VA Medical Centers Face Record Staffing Shortages: What This Means for Veterans

On August 12, 2025, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Office of the Inspector General (OIG) released a report titled OIG Determination of Veterans Health Administration’s Severe Occupational Staffing Shortages Fiscal Year 2025. The news in the report is bad for veterans, but it’s not entirely new information. Some major news outlets57%  have been reporting disruptions at the VA and the potential VA medical center shortages and other problems caused by layoffs, hiring freezes, canceled outside contracts and resignations.

Most VA medical centers are reporting staffing shortages across multiple departments and employee types, resulting in an aggregate total of 4,434 severe staffing shortages across the 139 centers. Shortages are counted by the occupation designated as having a shortage, not by the total number of workers the facility is short. For example, a facility that normally staffed 40 nurses but only had 25 available would be counted as one shortage, not 15.

Here’s what you need to know about where the VA medical centers shortages are happening, how they are currently impacting VA services, and what you can expect in the future.

Where are VA Medical Centers Shortages Happening? 

Unfortunately, the impact of these VA Medical Centers shortages is widespread and impacts veterans across the U.S. 

Nearly all 139 VA medical centers around the country that responded to the government’s questionnaire are reporting severe staff shortages in 2025. It’s also important to note that the information the report is based on was gathered in March and early April of this year. Other reporting suggests that the VA has continued to lose medical professionals in the intervening months. 

The report referenced above revealed that: 

• 94% of facilities are short on medical officers
• 79% are short on nurses
• 58% are short on police support
• 57% are short on clinical staff in psychology

The VA Medical Centers are also experiencing increased shortages in non-medical support roles that impact their ability to deliver services. For example, 42% reported shortages of food service workers and 37% were lacking clerical and technical employees. 

How Will VA Medical Centers Shortages Impact Disabled Veterans? 

VA medical centers provide healthcare services to more than 9 million veterans each year, including those who are receiving VA disability for service-connected conditions and qualifying low-income veterans. That number increased by more than 400,000 just last year, in part due to expanded eligibility for VA healthcare under the PACT Act. Despite that increase, VA staffing is at its lowest point since 2023, and has been declining throughout FY 2025. And, the federal government reportedly expects an aggregate reduction of 30,000 VA employees by the end of the fiscal year in September.

If you are a disabled veteran receiving medical care through one of the VA medical centers, you may already have started experiencing delays in treatment or inability to get assistance. But, reports are mixed. 

VA Disability Processing

The federal government has focused its statements regarding VA staffing on improved processing time for VA disability applications. The average wait time for a determination on an initial VA disability claim is down to just over 100 days. And, the VA says it has processed a record number of claims in 2025. During the first five months of FY 2025, the VA says it processed more than one million claims. That’s on the heels of a record more than one million claims during FY 2024. 

So far, it appears that VA disability approval rates have not changed significantly as processing speed increases. 

The greater concern, of course, is what happens after a veteran is approved for VA disability benefits or signs up for VA healthcare services. 

Impact of VA Medical Center Shortages on Veteran Care

Earlier this month, nurses at the Atlanta Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Decatur, Georgia rallied against proposed cuts, saying reductions in staff increase the risk to veterans. The nursing staff plays a key role in providing care and monitoring to homebound veterans. They aren’t alone in raising the alarm. Back in May, a report from The Guardian mentioned an acute care unit in Illinois being closed to new patients due to a shortage of nursing staff, more than 2,000 unread radiology exams in Florida, and cancellations of rheumatology appointments in Michigan. Their report also included the story of an Afghanistan war veteran’s frustrated efforts to seek mental health care through the VA. 

In statements to various news outlets, VA Press Secretary Pet Kasperowicz has claimed that the Guardian reports are “spun,” and that the types of challenges reported are common to all large healthcare systems. VA Secretary Douglas A. Collins has acknowledged the shortages, but attributed them to a general nationwide shortage of healthcare workers. However, that explanation seems to conflict with the government’s stated goal of continuing to scale back VA staffing. 

Next Steps for Veterans

We don’t know exactly what the future holds for VA healthcare services or what challenges veterans may face. However, that shouldn’t stop veterans with service-connected disabilities from pursuing VA disability benefits. There are still 170 VA medical centers operating nationwide, and healthcare services are just one benefit among many that a disabled veteran may receive. 

Those approved for VA disability benefits at the 10% level or above receive monthly monetary benefits. At higher levels, those benefits can be significant. 

Get the Help You Need with a VA Disability Claim or Appeal

The VA is attempting to streamline the VA disability claims determination process and the timeline for an initial decision has shrunk considerably. But the process moving forward efficiently depends on the quality of your claim and associated documentation.

Working with an experienced VA disability benefits advocate from the beginning can help you avoid mistakes that could delay your claim or result in denial. If you’ve already been denied, a knowledgeable advocate can assess why your claim was denied, advise you on the type of appeal that best fits your circumstances, and help you assemble the documentation you need to fight the denial. 

To learn more about how we can help, call 855-855-8992 or fill out our contact form HERE.

Learn More About VA Disability Below:

• How To Speed Up Your VA Disability Claim
• How To Apply For VA Disability Benefits
• SSD For Veterans