1 min read

Season 5, Episode 187

VA budget shortfall causing problems for staffing and veteran care

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Guest Name:


Lisa Swirsky

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AFGE 

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Lisa Swirsky, Legislative Representative for the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE), joined the America’s Work Force Union Podcast to discuss the Veterans Administration (VA) budget shortfall and its impact on workers.

According to Swirsky, workers are facing a monumental task due to underfunding. She discussed the staffing issues that have worsened over time and how it shortfall continues created a gap in care for veterans. Swirsky said the shortfall is projected to reach $15 billion in 2025.

One of the primary causes of the shortfall is the privatization of veteran care. Swirsky discussed the impact that privatization has had as more veterans seek private care, and costs continue to rise. Swirsky discussed what could be done to return veterans to the direct care system, help lower costs and improve budgeting problems.

Finally, Swirsky discussed the continuous push by some members of Congress to pass legislation that could worsen the problem. Despite the negative impact of privatization and it’s impact on the budget, cuts to direct care continue to be proposed. Swirsky talked about the need for legislation to improve recruitment and compensation for workers and other proposals that could help.

Listen to the show above to learn more about the impact of the VA budget shortfall.


America’s Work Force is the only daily labor podcast in the US and has been on the air since 1993, supplying listeners with useful, relevant input into their daily lives through fact-finding features, in-depth interviews, informative news segments and practical consumer reports. America’s Work Force is committed to providing an accessible venue in which America's workers and their families can hear discussion on important, relevant topics such as employment, healthcare, legislative action, labor-management relations, corporate practices, finances, local and national politics, consumer reports and labor issues.

America’s Work Force Union Podcast is brought to you in part by our sponsors: AFL-CIO, American Federation of Government Employees, American Federation of Musicians Local 4, Alliance for American Manufacturing, Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield, Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employes-IBT, Boyd Watterson, Columbus/Central Ohio Building and Construction Trades Council, Communication Workers of America, Mechanical Insulators Labor Management Cooperative Trust, International Association of Heat and Frost Insulators and Allied Workers Local 50, International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers, International Union of Bricklayers and Allied Crafts, International Union of Painters and Allied Trades District Council 6, Ironworkers Great Lakes District Council, Melwood, The Labor Citizen newspaper, Laborers International Union of North America, The National Labor Office of Blue Cross and Blue Shield, North Coast Area Labor Federation, Ohio Federation of Teachers, United Labor Agency, United Steelworkers.

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