Vets deserve reform, not politics

The firing of Veterans Affairs Secretary David Shulkin may seem like just another in the recent spate of executive-branch departures. But for his efforts to reform a vast bureaucracy and to better serve America’s 20 million veterans, Shulkin will be sorely missed.

Shulkin supported a plan approved by Congress to privatize VA services but was wary of moving too abruptly or drastically. So the department focused on cities where VA hospitals are overcrowded and in rural areas where they are hard to reach. His efforts enabled many veterans to get care more quickly and set up a controlled study to inform a broader push. Unfortunately, his pragmatism conflicted with a blind faith in privatization held by rivals in Donald Trump’s administration.

The VA still needs to do a better job of vetting veterans who apply for care and disability payments. Consider that more than one-third of living veterans who served since the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks have sought some form of remuneration, compared with just 21 percent of those who served during the Vietnam War. It’s one reason the department’s budget has ballooned to $200 billion.

Shulkin, the only holdover from the Barack Obama administration in the Trump cabinet, persevered through a challenging if short term as VA secretary, attacked by foes from both political parties. Americans should thank him for his service and hope his replacement will understand and further his priorities.