VA to Cut Up to 35K Health Care Jobs Move largely targets long-vacant posts as veterans

The country’s largest government-run health system is set to shrink for a second time this year—mostly on paper, but with tangible concerns for patients and staff. The Department of Veterans Affairs plans to eliminate up to 35,000 health care positions this month, primarily vacant roles for doctors, nurses, and support staff, according to an internal memo, congressional aides, and VA employees who spoke to the Washington Post. This follows an earlier downsizing that saw nearly 30,000 VA workers leave through buyouts and attrition after leadership dropped a plan for mass firings under pressure from lawmakers.

Documents obtained by the Post indicate that the VA aims to reduce the Veterans Health Administration workforce to around 372,000 employees, roughly 10% below last year’s levels. VA spokesperson Pete Kasperowicz said roughly 26,400 of the positions being cut are unfilled “COVID-era roles” that have been vacant for more than a year and are “no longer necessary,” insisting that patient care will not be affected. However, VA staffers and union officials warn that the system is already grappling with high demand and long wait times amid a nationwide health worker shortage, and they fear the cuts could entrench chronic understaffing.

The timing coincides with plans by VA Secretary Douglas A. Collins to scale back the network of 18 regional offices that oversee hospitals and clinics. Critics argue that trimming what they call a “top-heavy” administration could free up resources for front-line care. The VA expanded rapidly under the Biden administration following the passage of the PACT Act, which enrolled more veterans in the system, especially those exposed to toxic burn pits. By contrast, President Trump’s administration advocated for a smaller VA workforce and greater reliance on private-sector care, a strategy some of his former appointees continue to support.

In other VA developments, Democrat lawmakers are raising concerns that the agency is compiling a list of non-citizens “employed or affiliated with” the VA and sharing it with immigration authorities, according to the Guardian.

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