The VA's 'Toxic Culture': Cockroaches Found Over and Over on Food at Veterans Hospital

An Illinois Department of Veterans facility is under fire after being accused of serving veterans food infested by cockroaches.

That according to a new report, released Wednesday, by the Office of the Inspector General.

"During our unannounced site visit on May 10, 2016, we found dead cockroaches on glue traps dispersed throughout the facility's main kitchen. We observed conditions favorable to pest infestation," said the inspector general in the report. 

The investigation was sparked by a whistle blower, who reported last year that the Hines, Illinois facility's kitchen was infested with cockroaches. 

Hospital administrators were aware of the cockroach problem and did nothing to resolve it, according to the report. 

OIG inspectors reviewed emails from the hospital leadership staff discussing the problem, dating all the way back to 2015. 

Not only were cockroaches found in the kitchen, OIG investigators observed the bugs on food trays and food transportation carts. 

"Six reports of cockroaches on patient food trays had been submitted to facility leadership between March 2011 and December 2015. Facility leadership relied on its pest control program and did not take additional action to control the problem," said the Inspector General.

"It's disgraceful that American veterans seeking medical care were surrounded by cockroaches while VA officials stood idly by," said Concerned Veterans of America Policy Director Dan Caldwell. 

"It's nearly impossible to get terminated at the VA, so employees have very little incentive to follow the rules and many simply stop caring about doing their jobs. Congress needs to act quickly to give Secretary Shulkin the ability to get these negligent officials out and clean up this toxic culture," Caldwell continued.

OIG inspectors say part of the problem was the lack of stable leadership at the hospital between 2011 and 2016 when the facility had 10 directors. One of those directors was Sharon Helman, the same director who oversaw the wait list manipulation scandal in 2014 at the Phoenix VA.

A spokesman from the Hines VA gave the following statement to the Washington Examiner:

"The conditions present in May of 2016 when (the inspector general) inspected the kitchen were unacceptable and have since been addressed. Hines leadership has been addressing issues on a daily basis, as needed, resulting in dramatic improvements, while developing a long-term solution that includes a total remodel of the kitchen."

"Providing a safe environment and quality care for our veterans is our top priority, and that includes serving quality, nutritious food that is prepared and delivered under proper sanitary conditions," the statement continues.

The U.S. Senate is working on legislation to reduce the amount of time it takes to fire bad employees at the VA, give the VA secretary the ability to recoup bonuses awarded to employees who are found to have engaged in misconduct, and reduce the pensions of VA employees found guilty of felonies related to their employment at the VA.

The VA Accountability and Whistleblower Protection Act of 2017 was introduced to the Senate floor by Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla. It has already passed in the House. 

Concerned Veterans of America (CVA) applauds the legislation, calling it "strong and meaningful reform."