GAO Report: VA Underestimated Care Costs

[cal04]

The government used prewar data to estimate the cost of caring for veterans from Iraq and Afghanistan, contributing to a $3 billion budget shortfall at the Veterans Affairs Department since 2005, congressional investigators say.

The department used ``unrealistic assumptions, errors in estimation and insufficient data'' to project its budget, the Government Accountability Office said in a report Wednesday.

Investigators also said the VA failed to estimate correctly the costs for these war veterans partly because the agency could not get accurate information from the Defense Department.

In addition, the VA agency failed to tell Congress in a timely way that it was struggling to meet its expenses. The problems led officials to make requests for an extra $3 billion last year, according to the GAO.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/worldlatest/story/0,,-6094693,00.html

[Monkeyman]

1. I post this one

heres GAO highlights
http://www.gao.gov/new.items/d06958.pdf

Larry Scott is all over this story at http://www.vawatchdog.org

Nicholson lied to Congress the shortage could rise to $6 billion

[Monkeyman]

2. By the way thanks more this is out there the better it is for Dems

This my friend could be the election 38 million veterans pissed off

[libodem]

3. Whata bunch of lying dogs

These poor vets, the ones whom aren't killed are in horrible condition with closed head injuries, missing limbs and mental instability. They just want to use them and then kick 'em to the curb. I so hate this administration and all that they stand for. HATE THEM!!!!!!!!!