Disabled veterans waited months for the Department of Veterans Affairs to repair their wheelchairs, according to an audit by the agency's inspector general.
The Washington Free Beacon reported on the findings of the audit.
The inspector general's report focused on problems at VA medical facilities in its southeast network in fixing wheelchairs and scooters, the Free Beacon reported.
In at least one case, a veteran had to go 210 days before his wheelchair was fixed.
The report said those facilities audited "did not ensure the timely repair of veterans' VA-issued power wheelchair and scooters."
According to the Free Beacon, 40 percent of repair orders were delayed and took an average of 59 days to complete. And the audit report noted in once case it took 78 days to replace a battery on a veteran's wheelchair.
"A clinician submitted a repair consult for a new battery for a veteran's power wheelchair," the inspector general's report said.
"The purchasing agent did not take initial action and request a quote from the vendor until 69 days after the veteran's repair request. The vendor replaced the battery nine days after the quote request."
And it added: "Another veteran missed his medical appointment while waiting 32 days for his wheelchair repair."
The audit found the delays occurred "because staff and Prosthetic Service managers" at the VA medical facilities "did not always effectively manage and monitor repair requests."
The Free Beacon said the worst offender was the Charlie Norwood VA in Georgia. That facility took an average 82 days to fix 200 wheelchairs.
The inspector general's report comes as VA Secretary David Shulkin is under fire for ethics violations. But Shulkin has maintained he has no intention of leaving his job.
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