VA: Be Broken, or be Broken Open

“The days of kicking the can down the road and measuring VA’s progress by how much money it spends and how many people it employs — rather than how many veterans it helps — are over.” _{VA SEC Doug Collins , March 2025}

VA Status Update
March 11, 2025
Arlington, VA

When the U.S. Veterans Affairs medical complex in Aurora, the “calamity,” finally opened in July 2018, a decade behind schedule and more than $1 billion over its initial budget, it was already the most expensive VA hospital in the country. Three years later, costs to get the 11-building, 1.2 million-square-foot, 31-acre medical campus operating pushed the total tab to more than $2 billion.

The June 2004 estimated built cost was $328 Million. Luckily, they finally added the multimillion dollar PTSD wing that had been scrubbed. Astonishing news, given the links between PTSD/TBI and suicidal ideation, and the multiyear declaration by the VA that Suicide Prevention is their #1 clinical priority.

Doug Collins, the new Secretary of the VA, is currently overseeing an organization with a DOGE goal to return the agency to 2019 staffing levels of just under 400,000. That would mean cutting about 82,000 staff, nearly 25% of whom will be Veterans.

In 2024, ProPublica reported on “How the VA Fails Veterans on Mental Health.” Experts told ProPublica the failures revealed in the inspector general reports point to broad problems, including inadequate mental health staffing, outdated policies and the inability to enforce high standards across a large, decentralized health care network.

The VA/OIG reports these major complaints [pre-DOGE] regarding the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA):

1. Gross Mismanagement: This includes poor administration and oversight of VA programs and operations.
2. Waste of Funds: Misuse or inefficient use of government resources and taxpayer dollars.
3. Abuse of Authority: Instances where VA officials misuse their power or position.
4. Violation of Laws, Rules, or Regulations: Activities that go against established legal or regulatory standards.
5. Substantial and Specific Danger to Public Health or Safety: Situations that pose a significant risk to the well-being of veterans or the public.

One typical example: the VA’s Electronic Health Record. The first effort to modernize the system began in 2001. The estimated cost then was $11 billion, and it was expected to be completed by 2018. Between 2001 and 2018, approximately $1.1 billion was spent. However, after three unsuccessful attempts, the VA initiated its fourth effort—the EHRM program—in 2018 with a 10-year, $10-16 billion contract with Cerner to replace its legacy system. The Institute for Defense Analyses now projects that full deployment across the VA network could exceed $37 billion, with a shifting date for completion.

Certainly the VA is little different from other large organizations with respect to cost overruns and cultural sclerosis. The new Secretary, like all others before him, will be hot-washed by internal researchers and staffers holding the line against new science that exposes shortcomings in their $186 million investment to draw false conclusions on the healing powers of HBOT. This from an organization that is nearly 3,000 professionals short in the very field where the need is greatest.

There is a culture in the VA that resists change, particularly with respect to rethinking their attitudes about Mental Health, suicides, brain wounds, and scientifically-proven alternative therapies. Why else spend $571 Million on Suicide Prevention in 2024 while the rate increases, but allocate zero dollars healing brain wounds and eradicating suicidal ideation?

Consider this chart:

The chart numbers indicate a trend: increased budgets haven’t stopped the upward trend in the suicide epidemic.

The DOD is suffering similar disconnects in the amount of money spent for any improvement in arresting their suicide rates. They report an active-duty increase of 12% from 331 deaths by suicide in 2022 to 363 in 2023. They are hoping — hoping, based on no evidence — that an “unprecedented investment” of about $261 million in the fiscal year 2025 budget will reduce suicides as the number of Active-duty military suicide deaths continues to rise. That’s a 30% increase over 2024 and up from $150 Million in 2021.

Both the VA and the DoD are broken in their mind-sets about some of the roots of suicidal ideation. But not all resist the science and facts. The Wounded Warrior Battalion/East at Camp Lejeune was not aware of the healing power of HBOT for TBI/PTSD when a tragic episode in the USMC brought TreatNOW to their attention. Months of efforts resulted in an agreement with the TreatNOW Coalition clinic in Durham, NC. After three years, over 140 Marines and Veterans have been granted permission to take advantage, gratis, of HBOT for their TBI/PTSD. The first patient, SgtMaj Simon LeMay and his wife’s testimonial is here. Similar efforts, paid for by states, citizens, clinics and donations are continuing in VA, FL, CA, ID, KY, and CO. The NC Report is proof of the rewarded good faith investment by the citizens of NC in the health, safety, and future of their healed Veterans.

Common sense — make that UNCOMMON sense — argues for using a proven method to heal brain wounds and effectively end suicidal ideation. HBOT is proven.

REOMMENDATION: Move a large tranche of appropriated Suicide Prevention funds into an effort to TreatNOW. The VA can remain broken and allow Veterans to suffer the consequences of their neglect. Or they can break themselves open to a world Coalition of HBOT clinics that yearns to make them heroes. Do the right thing, Mr. Secretary. TreatNOW.

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The TreatNOW Mission is ending service member suicides. Along the way, we have learned that we can end suicidal ideation, help end symptoms of PTSD, get patients off most of their drugs, and heal brain wounds to end the effects of Concussion, BLAST injury, mild TBI Persistent Post Concussive Syndrome, and polytrauma from AHI and Burn Pits. No Veteran or civilian has ever been killed while undergoing HBOT treatment for TBI/PTSD.

Information provided by TreatNOW.org does not constitute a medical recommendation. It is intended for informational purposes only, and no claims, either real or implied, are being made.