White House review of Veterans Administration finds ‘corrosive culture’

By Steve Holland WASHINGTON (Reuters) – A scathing review of the scandal-plagued U.S. Veterans Administration found significant and chronic failures across the board at the agency and that a corrosive culture prevails, the White House said on Friday. The findings emerged after President Barack Obama met with acting Veterans Secretary Sloan Gibson and the White House official assigned to investigate the agency, Rob Nabors. Widespread evidence of delays in military veterans getting healthcare at the VA’s facilities prompted Obama to accept the resignation of VA Secretary Eric Shinseki late in May. He has yet to nominate a new secretary. The White House review, which was conducted by Nabors, said the agency’s 14-day scheduling standard for new patients to receive care is arbitrary, ill-defined and misunderstood.