VA secretary claims Disney doesn't measure wait times so the VA shouldn't either

It can take months for veterans to actually receive health care from the VA, but Veterans Affairs Secretary Robert McDonald wants people to focus on the destination, not the journey. "When you go to Disney, do they measure the number of hours you wait in line? Or what's important?" McDonald asked Monday, apparently entirely serious. "What's important is, what's your satisfaction with the experience? And what I would like to move to, eventually, is that kind of measure."

The VA has been heavily criticized for failing to provide timely care to patients (or even accurate information about said care). McDonald has also brushed aside "create date" measures, which gauge a vet's wait time by counting the days since he or she first requested care, saying "create dates" aren't a "valid measure" of a patient's experience.

McDonald might be missing one glaring difference between waiting for health care and waiting to get on the Matterhorn Bobsleds, though: People don't typically die queuing for amusement park rides.

Subscribe to The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Sign up