May 16, 2014

OpenTheBooks.com Investigation of Phoenix VA
Forty plus veterans may have died waiting for care, and up to 1,400 veterans waited months for critical appointments. It's alleged that the Phoenix VA ran a secret waiting list and key records were destroyed. CNN broke the scandal and it's been rocking Washington, D.C. in recent weeks. 

WE DISCOVER:    

• Top 100 Employees made $70 Million in salaries (2011-2013)
• #1 Bonus 2013 - Phoenix VA Director Sharon Helman- $9,345
• 59% of Salaries Spent on Admin/Operations- not Medical Care
• Only 1 Employee of 3,170 with Job Title of Quality Assurance
• Millions Spent on Gardening, Public Affairs, Interior Decorating, Architecture

MASSIVE SALARIES:
Top 100 Doctor/Executive Corps made $70 million in salary (2011-2013). None of them blew the whistle on the corruption. Is it incompetence or the perverse incentive of too much pay? Review Salary Database

BIG BONUS TO DIRECTOR:
In 2013, Director Sharon Helman received the #1 bonus out of 3,170 employees: $9,345! The next highest award was $5,000, followed by $3,975. 300 employees received less than $500. (Helman was recently placed on administrative leave.) Review 2013 Phoenix VA Bonuses

RESOURCES MIS-ALLOCATED:

1.  59% of all Phoenix VA salaries were spent on management, administration, or operations functions-- not on veterans care.  
Review Salary Breakout

2.  A patronage jobs pool- outside of medical care: only 226 medical officers (doctors) and 576 nurses were employed by Phoenix VA out of 3,170 employees.

3.  More money spent on Gardeners, Interior Decorators, Architecture, Public Affairs, and other non-essentials- than for Quality Assurance. Review Total Salaries by Job Title 

Background: OpenTheBooks.com via Freedom of Information Act request from Office of Personnel Management, Washington, D.C. We post online 1 billion lines of Federal, State and Local spending.

Learn more at: www.openthebooks.com.
Click above and see all Phoenix VA salaries.