VA-Authorized Facilities for Veterans’ Exams Found to Be Unsafe, Dirty and Inaccessible

A new Veterans Administration Office of Inspector General (OIG) report found a majority of facilities it inspected, which had VA authorization to conduct disability exams for veterans, had safety, cleanliness, and accessibility issues. The OIG report found 114 of the 135 exam facilities inspected nationwide had one or more Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) deficiencies. These facilities were authorized by the Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA) to conduct disability exams if the veteran’s nearest VA medical center reached or exceeded its capacity for conducting those exams. The 59-page report details unsafe, filthy conditions at many of the facilities the nation’s veterans visited. Many facilities also lacked accessibility for wheelchair-bound veterans, who in some cases traveled to the appointment only to find out they could not be examined....