GAO found interactions between VA officials and private citizens in 2016 and 2018.
gao.gov/products/GAO-2…
- Contract for a $16B electronic health record system
- Mobile app development
- Suicide prevention campaign
- Medical device registry
- Personnel decisions, including Under Secretary for Health
the president, VA officials ultimately made decisions independently of this influence.," GAO's report reads.
That official said he was never directed to change anything to meet the desires of those men.
- Input from the 3 men "may have contributed to to delays of EHR contract negotiations.
- Isaac Perlmutter arranged Shulkin's appearance at the NY Stock Exchange in November 2017.
- Bruce Moskowitz had weekly meetings with VA to plan a medical device registry summit
- The 3 men offered suggestions on candidates for positions at VA, including CIO and Under Secretary for Health " and that VA attempted to hire one of these potential candidates for the CIO position."
Shulkin alleges Perlmutter coordinated his removal from VA. Perlmutter denies.
“Any decisions ... as well as the timing of any ... decisions, were independent of our contacts with the VA. We did not make or implement any ... policy,
possess any authority over ... decisions, or direct officials to take any actions.”
cont
- 70 of 223 were information on issues related to personnel, contracts, events and veterans' ability to seek health care outside VA
- Emails showed the men introduced other private citizens to VA, including business people and academics
It was "clear at times that they did not understand the subject matter at hand or how government worked" though they on occasion offered "fantastic" advice
citizens thought they were more knowledgeable than they were, VA officials recognized
their power and tried to take the advice they offered that was valuable but disregarded
the advice that was not helpful," former senior VA official said.
The emails were initiated both by the 3 men and by the VA officials themselves.
Unsure why.
Wilkie also met with at least one of the men in April 2018 during a trip to Florida.