina Farrisee, assistant secretary for human resources and administration at the VA, will become the department's new deputy chief of staff. Meghan Flanz, deputy general counsel for legal operations and accountability at the VA, will take Farrisee's place as the assistant HR secretary, a VA spokesperson confirmed.
May 02, 2016 -
A new site from the Labor Department will point veterans to the right resources they need to find a job or start their own business when they re-enter civilian life. The new Veterans.gov collects information from a variety of sources and easily organizes it in one place, said Terry Gerton, deputy assistant secretary for policy within the Labor Department's Veterans' Employment and Training Service.
May 02, 2016 -
Steve Grewal joined the General Services Administration as its new deputy chief information officer after spending the last four years at the Education Department.
May 02, 2016 -
The Veterans First Act is a bipartisan omnibus bill that addresses problems within the Veterans Affairs Department. Everything from accountability to whistleblower protections is included in the package, along with major changes to the health care program for veterans, educational benefits and help for survivors.
April 28, 2016 -
For the second time this year, the Office of Special Counsel said the Veterans Affairs Inspector General isn't properly addressing three cases of whistleblower allegations. OSC Special Counsel Carolyn Lerner voiced similar concerns about two other cases to President Barack Obama in February.
April 27, 2016 -
Kristin Seaver steps in to the CIO and executive vice president roles after spending the last two-plus years working as the vice president of area operations for the Capital Metro Area.
April 25, 2016 -
Veterans and agency hiring managers have mixed thoughts on the success of the veterans preference program. But there is some consensus that current regulations are too confusing and complex for both veterans and agencies.
April 21, 2016 What do federal employees think about the two leading candidates for President? Find out on this week's Fed Access when Government Executive Staff Writer Eric Katz joins host Derrick Dortch. April 22, 2016
April 20, 2016-
The Veterans Affairs Department says nearly 97 percent of veterans received an appointment at a VA medical center within 30 days. But the Government Accountability Office says otherwise. GAO's own study suggests average wait times range from 22 to 71 days for an appointment.
April 20, 2016 -
The "MyAgency" model tries to personalize federal offerings that are in reality offered on a mass scale.
April 19, 2016 -
With roughly nine months until Inauguration Day, VA leadership is trying to implement a major transformation to the way it delivers health care and interacts with veterans and its own employees. But the department needs a plan and a new governance structure in place to ensure that whatever progress is made now endures beyond Jan. 20, 2017.
April 18, 2016