PHOENIX — A judge ruled that the Department of Veterans Affairs was justified in firing the former director of its Phoenix office, but not because of delays in care and secret waiting lists that consumed the agency this year.
Instead, the VA had the grounds to fire Sharon Helman over several gifts she received from a health care consulting organization, including plane tickets, travel, tickets to a Beyonce concert and entry for a marathon, Chief Administrative Law Judge Stephen Mish said. Helman was removed from her job as the Phoenix VA became the epicenter of a national scandal over the quality of care for veterans after allegations that patients were dying while waiting to see a doctor. She appealed her firing on several grounds, and Mish ruled against her Monday.
A VA investigation found that at least 40 patients died while awaiting appointments in Phoenix, but officials could not “conclusively assert” that the delays caused the deaths.