GAO: VA Failing to Serve Women Warriors

If you blinked, you could’ve missed it. With the media’s obsession over Michael Jackson’s death and Sotomayor’s confirmation hearings plastered across cable news shows, an important story might have skipped your radar.

This week, the Government Accountability Office (GAO), the investigative arm of Congress, released a stunning new report detailing significant barriers that many female veterans face in accessing health care at the Department of Veterans Affairs. Not just for policy wonks, this report should be required reading for every American. Some of the critical findings include:

• Privacy standards for women veterans at VA facilities aren’t being met.  The GAO found women’s exam room tables that faced doors instead of walls, and instances where women patients had to walk through waiting rooms to use the restrooms, as opposed to next to the exam room as required by VA policy. Some hospitals under review also did not guarantee access to private and secure bathing areas or visual and auditory privacy at check-in.
• Comprehensive primary care is not available for women veterans at all hospitals and clinics. Despite its commitment 8 months ago, the VA has still not establish a deadline for facilities to meet its requirement of complete primary care and basic gender-specific services available to all women veterans by one provider at one site.  Some VA officials were even unclear on the steps needed to implement this new plan. The availability of services for women veterans continues to vary by hospital and clinic.
• The VA still has shortages of qualified women’s health and mental health care providers. The VA’s ability to provide consistent and timely care to female vets is also being compromised by difficulties hiring providers that specialize in women’s health and mental health. For the female veterans coming home from war everyday and those suffering from mental health injuries or who have experienced Military Sexual Trauma, these shortages could not come at a worse time.

But the GAO isn’t the only one voicing concern.  We recently asked female vets to share their experiences at the VA. And their responses were alarming: 

“I tried several times to use the mental health services.  I was told that women don't go to combat so we shouldn't need counseling.”—Female Iraq and Afghanistan Veteran

 “The VA hospitals are used to dealing with male Vietnam, Korea and WWII vets -- the quality of care for a female at a VA hospital is very low.”—Female Iraq Veteran

“The [local] VA is supposed to have 4 women’s doctors, but there is only 1 full-time doc and 1 semi-retired (her knowledge is outdated and she’s made serious mistakes on basic women’s health problems that were already in my military medical record). With all the women veterans, this is ridiculous…Also I get annoyed because everyone calls you “Mr.” until they realize you’re female, they assume all vets are guys.”—Female Iraq Veteran

This is absolutely unacceptable. The VA must ensure that women veterans receive the care they deserve. With more women serving in combat than ever before, action should have happened yesterday. 

Thankfully, some advocates in Congress aren’t waiting. A bipartisan group of lawmakers lead by Senator Patty Murray and Congresswoman Stephanie Herseth Sandlin are championing legislation to improve VA services for women veterans. “The Women Veterans Healthcare Improvement Act” (S.597/H.R.1211) would help assess, expand, and improve VA care for women veterans, especially those who have served in Iraq and Afghanistan. With the female veteran population growing daily, it will also equip the VA with the tools necessary to plan long-term for this historic growth. And it’s just steps away from the President’s signature.

Like their male peers, women veterans have shown incredible dedication and courage in defending their country. It’s about time they get the same recognition and support.

P.S. Next month, IAVA is releasing a groundbreaking Issue Report on women in the military, based on extensive research and the experiences of female IAVA Member Veterans. Want to be the first to hear about it? Sign up for mobile updates by texting REPORT to 69866. We’ll send you a text message as soon as the report launches, so you can be among the first to read it.

Crossposted at www.IAVA.org

 

 

 

Follow Paul Rieckhoff on Twitter: www.twitter.com/PaulRieckhoff

Comments

[demfriend]

01:03 AM on 07/21/2009

The VA is lacking in many ways. We at a Naval hospital have had to take VA patients due to lack of beds at the VA facilities close enough to have a facility to us. The military service of those who are no longer active should not end at the office where the serperation papers are filed. We as a country should give every bit of care possible to those who have served us and kept us a free Nation! It starts with active duty soldiers and should not end until each are in the ground. Where is the pride we once held so loud and proud in our people who have served? When we get in male PTSD patients they are still being "worked into programs not yet set up" and the females? Who bothers with them and PTSD? Not happening too much yet as they are not "supposed to be exposed to combat". Guess they shouldn't be eligible according the plan?

[LadyVeteran]

06:35 PM on 07/20/2009

I am a Desert Storm Veteran. I am also a female. I have been forced to use the VA to treat my medical needs. The first time I was admitted to a VA hospital back in the early nineties, they didn't even have female shower facilities. i was given a pass every other day to drive for over an hour to my home to shower and return.

Women suffer debilitating attacks and harrassment while trying to receive health treatment.

Each time I have attempted to report an attack, I was told that I shouldn't try to impede the male veteran's attempt to receive medical care. I showed a female doctor bruises left on my breasts from my attacker when he lifted me from the ground by my breasts. I was told that i was not allowed to tell my attacker to stay away from me as it could impede his return to health. He was allowed to stalk me throughout he VA facility.

This is only one such experience.

Please contact your congressmen and senators and tell them that you want a halt put to the attack and harrassment of our women veterans within the VA.

I know it would make using the VA for our health needs much safer not to mention more tolerable.

Thank you very much!

[Akat1973]

01:44 PM on 07/20/2009

Paul Thank you for your voice! I know that ALL VA Hospitals need serious help.The truth is the whole health system,including all psychiatric facilities need updated and new doctors,or new training for the old doctors! I especially want to see ALL our soldiers treated better.My father was in the Navy(long ago) and honorably discharged,when they diagnosed his schizophrenia.However, they never ever helped him with that problem he had! He finally saw a private psychiatrist,but last November he killed himself.I feel like if people can be reached earlier, and actually helped,maybe we can save lives.

[demfriend]

01:10 AM on 07/21/2009

I am truly sorry for your loss. We try in inpatient at a Naval hospital to do what we can for those active duty but they get sent hope after ad-sep to be hopefully treated in a VA facility. We get VA patients when there is an overload at the local VA hospital but not often as they get set to VA after they have the bed by taxi. I know we have a whole lot more being discharged as the military is doing that a lot but where they go is not what we know about only that the patients are sent as close to home or to "home" where there is family when they can be and we hope for further treatment to be done but we need things to be changed as soon as possible for thousands more coming our way as PTSD is a huge issue to. Too many soldiers are told they "can't suffer from PTSD or they are______" so they will turn up after discharges all over the country doing things as a result. Suicide is a loss we all should feel like they are our own family because they are!

[army193]

08:41 PM on 07/19/2009

As a 100% disable Vet, I don't know what it would be like to see the doctor of my choice. The GAO report is troubling and MSM is willing to sale a war but refuse to discuss in dept, it's after effects.

[steamboat]

12:12 PM on 07/19/2009

Paul, I'm a VietNam vet who uses the VA. And has for 30+ years. I'll come to the point: There are some very good VA hospitals and out-patient clinics and there are some horrible ones. I know, I've experienced both situations. You bring-up a lack of care for women, but fail to mention the scandal at the Florida and Georgia VA hospitals were some vets are coming down HIV due to infected medical practices at these facilities. Why? Also, I belong to a Vet Center group. And some of my fellow vets are denied pumps, etc. for their severe diabetes and we all have to settle for generics and the VA will skip many needed medicines if they deem it too expensive and the person evidently expendable. You fail to mention all of this. Why? Please answer?

[oldgeek1]

10:51 PM on 07/18/2009

Why should we spend any more money on health care for those people who served in the Military or anyone else for that matter.

We can continue to use the money to help those Defense contractors to build weapons that don't work better than what we have, we don't need and cost 500 times what was promised.

Nope lets continue to spend the money on good old american business and forget those poor slobs who put on the uniform and served.

Nope no we cannot decent afford health care for anyone

[MNmommy]

08:07 PM on 07/18/2009

Thank you Paul for all you do for our veterans.

You are a true hero.

[servicewomen]

02:19 PM on 07/18/2009

The raising of this issue is one that women veterans have been waiting for. Traditionally veterans organizations have not included much in the way of supporting the unique needs women veterans have, so it is good to see IAVA working to correct this.

In the meantime there are many women veterans who were not satisfied to just sit by and wait.
SWAN, Service Women's Action Network is taking strong steps to provide both personal services and policy advocacy. www.servicewomen.org

Grace After Fire is also working to directly heal women veterans. http://www.graceafterfire.org/

American Women Veterans is growing everyday. http://www.facebook.com/pages/Alexandria-VA/American-Women-Veterans/73284480829

The sad part about these problems is that they have been raised before in the past 50 years by many women veterans, all too often their voices are not heard.
This is why organizations like those above are SO important- we need to hear from and listen to the women veterans.

One last point; women veterans from ALL generations are seeking redress and care. Please do not think that only OIF/OEF women are in need. All veterans of all ages need to come together to make sure everyone who served gets the care they deserve.

[vegasobserver]

12:39 PM on 07/18/2009

With respect to the persons who've fought in these wars, can we please stop glorifying war by calling our soldiers "warriors"?

I mean, are we still living in the days of Conan the Barbarian and Genghis Khan?

[rwurzer]

12:28 PM on 07/18/2009

I've also contacted Senators Feinstein and Boxer. Thank you for continuing to shine a light on veterans issues. Yours and Soltz's columns here are always informative and usually make my blood boil.

[rwurzer]

12:06 PM on 07/18/2009

I've also contacted Senators Feinstein and Boxer. Thank you for continuing to shine a light on veterans issues. Yours and Soltz's columns here are always relentlessly informative and usually make my blood boil.

[devans00]

02:42 AM on 07/18/2009

I feel embarrassed when I hear about any vets being treated disrespectfully. It's maddening to learn women warriors have even another layer of BS they have to deal with.

Unfortunately, the story got lost in the Michael Jackson hoopla. Maybe an enterprising media person will pick up the story again on a slow news day. Then the issues will have a better chance of getting the attention it deserves.

[Callyson]

10:31 PM on 07/17/2009

Paul, thank you for your work on this issue. I get the IAVA e-mail updates and am very impressed by your organization.
I just e-mailed Senators Feinstein and Boxer and asked them to support this bill. I just hope this helps female veterans get the health care that they have earned by their service.

[Artemis34]

09:17 PM on 07/17/2009

Thank you for taking up this important issue and for everything you do!

ALL veterans should have access to health care. Many CANNOT buy private health insurance because they consider veterans a "bad risk."

We have seen that, while the Republicans chant "support the troops," they seldom turn that "support" into actual votes for adequate funding of VA and military hospitals. Democrats, on the other hand, have supported the troops with deeds as well as words. But there is a lot of damage control to do.

Yes, there are some sexist jerks in the VA system and they aren't thinking of allocating scarce resources to women veterans.

[devans00]

02:46 AM on 07/18/2009

"We have seen that, while the Republicans chant "support the troops," they seldom turn that "support" into actual votes for adequate funding of VA and military hospital"

Hmmm, sounds similar to the attitudes about abortion. They believe life is sacred, until it's born....

[stevi]

12:41 PM on 07/18/2009

As I was reading your first sentence I had that thought about abortion. This is absolutely correct and incredibly sad.

[Trittydi]

09:13 PM on 07/17/2009

As a mother, I was one of tens of millions nationwide that feared the reinstatement of the military draft with the onset of the Iraq war. A war that could sever our sons from the safe haven of their family and the prospect of a life's path of their own choosing.

But I was absolutely terrified - that they might also come after my daughters.

The truly terrible state of military service for America's women is criminal. And now this too.

I fully expect the Democratic Congress to do the right thing and step forward and deal with this - in depth and comprehensively - immediately.
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