The Department of Veterans Affairs doled out more than $142 million in bonuses to executives and employees for performance in 2014 even as scandals over veterans’ health care and other issues racked the agency.
The agency paid more than $380,000 in 2013 performance bonuses to top officials at hospitals where veterans faced long delays in receiving treatment, including those under investigation for wait-time manipulation.
In Tomah, Wis., the former chief of staff of the VA medical center there, Dr. David Houlihan — whom veterans nicknamed the “Candy Man” because of his prolific prescribing of narcotics — received a $4,000 bonus in December. That was nine months after an inspector general investigation report concluded he was prescribing alarmingly high amounts of opiates. And it was four months after Marine Corps veteran Jason Simcakoski, 35, died of “mixed-drug toxicity” as an inpatient at Tomah after he was prescribed a fatal cocktail of medications, including opiates. The inpatient pharmacist supervisor also received a $1,050 bonus in December. A spokesman for the Tomah VA declined to comment. The VA moved last month to fire Houlihan. A lawyer who represented him did not respond to a message Tuesday seeking comment.
In Augusta, Ga., VA financial manager Jed Fillingim was awarded a $900 performance bonus. He drew scrutiny from Congress last year after news reports revealed he admitted drinking and driving a government truck to a VA meeting in 2010 and a co-worker fell from the truck and was killed.
– From the excellent USA Today article: Veterans Affairs Pays $142 Million in Bonuses Amid Scandals
For several months in 2014, one of the biggest stories in America revolved around revelations of incompetence and death at the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). Specifically, an internal VA investigation admitted at least 23 veterans died while waiting for care, and that 120,000 were being affected by delinquent care. The FBI subsequently launched a criminal probe into the VA, and here’s what the White House had to say about the entire affair:
A summary of the review by deputy White House chief of staff Rob Nabors says the Veterans Health Administration must be restructured and that a “corrosive culture” has hurt morale and affected the timeliness of health care. The review also found that a 14-day standard for scheduling veterans’ medical appointments is unrealistic and that some employees manipulated the wait times so they would appear to be shorter.
So how did the VA respond to its shocking and deadly mismanagement of U.S. veterans’ affairs? By spending $142 million in cash bonuses to its employees, some of whom should have clearly been fired, if not jailed. Thank you U.S. taxpayer.
From USA Today:
WASHINGTON – The Department of Veterans Affairs doled out more than $142 million in bonuses to executives and employees for performance in 2014 even as scandals over veterans’ health care and other issues racked the agency.
Among the recipients were claims processors in a Philadelphia benefits office that investigators dubbed the worst in the country last year. They received $300 to $900 each. Managers in Tomah, Wis., got $1,000 to $4,000, even though they oversaw the over-prescription of opiates to veterans – one of whom died.
The VA also rewarded executives who managed construction of a facility in Denver, a disastrous project years overdue and more than $1 billion over budget. They took home $4,000 to $8,000 each. And in St. Cloud, Minn., where an internal investigation report last year outlined mismanagement that led to mass resignations of health care providers, the chief of staff cited by investigators received a performance bonus of almost $4,000.
Yes, you read that right: $1 billion over budget. Somebody got paid…
In all, some 156,000 executives, managers and employees received them for 2014 performance.
The agency paid more than $380,000 in 2013 performance bonuses to top officials at hospitals where veterans faced long delays in receiving treatment, including those under investigation for wait-time manipulation. “Rewarding failure only breeds more failure,” he said Tuesday. “Until VA leaders learn this important lesson and make a commitment to supporting real accountability at the department, efforts to reform VA are doomed to fail.”
Miller spearheaded – and the House passed – a measure last year that would have eliminated bonuses for VA senior executives for five years. But ultimately the House and Senate compromised on legislation that still allows the VA to hand out up to $360 million annually to executives, managers and employees.
Overall, the agency awarded $276 million in incentives in 2014, including retention and relocation payments, rewards for saving money on travel and coming up with inventive ideas, according to committee data.
The cash bonuses of $142.5 million were tied to performance reviews.
Now here are some of the more egregious examples of bonus payments highlighted by USA Today:
Tomah, Wis., the former chief of staff of the VA medical center there, Dr. David Houlihan — whom veterans nicknamed the “Candy Man” because of his prolific prescribing of narcotics — received a $4,000 bonus in December. That was nine months after an inspector general investigation report concluded he was prescribing alarmingly high amounts of opiates. And it was four months after Marine Corps veteran Jason Simcakoski, 35, died of “mixed-drug toxicity” as an inpatient at Tomah after he was prescribed a fatal cocktail of medications, including opiates. The inpatient pharmacist supervisor also received a $1,050 bonus in December. A spokesman for the Tomah VA declined to comment. The VA moved last month to fire Houlihan. A lawyer who represented him did not respond to a message Tuesday seeking comment
In Augusta, Ga., VA financial manager Jed Fillingim was awarded a $900 performance bonus. He drew scrutiny from Congress last year after news reports revealed he admitted drinking and driving a government truck to a VA meeting in 2010 and a co-worker fell from the truck and was killed. Fillingim resigned from the VA after the incident but was rehired in March 2011, WRC-TV reported. A spokesman for the VA Medical Center in Augusta, Brian Rothwell, said Fillingim is not employed there.
In St. Paul, Minn., VA benefits office director Kimberly Graves received a bonus of $8,697 for 2014 performance. A VA inspector general report issued in September this year concluded Graves improperly used her authority to engineer a switch into her current post in October 2014. IG investigators concluded she also improperly received an additional $129,000 related to the move. Graves pleaded the Fifth Amendment and declined to answer questions at a House VA Committee hearing last week.
Of course, this is just the latest example of government bureaucrats not only being “above the law,” but actually being rewarded for criminal behavior. The incentive structure throughout government, Wall Street, and big business generally is that “crime pays,” which is exactly why we’re seeing more and more of it. It will only get worse, until we grow up as a culture and demand accountability.
Until then…
Downsize the Fucking govt
A red herring. The issue is that big banks have become adept at influencing legislation and regulation in their favor, typically through extensive lobbyist networks.
"It will only get worse, until we grow up as a culture and demand accountability."
And that will happen when? Before we all join hands and sing kumbaya? Or after?
$142,000,000. None of the numbers in the article even came close to addressing this number. A couple hundred here, a few thousand there, but nothing even close to 10 million. Where did that number even come from?
Not from these sacrificial lambs. Obviously, this is just more red meat for the clueless zombies.
So enriching to be in or connected to the gubmint...
The true 1%
In the Peoples Republic of California they have a program which awards a pay bonus of 5% to "exceptional" state employees. Something over 98% of state employees get the bonus.
Basically if you are a state employee and you have a pulse and haven't been convicted of a felony recently you get the bonus.
Becasue we are all above average...
Average. Half above, half below.
Not the disabled Veterans who use the VA, They got ZERO cola raise this year.
..
They hiring?
Stand in line.
"Veterans Affairs Paid Out $142 Million In Cash Bonuses Immediately Following Deadly Scandal"
"In all, some 156,000 executives, managers and employees received them for 2014 performance."
142,000,000 divided by 156,000 gives an average of $910. So the given numbers make perfect sense.
Documents released by the CIA show details of over a dozen investigations into serious allegations of misconduct by agency employees, including child pornography, torture and war crimes. In many cases, the Justice Department decided not to prosecute.
Redacted records of the investigations, part of the 111 probes conducted by the CIA Office of the Inspector General (OIG) between January 2013 and May 2014, were obtained by Vice News under a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request.
Among the OIG investigations were allegations that a “highly placed US official” leaked classified information to a foreign army, retaliation against whistleblowers, the sale of night-vision goggles on eBay, the use of government computers to order steroids, and torture of a detainee by CIA officers. The torture probe resulted in the accuser recanting all of the allegations he or she made about the physical abuse of prisoners in CIA custody.
https://www.rt.com/usa/321765-cia-internal-probe-documents/
Jesus fucking christ glad someone beat me to it.
Read Mike's linked USA Today article.
Greater point is that a government should be by law precluded from any "bonus" activity.
Not to worry, it will take a non-defunct Congress full of Patriots about 45 minutes to resolve, assuming cooperation by a non-criminal Dept of Justice.
See? It's all set up to work -- just have to insist on it, that's all -- putting the corrupt out to pasture and into prison.
"
In all, some 156,000 executives, managers and employees received them for 2014 performance."
Dark Ages comes first. Then "enough is enough"
(documentary) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X5HSxjZueZc
A red herring. The issue is that government is a massive concentration of power; therefore, sociopaths will do whatever it takes to gain control of that power.
Psychopaths will do whatever it takes to gain control of that power.
Fixed it for you.
Just like the CIA creating ISIS. All a red herring
Like they did when they wanted Dodd-Frank to cripple their profits? I'm no fan of big banks and acknowledge that crony capitalism is one of their strengths, but come on, man. Socialists like yourself, if you're serious, have to deal with the problem of incentives in bureaucracies. They're not the same as a free market capitalist system as I'm sure you're aware. Calling the issue a "red herring" is only an avoidance strategy. Maybe the proper socialist take on this is to wait until humans evolve to the point where inventives are no longer necessary to do the State's work efficiently?
Yes agree!! Perhaps trump can fix.
http://hedgeaccordingly.com/2015/10/trump-unveils-plan-to-overhaul-veter...
Downsize? That gets you into political, free thinking jail. DOWNSIZE? Are you not at slave/serf? How dare you even think your opinion has weight?
Time for 3 million, armed marches. Other than that just increase the bandwidth and let the nation play Black Ops. It is up to everyone here who objects to do a bit more than object. The Ty;ers have done so. Now what the frig?
300 million march that opposes GMO. TPP. crony capitalism, opposes Citizens United, that takes back a nation. But US does not have the cajones anymore. Too busy nodding out. Cowards.
But socialists hate amerika ... and their in charge!
that's a helluva a payout to a lot of people to keep things quiet about what REALLY is going on in the VA!!!
Never happen. The more employees you have working for government, the more votes you have for extending and growing same. CAPTURED VOTES.
I've been a libertarian since 1980 and essentially the philosophy is, less government is more. But more and more of American's citizens are being bribed to vote for the same. We're probably beyond the point of no return.
If the Democrats win again (I didn't think Obomit could be reelected), we're toast. No ifs, ands, or buts. We're doing a tailspin into complete tyranny and control.
Americans perpetually sit idly by, while government grows out of control. As long as they have their diversions and religion, they're content. Talk about Nero fiddling while Rome burned, we've got an entire nation that does the same.
$142 mil is only about half of one cargo load from Afghanistan.... transporting bananas 'n all.
Bananas? Isn't that code for the Heroin being imported by the Pure Evil Crimimal Psychopaths at the CIA. It's a Criminal system, run by Criminals & owned by Criminal Psychopaths.
Isn't that flag racist?
In a micro-aggression sorta way, you betchur racially biased ass funny it is.
NOT
If it were friend chicken and watermellon, maybe.
I love it! The Banana Republic of 'Merica.
I'm going to have one made and fly it proudly, that is until the NSA, FBI and Hildabeast facists come to take it down...
Stars and Bars forever!
You'll have faux robot military patriots that will be offended and take it down for you. They place much more importance on the symbol than actual freedom and liberty (since they don't know what the fuck those things are).
There's nothing more expensive than socialism!
I think it is time someone in US actually defined for the masses WHAT these terms meant. People here use these propoganda terms without having any notion of the meaning or political thought.
USA USA most people have no idea beyond propoganda of what anything means. let alone communism, socialism, corporatism, kleptocracy, liberalism, DEMOCRACY, feudalism, monarchy, oligarchy, serfdom, slavery, human trafficking,...
Wall Street and City of London. People have no idea that these 2 areas are Special. SO very special.
And are going to monetize all life on this planet. And hopefully pay no tax. Because why would you pay a tax is you are so SPECiIAL???
I am so special i AM going to pass trade laws thatt disallow any voice that is democratic. i am a company and I will PATENT ALL LIFE.
One amazing corollary is that the Vets have done almost nothing about this; quiet as mice.
They need to hire real pros like those MizzU students, Al Sharpton or the NAACP to learn how to scream and get the Powers to bow down to them. When a group of c grade athletes get more done then a group of men who fought for this nation get roach infested hospitals, you know our society is screwed.
I think you need to look up definitions. USA USA is so brainwashed. It is like the media says the sky is red and we gotta be afraid of red skies. People just lap it up. C'mon fire up a few synapses and think you friggin idiots.
Socialism = Death!
(one minor side effect)
Get it over with already. When is the US going the way of Rome?
Are we having a tense problem?
I thought health care was free????? Raise the debt ceilin'!
It's adorable to see the anti-american, anti-capitalist, anti-free market socialists scramble to fill their pockets with other peeps $$$!
My guess is they r really excited to start feedin' the poor!
Some of that might have went towards 'Miz' Graves androgyny efforts.
That's disturbing.
Don't you know only poor people who have to work for a living and can't just print money are ever held accountable for anything?
Show me someone who controls a country's money supply. I'll show you someone who's above any human law.
(Why does anybody think these bastards are worth getting anyone killed, crippled or driven insane in the first place? Answers on a postcard.)
It's not just the VA doing this. The bonus bucks are avalable all through the US Government and it's expected to be doled out. Most of the bucks are controlled by political appointees. Elections are fought to control the bucks.
Grateful Dead - Uncle John's Band (Studio Version)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TSIajKGHZRk (4:46)
The Grateful Dead - Casey Jones (Studio Version)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_x2m6i4KFqg (4:28)
Grateful Dead - Touch Of Grey (Music Video)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8YSTeJOxiaw (4:50)
Other that by feeling self-satisfied by promoting the notion of "accountability," HOW is that supposed to ever be implemented within the vicious spirals of POLITICAL FUNDING ENFORCING FRAUDS ???
As discussed in These 425 Goldman Bankers Just Hit The Jackpot
Goldman is the corporation that has most specialized in capturing control over governments, and therefore is able to take the greatest possible leveraged positions, which routinely pay off for them, while they do not have to worry about their extreme risks actually becoming any threat to them, because of the degree to which the continue to control governments, in order to make sure that they never lose.
The article from Mike Kieger was another example of moral indignation, driving superficially correct analysis to end with superficial "solutions" which are bogus, since there it is politically impossible to implement those "solutions:"
To actual mature, or "grow up as a culture," would require enough people understanding enough the deeper reasons for how and why governments operate as the biggest forms of organized crime, controlled by the best organized gangsters. That would be the only realistic ways to achieve more "accountability."
Mike Kieger continues to presume upon the utility of perceiving the world through the dualities of false fundamental dichotomies, and the related impossible ideals. Promoting "accountability" as another on the list of those impossible ideals will continue to be another one of the many ways that those backfire badly, and cause the opposite to happen in the real world.
In order to "grow up as a culture" enough citizens would have to understand that they are members of an organized crime gang called their country. They would have to take more responsibility for operating the public murder systems that back up the public money systems. They would have to stop believing in the bullshit social stories promoted by the best professional liars and immaculate hypocrites. That includes stop believing in the bullshit notions of "accountability," which are NOT based upon perceiving that everyone lives through systems of organized lies operating robberies.
The currently established systems have had their checks and balances, which were supposed to operate through the rule of law within a democratic republic, break down due to enough of "We the People" being conditioned to almost totally take for granted the perception of the world through the dualities of false fundamental dichotomies, and the related impossible ideals. All of the publicly significant religions and ideologies are CHILDISH in those ways!
To sufficiently "grow up as a culture" so that citizens could "demand accountability" at the present time appears to be politically impossible, since the vast majority of people continue to want to believe in the bullshit promoted through impossible ideals, based upon perceiving political problems in terms of false fundamental dichotomies.
Actually, nothing else exists than the dynamic equilibria between different systems of organized lies operating robberies, and therefore, better "accountability" could never become anything more than changes in those dynamic equilibria, due to changes in those systems of more or less organized lies operating robberies. Civilization NECESSARILY operates according to the principles and methods of organized crime. The runaway excessive successfulness of that are the reasons why "this is just the latest example of government bureaucrats not only being “above the law,” but actually being rewarded for criminal behavior."
Unless and until enough citizens "grow up as a culture," enough to better comprehend that their country is necessarily an organized crime gang, and their government is necessarily a military organization, which was the development of organized crime on larger and larger scales, then they are never going to be able to actually implement any increased levels of "accountability" in the real world, because they will continue to misunderstand the mechanisms for doing so in the most absurdly backward ways.
Mike Krieger continues to be a form of "controlled opposition" because he continues to think and communicate by taking for granted the dualities of false fundamental dichotomies, and therefore, continues to recommend bogus "solutions" based upon impossible ideals, that have their mechanisms misunderstood in absurdly backward ways, and therefore, always backfire badly, and actually cause the opposite to happen in the real world. Therefore, Krieger is actually also CHILDISH, and has NOT "grown up.
Yep we aint getting no accountability out of this system. Thats for sure.
Their ain't nuthing an anti-wealth militant socialist luvs more than other peoples dough!
Scandalous, but junior bush league compared to the nonsense that happens in the financial sector.
Bonuses for sub-standard performance at an over-paid guaranteed government job ... the Greeks must be shakin' their heads in disgust!
Just try firing some useless government worker. They will file discrimination suits and if they are a veteran, claim PTSD. Even if they were NEVER in combat and never even left the U.S. they tell everyone their bad performance is due to PTSD! Congress created this scam and won't do anything to fix it. "You can't fire me, I'm a disabled veteran!" The veteran's groups run to congress and complain, they think every person who spent 2 years or less in the military is a f***ing "hero" and derserves VA benefits for life. Most NEVER saw combat and are claiming old football injuries to get disability checks for life. Congress caused the mess and is afraid to take on those veteran groups because they rally their "troops" to vote out anyone who opposes them.
We now have a war-loving culture and no amount is too much to spend on war and the aftermath. Soon, the MIC will provoke Russia and China into real wars, then watch the fun start. Millions of lives destroyed and the country bankrupted.
Well then I guess this hot chick was right afterall? :
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uNpyia78Wlg
okay you got me, asshole
Keep yur sweaty paws off her .... She's all mine!
Let liars die. Stay close to your own and others who prepare, save, live for a better day. Values are more important than price, and a surer way to live well, whatever happens, in my opinion.
A cynic knows the price of everything and the value of nothing, said Oscar Wilde. Sometimes, the pen is mightier than the sword.
'To thine ownself be true...as night follows day...thou canst not be false to another...'. (Shakespeare)
$4000 bonus? Is that... per week?
Top 3 Inflationary Sectors: 1. Education.gov 2. Health Care.gov 3. Military.gov
Geez ... I wonder who runs all 3 of those?
As per the Trilateral Commision' s statements. Rockefeller, Rothschild et al should be bankrupted asap if they don't escape being hung on lamp posts for their failed social engineering and fascism.
'...It will only get worse, until we grow up as a culture and demand accountability.'
Never a truer word was said.
That happens only at peak debt after all the $$$ has been spent and creditors are expecting to be paid back!
'Access denied,' says ZH. Well then, this:
If I get one more person in uniform shouting at me at an airport, then I might tell them to fuck off: access denied. I am fed up with militarism at home and abroad, contrary to the Constitution.
Your access will be denied. I owe you nothing, and the peeked Israhell even less. Get off your knees.
'Do not tread on me.'
PS
The look on the faces of police at Logan, and TSA at Sante Fe when I told them what's what. They must show respect, and I am not there for them to delay or annoy me. Best wishes to Sen. Blumenthal of CT who agrees; a good jew, America First, and effective rep. of his state.
Now ZH says 'maintenance mode'. Not fight club, is it. A club with a fight that no one civilised wants.
Psst .... I think u forgot to take yur Meds?
Run by liberals and they earned every penny! It's their intentions that count!
Run by bureaucrats, statists; lazy paid tools. Liberal has lost its meaning in modern politics. So has conservative.
How do you expect these highly trained, extra specially documented college graduates, working for .gov to make ends meet without cash bonuses?
You know the guy in the White House has made the economy so much better than it was, that this extra money is needed so these .gov employees can make their Obama Care payments. O wait they do not have to pay for Obama Care, well they probally got really new vehicles so thats why they deserve it.
.gov employees work for you and me you know. Well that is before they retire 5-10 years before you can at nearly their full pay and have lower health care premiums since we pay for those. But the cash bonus system makes sure they work harderest.
The cash is for the election. Vote first and many times my .gov special ones. We love ya. till the day we don't.
FYI- If you are a service connect disabled veteran your, VA medical care qualifies as ObamaCare medical inusurance. Am not shiting you. Your local VA hospital where death by malpractice is gauranteed should you submit to their care, is ObamaCare good to go medical insurance. My father who is combat related-got shot by the Viet Cong- disabled Veteran, got his letter earlier this year.
Still in angst in not getting that the whole system is set up for grabs. Best case for temporary survival is to sell wares in sidewalks and pay protection rackets for this right and its analogies.
No products no goods and services. Biggest Bonuses pretty cool deal indeed.
No products no goods and services. Biggest Bonuses pretty cool deal indeed.