What the Recent VHA Reorganization Hearing Revealed About the Future of VA Healthcare
On February 11, Secretary Collins testified before the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs regarding a proposed massive reorganization of the Veterans Health Administration (VHA). The hearing created a clear public record of the plan’s current state. Through hours of testimony, lawmakers raised serious concerns about inadequate planning, severe staffing shortages, and the potential risks to both the VA workforce and the Veterans who rely on this system.
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Watch the Breakdown: The Reality of the Proposed VHA Reorganization
To fully understand the risks of this sweeping proposal for VHA Reorganization, Doug Massey, President of AFGE Local 17, has put together a comprehensive video breakdown of the February 11 congressional hearing. In this short clip, he highlights the most critical exchanges between Secretary Collins and members of Congress, exposing the lack of serious planning and the severe impact this will have on the workforce that cares for our Veterans. Watch the full breakdown below to see exactly what lawmakers heard.
The Planning Deficit: A 10-Page PowerPoint
Undertaking a total VHA reorganization of this scale requires meticulous preparation. Federal law mandates a detailed written plan before major organizational shifts. For context, when the VA last reorganized the VHA in 1995, leadership produced “Vision for Change,” a comprehensive 134-page document that detailed staffing, structure, budgeting, and long-term impacts, complete with input from Congress, Veterans, and VA employees.
This time, Congress was presented with a 10-page PowerPoint slide deck and a half-page notification. When questioned about this discrepancy, Secretary Collins compared the presentation to the Magna Carta and the U.S. Constitution—foundational documents of principles, not operational blueprints. As the hearing highlighted, reorganizing a massive healthcare network demands detailed models for budgeting, IT integration, and continuity of care. A lack of structural planning raises immediate concerns about operational competence.
A Workforce Pushed to the Breaking Point
A VHA reorganization plans affect real people, and the current condition of the VA workforce was a central focus for several lawmakers. Representatives noted that morale is collapsing, and frontline staff are bearing the brunt of recent policy shifts.
Over the past year, employees have faced the termination of collective bargaining rights, the removal of telework as a reasonable accommodation for disabled employees, and the imposition of unrealistic production quotas. The consequences are measurable: job applications have plummeted by 57 percent. During the hearing, it was noted that the VHA alone has shed a net 20,400 employees, losing centuries of combined experience as doctors, nurses, social workers, and medical support assistants leave the agency.
Staffing Contradictions and Continuity of Care
Despite the reported loss of tens of thousands of employees, Secretary Collins offered conflicting statements during his testimony, asserting that the VA is not fully staffed while simultaneously maintaining that the agency is successfully hiring every day.
Lawmakers, including Rep. Morrison, pointed to specific examples of the crisis, such as the Minneapolis VA facing severe shortages across 130 different position categories. When continuity of care breaks down due to understaffing and systemic chaos, Veterans pay the ultimate price. You cannot fix healthcare by driving out the very professionals responsible for providing it.
Ignoring Culture and Accountability
Data and organizational culture are foundational to any successful reform. Representatives emphasized that reorganization without solid data is simply risk. Changing the structure of a complex organization requires leaning into a culture that supports the people making that change possible.
Instead of prioritizing employee retention and consistent patient outcomes, current metrics appear disconnected from the realities of care. Rep. Ramirez pointed out that leadership has been measuring progress by counting offer letters rather than tracking when professionals actually start work. Paperwork does not treat patients; dedicated professionals do. Furthermore, lawmakers like Rep. Bost questioned whether the VHA reorganization is being executed in compliance with federal law, noting that compliance is demonstrated through strict documentation and oversight.
The Broader Context: Privatization Risks
Beyond the immediate logistical failures, this proposed VHA reorganization fits into a broader, long-running effort to shift more Veteran care to private contractors and corporate healthcare systems. Privatization inherently benefits powerful interests and corporate profits over patients. It increases costs, weakens accountability, and threatens to dismantle the integrated care model that serves millions.
Real improvement for the VHA comes from thoughtful planning, lawful processes, and sustained investment in the workforce. Protecting Veterans means protecting the people who care for them.
