VA reverses course, releases health care data

The Department of Veterans Affairs quietly released quality-of-care ratings for its medical centers across the country, despite years of refusing to share them with the public.

The move follows a USA TODAY investigation that revealed ratings for 146 VA centers for the first time this month. VA Secretary Bob McDonald complained that their publication across the USA TODAY Network caused “unwarranted distress” to veterans and could dissuade them from getting care.

Last week, according to an internal memo obtained by USA TODAY, the agency posted updated ratings on its website and included indicators of whether hospitals were improving or declining. This allows members of the public to see for the first time how their VA medical centers have fared over time.

The VA rates centers on a scale of one to five stars, five being the best and one being the worst. It bases the ratings on dozens of factors, including death and infection rates and wait times.

The newly posted ratings show VA hospitals in Albuquerque, Detroit and Los Angeles received one star as of June 30, down from two stars on Dec. 31, 2015.

The VA medical center in Fayetteville, Ark., jumped from three stars to five, and the VA in Orlando went from two stars to four.

Rep. Debbie Dingell, D-Mich., who wrote to the VA demanding the release of five years’ worth of ratings after USA TODAY’s story, said, “It shouldn’t take news reports and public pressure for the VA to make these ratings available to the public.

“These are important tools for veterans and the community to see quality of care at the hospitals they depend on, and I hope this transparency continues,” she said.

Until USA TODAY’s story, Dingell did not know the Detroit VA — named after her husband, former congressman John Dingell — was among the worst-rated.

The VA did not immediately respond to a message seeking comment Tuesday. VA officials have said the star ratings were an internal improvement tool and not intended for the public because hospitals with one star could be unfairly tarnished.

The VA said 120 of the 146 centers showed improvement since 2015.

“It shouldn’t take news reports and public pressure for the VA to make these ratings available to the public.” Rep. Debbie Dingell, D-Mich.