Skip to main content
Subscribe
  • Sign Up Free
  • Login
  • Subscribe
  • News
    • Current News
    • Providers
    • Insurance
    • Government
    • Finance
    • Technology
    • Safety & Quality
    • Digital Health
    • Transformation
    • ESG
    • People
    • Regional News
    • Digital Edition (Web Version)
    • Patients
    • Operations
    • Care Delivery
    • Payment
    • Midwest
    • Northeast
    • South
    • West
  • Blogs
    • AI
    • Deals
    • Layoff Tracker
    • HIMSS 2023
  • Opinion
    • Breaking Bias
    • Commentaries
    • Letters
    • From the Editor
  • Events & Awards
    • Awards
    • Conferences
    • Galas
    • Virtual Briefings
    • Webinars
    • Nominate/Eligibility
    • 100 Most Influential People
    • 50 Most Influential Clinical Executives
    • Best Places to Work in Healthcare
    • Excellence in Governance
    • Health Care Hall of Fame
    • Healthcare Marketing Impact Awards
    • Top 25 Emerging Leaders
    • Top Innovators
    • Diversity in Healthcare
      • - Luminaries
      • - Top 25 Diversity Leaders
      • - Leaders to Watch
    • Women in Healthcare
      • - Luminaries
      • - Top 25 Women Leaders
      • - Women to Watch
    • Digital Health Transformation Summit
    • ESG: The Implementation Imperative Summit
    • Leadership Symposium
    • Social Determinants of Health Symposium
    • Women Leaders in Healthcare Conference
    • Best Places to Work Awards Gala
    • Health Care Hall of Fame Gala
    • Top 25 Diversity Leaders Gala
    • Top 25 Women Leaders Gala
    • - Hospital of the Future
    • - Value Based Care
    • - Hospital at Home
    • - Workplace of the Future
    • - AI and Digital Health
    • - Future of Staffing
    • - Hospital of the Future (Fall)
  • Multimedia
    • Podcast - Beyond the Byline
    • Sponsored Podcast - Healthcare Insider
    • Sponsored Video Series - One on One
    • Sponsored Video Series - Checking In with Dan Peres
  • Data & Insights
    • Data & Insights Home
    • Hospital Financials
    • Staffing & Compensation
    • Quality & Safety
    • Mergers & Acquisitions
    • Data Archive
    • Resource Guide: By the Numbers
    • Surveys
    • Data Points
  • Newsletters
  • MORE+
    • Contact Us
    • Advertise
    • Media Kit
    • Jobs
    • People on the Move
    • Reprints & Licensing
MENU
Breadcrumb
  1. Home
  2. Providers
July 22, 2014 12:00 AM

McDonald moves closer to VA secretary role; Senate could vote by Aug. 1

Virgil Dickson
  • Tweet
  • Share
  • Share
  • Email
  • More
    Reprints Print
    AP Photo
    McDonald

    Robert McDonald on Tuesday moved a step closer to Senate confirmation as the next secretary of veterans affairs, appearing before the Senate Committee on Veteran Affairs to favorable comments from committee members.

    A formal committee vote on his nomination is likely as soon as Wednesday. Full Senate confirmation could come before Congress' August recess begins.

    While no formal committee vote occurred Tuesday, there were no dissenting voices to his confirmation during the hearing.

    Related Content

    VA nominee McDonald must tame government bureaucracy, pundits say

    McDonald was praised for what he is best known for, being the former CEO of Procter & Gamble, where he oversaw more than 120,000 employees selling products in more than 180 countries.

    “We need good quality management, transparency and accountability and I hope McDonald's corporate experience will create a well-run and accountable VA,” said Bernard Sanders (I-Vt.), the Senate Veterans Affairs chairman.

    The hearing comes as lawmakers continue to wrestle with formulating a compromise bill that would allow veterans to seek out private providers. It's unclear if lawmakers from both the House and Senate will be able to come together on a bill, however, because of the enormous cost involved in such a plan.

    On Monday, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid said he doubted a meeting of the minds could happen before summer recess begins August 1 because conservative lawmakers in the House are concerned as to how to pay for the legislation.

    Sen. Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) expressed dismay at the confirmation hearing about Reid's remarks, going so far to say that lawmakers should not go on recess unless a compromise can be reached.

    Published reports have raised the possibility that House Republicans might agree to pass legislation without specifying how the increased expenditures would be paid for. Estimates for what the VA legislation would cost have ranged from $50 billion to $35 billion, coming close to or eclipsing what the VA now spends on veteran healthcare.

    The VA also is asking for $17.6 billion to expand staff and facilities separate from the larger measure Congress is considering.

    McDonald was introduced at Tuesday's hearing by Sens. Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), and Rob Portman (R-Ohio) who sat to his left and right, and enthusiastically backed his nomination. McDonald is a resident of Ohio where P&G is headquartered.

    During opening statements, committee members simultaneously voiced their support for McDonald and pushed for quick action on the VA's wait list woes, fraudulent documentation, whistle-blower retaliation, and other long-standing problems, such as the rate of suicides and homelessness among veterans.

    “I desperately want this job because I think I can make a difference for the veterans I care so much about,” McDonald said. “I think my entire career has prepared me for this task.”

    He spoke in generalities about his goals if confirmed, mentioning improving the communication between field operations and VA central offices as well as between employees and senior management. To accomplish this, he promised an extensive tour of facilities.

    He assured members that the department would be more responsive to Congressional inquiries for information, even going so far as to promise committee members his personal cell phone number to call if they ever feel stonewalled.

    He said he also plans to establish a board of physicians to advise him on best practices for delivering timely, quality healthcare. This group would include providers from within and outside the VA. He also promised a reorganization of the department to most efficiently and effectively use resources, but did not give any details.

    Follow Virgil Dickson on Twitter: @MHVDickson

    Letter
    to the
    Editor

    Send us a letter

    Have an opinion about this story? Click here to submit a Letter to the Editor, and we may publish it in print.

    Recommended for You
    Patrick Blair InnovAge
    PACE could expand amid possible nursing home closures: InnovAge CEO
    Rob Allen Intermountain 23
    Intermountain's Graphite Health may be AI 'grounding point,' CEO says
    Most Popular
    1
    CMS tries luring providers to revamped Medicare ACOs
    2
    Oregon joins other states in setting ratios for nurse staffing
    3
    Blue Shield CA taps Amazon, Mark Cuban, CVS for new PBM model
    4
    A health innovation hub grows in Lake Nona Medical City
    5
    Hospital-at-home providers push for Medicaid coverage
    Sponsored Content
    Modern Healthcare A.M. Newsletter: Sign up to receive a comprehensive weekday morning newsletter designed for busy healthcare executives who need the latest and most important healthcare news and analysis.
    Get Newsletters

    Sign up for enewsletters and alerts to receive breaking news and in-depth coverage of healthcare events and trends, as they happen, right to your inbox.

    Subscribe Today
    MH Magazine Cover

    MH magazine offers content that sheds light on healthcare leaders’ complex choices and touch points—from strategy, governance, leadership development and finance to operations, clinical care, and marketing.

    Subscribe
    Connect with Us
    • LinkedIn
    • Twitter
    • Facebook
    • RSS

    Our Mission

    Modern Healthcare empowers industry leaders to succeed by providing unbiased reporting of the news, insights, analysis and data.

    Contact Us

    (877) 812-1581

    Email us

     

    Resources
    • Contact Us
    • Help Center
    • Advertise with Us
    • Ad Choices
    • Sitemap
    Editorial Dept
    • Submission Guidelines
    • Code of Ethics
    • Awards
    • About Us
    Legal
    • Terms and Conditions
    • Privacy Policy
    • Privacy Request
    Modern Healthcare
    Copyright © 1996-2023. Crain Communications, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
    • News
      • Current News
      • Providers
      • Insurance
      • Government
      • Finance
      • Technology
      • Safety & Quality
      • Digital Health
      • Transformation
        • Patients
        • Operations
        • Care Delivery
        • Payment
      • ESG
      • People
      • Regional News
        • Midwest
        • Northeast
        • South
        • West
      • Digital Edition (Web Version)
    • Blogs
      • AI
      • Deals
      • Layoff Tracker
      • HIMSS 2023
    • Opinion
      • Breaking Bias
      • Commentaries
      • Letters
      • From the Editor
    • Events & Awards
      • Awards
        • Nominate/Eligibility
        • 100 Most Influential People
        • 50 Most Influential Clinical Executives
        • Best Places to Work in Healthcare
        • Excellence in Governance
        • Health Care Hall of Fame
        • Healthcare Marketing Impact Awards
        • Top 25 Emerging Leaders
        • Top Innovators
        • Diversity in Healthcare
          • - Luminaries
          • - Top 25 Diversity Leaders
          • - Leaders to Watch
        • Women in Healthcare
          • - Luminaries
          • - Top 25 Women Leaders
          • - Women to Watch
      • Conferences
        • Digital Health Transformation Summit
        • ESG: The Implementation Imperative Summit
        • Leadership Symposium
        • Social Determinants of Health Symposium
        • Women Leaders in Healthcare Conference
      • Galas
        • Best Places to Work Awards Gala
        • Health Care Hall of Fame Gala
        • Top 25 Diversity Leaders Gala
        • Top 25 Women Leaders Gala
      • Virtual Briefings
        • - Hospital of the Future
        • - Value Based Care
        • - Hospital at Home
        • - Workplace of the Future
        • - AI and Digital Health
        • - Future of Staffing
        • - Hospital of the Future (Fall)
      • Webinars
    • Multimedia
      • Podcast - Beyond the Byline
      • Sponsored Podcast - Healthcare Insider
      • Sponsored Video Series - One on One
      • Sponsored Video Series - Checking In with Dan Peres
    • Data & Insights
      • Data & Insights Home
      • Hospital Financials
      • Staffing & Compensation
      • Quality & Safety
      • Mergers & Acquisitions
      • Data Archive
      • Resource Guide: By the Numbers
      • Surveys
      • Data Points
    • Newsletters
    • MORE+
      • Contact Us
      • Advertise
      • Media Kit
      • Jobs
      • People on the Move
      • Reprints & Licensing