2021 Veterans Day Q&A with U.S. Secretary of Veterans Affairs, Denis McDonough

Will you be pushing for medically retired service personnel to get what portion of regular retirement as well as disability payment. Both should be tax free!

Why does it take VA Seattle Community Care five to six months to provide approvals for care in our local communities? We used to have equally poor service with Veterans Choice and this program was supposed to make it better for the Veteran, it just got worse.

Secretary McDonough,
I am concerned about the safety of the COVID-19 vaccines for female veterans who are nursing or pregnant. Please share the controlled/ peer reviewed studies that you used to make your decision to encourage pregnant and/or nursing mothers to take the vaccines.

Why did the DEA for spouses and children get reduced from 48mo to 36mo?

I would like to know I was 70percent unemployable I was awarded 50percent for ptsd they told me since I was already at 100percent I don’t get retroactive pay I’m received 40percent for my back I received 7000 for the 40percent what’s the difference I feel I was overlooked for the 50 percent but yet they gave me back pay for 40 percent that’s not right

Why does the VA support the Gestapo tactics that the military exchange display in there collections department? I will give you an example I had some unauthorized charges on my account I notified them through my attorney they sent me to collections I tried to reason with these people they not only slapped a $2000 fee on top of what I owed the garnish my Social Security wages I ended up bye paying the toll amount instead of fighting them it was a complete nightmare for over two years I think we’re better than this and whoever is giving them a sweetheart deal the collection agency the IG needs to step in and investigate their practices . I’m sure my question will never be given the opportunity to raise this important issue.

Mr. Secretary, Over the past decade, and especially during the last administration, the VA Healthcare system has been gutted. VA Healthcare providers are dedicated, hardworking, individuals who have been stretched thin because of increased workloads and staffing shortages. Outside contract providers are not trained, nor have the expertise, to recognize and treat many of the physical and mental health issues affecting military veterans. What action are you, or will you, take to move Congress to reverse the worse aspects of the USA Mission Act to fully fund the VA Healthcare system, and to fully staff the VA so they can provide the services our veterans need and are entitled to receive?

Why don't the LB VAMC employees wear a name tag in addition to the employee ID card that they never while they're working anyway? In other words, u.s veterans don't know who they are to report when they're disrespectful, or idiots. Because a patient advocate always ask for the name of Who we Are reporting so they know where to send their report. Understand?

When a prescribed medication expires it disappears from my list of available refills.
I'm not given warning or informed I can no longer order this med.
Often times weeks will go by before I realize it's missing from my daily regimen.
I've asked the pharmacy about this but no answers have been forthcoming.
It's counter productive to be on a prescribed medication but not be able to take the dose for extended periods of time.

I am a veteran living in Las Vegas, NV. Why hasn't anyone from the VA in Washington, D.C. look into the lack of health care of its veterans? The CEO, Bill Caron, has not made himself public, he stays hidden in his office and had NOT made any appearances to make its veterans feel safe. My current primary care doctor is a classic case of being a jerk and NOT caring for his/her veteran patients. The hospital knows this doctor is pathetic and a jerk. I have in my possession, recordings of my semi annual appts. with this doctor which shows that he brates (me and of course other patients), is argumentative. Again, I do have proof. I am just about at my boiling point before I go public (YouTube, local TV stations and the newspaper here in Las Vegas, the Review Journal). Not to worry, when I do go public, I'll be sure to send the administrators at the VA the link to the YouTube letter that is intended for Bill Caron. I really don't wish to put a "black eye" on the So. Nevada VA Health system, but there's no other way to make this point to make the VA administration aware of the abuse veterans are receiving from unqualified/under schooled doctors.