JOURNALISM AND COMMENTARY
Biden's VA Secretary Proposes Shutting Down Dozens of Facilities
By: Suzanne Gordon, in The American Prospect • VHPI Policy Analyst Suzanne Gordon reports on drastic new recommendations to shutter VA medical centers in rural and urban areas and eliminate much inpatient care elsewhere, including needed inpatient psychiatric beds.
The VA Needs More Funding, Not More Privatization
By: Suzanne Gordon and Steve Early, in Jacobin • VHPI Policy Analyst Suzanne Gordon and Steve Early interrogate President Joe Biden's broken promises to veterans through the Asset and Infrastructure Review Commission. The two clearly show that the commission's work is in direct opposition to Biden's pledge to 'Build Back Better."
A VA Critic Becomes Virginia’s New Veterans Affairs Chief
By: Suzanne Gordon, in The Washington Monthly • VHPI Policy Analyst Suzanne Gordon examines the work and writing of Daniel Gade, a powerful veterans' official with a deep disdain for the veterans' safety net.
Veterans Lack Quality Information for Community Care
By: Russell Lemle, Senior Policy Analyst, in The Federal Practitioner • VHPI Policy Analyst Russell Lemle interrogates the many issues veterans face when seeking high-quality care in the private sector.
Trump’s VA Legacy: Human Capital Mismanagement
By: Suzanne Gordon, Senior Policy Analyst, in The American Prospect • VHPI Policy Analyst Suzanne Gordon investigates a dysfunctional Trump-era reform that's making it impossible to hire key VA staff amidst the COVID-19 pandemic.
It's Clearer Than Ever VHA Must Remain the Primary Provider of Veteran Care
By: Suzanne Gordon and Russell Lemle, Senior Policy Analysts, in The Hill • VHPI Policy Analysts Suzanne Gordon and Russell Lemle push for fundamental reforms of the VA's highly flawed quality and access standards for private care.
Broken Promises: Veterans Healthcare is Being Replaced by the Private Sector
By: Suzanne Gordon and Russell Lemle, Senior Policy Analysts, in The Hill • VHPI Policy Analysts Suzanne Gordon and Russell Lemle dig into and analyze concerning new data around the proliferation of private care appointments for VA patients.
The VA Is Ripe for Right-Wing Attacks. Here’s How Biden Can Stop Them.
By: Suzanne Gordon and Jasper Craven, Policy Analysts, in The Washington Monthly • VHPI Policy Analysts Suzanne Gordon and Jasper Craven offer a vigorous proposal on the best move to re-invigorate the VA: nominate a permanent Undersecretary of Health
VA Firearm Policy Got It Half Right
By: Russell Lemle, Senior Policy Analyst, in The Federal Practitioner • VHPI Senior Policy Analyst Russell Lemle offers a mixed analysis on the VA's firearm policy and examines the power of messages co-signed by credible partners.
VHA Caregivers Provide Privatization Reality Check
By: Suzanne Gordon, Senior Policy Analyst, in The American Prospect • VHPI Senior Policy Analyst Suzanne Gordon examines two new distressing surveys by VA clinicians offering urgent warnings about the department's dysfunctional community care program.
A September 11 Reckoning: Calculating the Full Cost of War
By: Suzanne Gordon, Senior Policy Analyst, in The American Prospect • VHPI Senior Policy Analyst Suzanne Gordon reports on the mounting healthcare costs of the ongoing Forever Wars which, while rarely discussed, will end up being the single largest expenditure in the War on Terror.
Legislation Assuring Automatic VA Enrollment is Vital
By: Russell Lemle and Suzanne Gordon, Senior Policy Analysts, in The Hill • VHPI Senior Policy Analysts Russell Lemle and Suzanne Gordon report on the urgent need to pass EVEST Act, which would greatly open the door to veteran patients.
Dems Fight to Make VA Health Care Enrollment Easier for New Veterans
By: Suzanne Gordon, Senior Policy Analyst, in The American Prospect • VHPI Senior Policy Analyst Suzanne Gordon reports on the EVEST Act, which, if passed, would help veterans during their tough transition to civilian life.
The Veterans Who Bury Their Own
By: Jasper Craven, Policy Fellow, in The New York Times • Jasper Craven wrote about the honorable work inside the third, largely overlooked wing of the Department of Veterans Affairs: The National Cemetery Administration
Trump Set in Motion a Plan to Privatize the VA. Will Biden Enable It?
By: Suzanne Gordon, VHPI Senior Policy Analyst, in the American Prospect • Suzanne Gordon reported about the threats of the VA's impending Asset and Infrastructure Review Commission
Biden's Infrastructure Plan Would Finally Fund VA's Hospital Upgrades
By: Russell Lemle and Suzanne Gordon, Senior Policy Analysts, for The Hill • Russell Lemle and Suzanne Gordon, two of VHPI's Senior Policy Analysts, wrote an op-ed in The Hill analyzing how President Biden's infrastructure plans could bolster the VA in key ways.
St. Louis Veterans Affairs Expects To Give 80% of Patients COVID-19 Vaccine By Summer
By: St. Louis Public Radio; Source: Suzanne Gordon • VHPI Policy Fellow Suzanne Gordon spoke to St. Louis Public Radio about the impressive work by the Department of Veterans Affairs to coordinate care and administer vaccines during the COVID-19 pandemic.
VA outreach puts Minnesota veterans on vaccine fast track
By: Chris Serres; Source: Suzanne Gordon • The Star Tribune spoke with VHPI Policy Fellow Suzanne Gordon in its report on how the VA “has emerged as a success story in the furious race to vaccinate people against the deadly [coronavirus]."
Rather Than Bash the VA, Let’s Learn From Its Successes
By: Joan Cook PhD; Source: VHPI analysis • Joan Cook, an Associate Professor in the Department of Psychiatry at the Yale School of Medicine, wrote in the Federal Practitioner about VHPI's recent analysis of a groundbreaking study into the "VA advantage."
Firearms Proves Contentious in Struggle to Reduce Veterans’ Suicides
By: Dave Philipps; Source: Russell Lemle • The New York Times cited VHPI Policy Analyst Russell Lemle, Ph.D., in its report on how “the gun control debate complicated an effort to encourage frank talk by health professionals about the risks posed by firearms.”

