Top VA Official Resigns Over Growing Scandal
Dr. Robert Petzel, undersecretary for health in the Department of Veterans Affairs, has resigned a day after appearing at a Senate hearing to discuss long wait-times and secret waiting list.
In a short statement, Shinseki announced that he accepted Petzel’s resignation Friday.
“As we know from the veteran community, most veterans are satisfied with the quality of their VA health care, but we must do more to improve timely access to that care,” Shinseki said. “I am committed to strengthening veterans’ trust and confidence in their VA healthcare system.”Petzel was scheduled to retire sometime this year, the department said in 2013.
The news of the resignation came after Petzel testified Thursday before the Senate’s Veterans Affairs’ Committee looking into reported delays at numerous VA hospitals and a long list of serious problems and allegations of falsifying wait times, many of which were exposed and reported by CNN.
