The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is undergoing significant staffing changes. For U.S. veterans with mesothelioma, the VA is a lifeline that provides monthly payouts and free or low-cost health care. The changes could affect how veterans access these services.
The VA is expected to reduce its staff by 12,000 employees through September 2025, after already losing 17,000 staff members this year. This comes on the heels of an even bigger plan to eliminate 80,000 staff members that was ultimately scrapped, as reported by Military Times.
However, the VA maintains that it has multiple safeguards in place to ensure that staff reductions do not affect care or benefits.
"All VA mission-critical positions are exempt from the deferred resignation program and voluntary early retirement authority, and more than 350,000 positions are exempt from the federal hiring freeze," the agency said in a July statement.
Still, critics remain concerned that a smaller VA workforce could negatively impact the services that veterans need and put more pressure on remaining staff.
The Mesothelioma Veterans Center stands ready to help veterans access VA benefits during this time. Learn about 4 ways VA changes may affect you below, and request a Free Veterans Packet to explore benefits available to you.
1. Wait Times for Appointments
With fewer staff, veterans could face longer wait times to meet with VA health care providers. Their appointments could also be cancelled and rescheduled for months later.
“One of my friends just had his VA appointment canceled by mail two days before the appointment for the third time,” said Zee Cook, a U.S. veteran and VA employee. “But if you’re trying to see a specialist like a cancer specialist, that’s all the time in the world.”
However, VA Press Secretary Pete Kasperowicz noted that wait times are actually down under the current administration.
2. Processing of VA Benefit Claims
The VA provides many benefits to veterans with mesothelioma, like disability payouts worth $4,158.17 monthly, health care coverage, and resources for family members. To access these benefits, veterans need to file a VA benefits claim.
As of September 2025, the average time it takes to process a VA benefits claim fell to around 95 days, up from a high of more than 141 days in January 2025. So far, the VA is processing claims in record time, reaching 1 million claims processed by the end of February and 2 million by June.
The Mesothelioma Veterans Center can help veterans with mesothelioma access the VA benefits they deserve as quickly as possible. We can also assist in accessing other forms of compensation. Call (877) 450-8973 now to learn more.
3. Level of Care for Veterans
In an August 2025 report, the VA Office of Inspector General (OIG) found that over 4,400 severe staffing shortages had been reported in VA hospitals this year. The rate of shortages was 50% higher than in 2024.
The OIG report noted that the VA “continues to experience severe occupational staffing shortages for occupations that are fundamental to the delivery of health care.”
This is particularly notable for veterans with mesothelioma. Not all VA health care facilities can treat mesothelioma since the cancer is so rare. If the shortages affect the hospitals that specialize in it, there may be a risk that veterans won’t get the quality care they deserve.
“We’re starving the VA of resources people-wise,” Irma Westmoreland, a VA registered nurse, believes. “If I don’t have escort staff that take patients down to radiology, that means that the nurse at the bedside has to leave what they’re doing for their patient.”
The VA rebutted these concerns, saying the OIG report was not based on actual vacancies at health care facilities.
“Nationwide, VA’s department-wide vacancy rates for doctors and nurses are 14% and 10%, respectively,” Kasperowicz said. “These are lower than most other health care systems, in line with normal VA historical averages, and much lower than the respective 19% and 20% physician and nurse vacancy rates VA saw at times during the Biden administration.”
4. Reliance on Private Health Care
Critics claim that the VA’s workforce reduction is aimed at funneling more veterans into the private health care system. While veterans may decide to use private health insurance to get care after a mesothelioma diagnosis, it’s often more cost-effective for them to go through the VA.
The VA typically considers mesothelioma to be a 100% disability, meaning veterans often have the lowest health care copays. Some medical services are even free. Veterans who use private health insurance plans to get mesothelioma treatment may face higher medical expenses.
This alleged push to private care comes at a time when other public safety nets veterans rely on are also being slashed. Almost 20% of veterans rely on Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits, and close to 1.6 million are enrolled in Medicaid.
If VA health care becomes harder to access, these veterans will have fewer affordable alternatives. However, Pete Kasperowicz denies that veterans are being pushed to private health care, citing a major increase in the VA’s budget for 2026.
The Mesothelioma Veterans Center can quickly help eligible veterans explore VA benefits, medical care, and financial resources. Learn more with our Free Veterans Packet.
The Future of VA Services for Veterans With Mesothelioma
Veterans with mesothelioma deserve the best quality care possible, and the VA still has top doctors and hospitals treating this cancer.
Despite the VA's assurance that any staff reductions won't affect care or benefits, the staff reductions have brought concerns and criticisms from those worried about the future of its health care and the veterans relying on it.
“I don’t care how many times you say that we are not cutting services to the veteran,” says Irma Westmoreland. “If you don’t bring on staff, you’re cutting services to the veteran.”
No matter what happens, the Mesothelioma Veterans Center will be there to help veterans through their cancer journey.
Support for Veterans With Mesothelioma
The Mesothelioma Veterans Center is closely monitoring the ongoing VA staff changes and will provide updates to keep veterans and their loved ones informed.
In the meantime, we can assist veterans in seeking the benefits, treatment, and compensation they deserve.
The Mesothelioma Veterans Center can help you:
- File for or increase your mesothelioma VA benefits
- Receive treatments from top mesothelioma doctors
- Seek financial compensation after a diagnosis
- Get the support you and your family need
Get a Free Veterans Packet or call (877) 450-8973 now to see all of the options available to you and your loved ones facing mesothelioma.
