Obama to visit Phoenix VA at center of scandal

President Obama later this week will visit the Phoenix Veterans Affairs (VA) medical center that was at the center of the scandal over long patient wait times.

The president will visit the facility on March 13, along with VA Secretary Robert McDonald, the White House announced Tuesday.

{mosads}Media reports that veterans at the Phoenix facility waited an average of 115 days for medical care while administrators covered up delays sparked national outrage and several internal and external investigations into the VA’s medical network.

Then-VA chief Eric Shinseki resigned over the scandal, and Congress overwhelmingly passed a $16.3 billion reform bill to overhaul the troubled agency.

In January, Senate Armed Services Committee chairman John McCain (R-Ariz.) blasted Obama for not visiting the Phoenix VA during a visit to the city.

“I am pleased that President Obama has finally decided to visit veterans at the Phoenix VA this week, nearly one year after reports first surfaced about Arizona veterans dying due to VA mismanagement and two months after the president’s motorcade drove directly past the Phoenix VA without stopping,” McCain said in a statement.

McDonald’s first trip after his confirmation last August was to the hospital.

— Updated at 7:29 p.m.