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Grassley says VA lied about Iowa wait times

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June 6th, 2017 by Ric Hanson

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – Senate Judiciary Chairman Chuck Grassley is accusing the Department of Veterans Affairs of lying about the length of time veterans wait for medical appointments at Iowa’s VA hospitals.

The Iowa Republican says detailed data provided by a whistleblower shows the VA wasn’t truthful in February when it told the committee he chairs that no patients waited longer than 90 days at Iowa City and Des Moines hospitals during January and February. He says in reality thousands of veterans at the hospitals wait longer than 90 days.

In a letter to VA Secretary David Shulkin Grassley said he was extremely disturbed by the misinformation. Shulkin responded in a letter May 26 that it was a misunderstanding and not a deliberate attempt to mislead.