VA health care nominee Jeffrey Murawsky withdraws

WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama’s choice to be the top health official at the Veterans Affairs Department withdrew his nomination Thursday, saying he feared his confirmation could spark a prolonged political battle.

Jeffrey Murawsky, health care chief for the VA’s Chicago-based regional office, was nominated last month to be the department’s new undersecretary for health care, replacing Robert Petzel, who resigned under pressure. Petzel had been scheduled to retire later this year but was asked to leave early amid a firestorm over delays in patient care and preventable deaths at veterans hospitals.

Murawsky now oversees seven VA hospitals and 30 clinics in Illinois, Indiana, Wisconsin and Michigan, including one in suburban Chicago where there are allegations that its staff used secret lists to conceal long patient wait times for appointments. Murawsky was a doctor at the Hines, Illinois, hospital and technically remains on staff.

The White House said in a statement that Murawsky feared a prolonged fight over his confirmation, adding that he believes the role is too important not to be filled quickly.

Obama accepted Murawsky’s withdrawal and will move quickly to find a replacement. The VA is required by law to convene a commission to seek and review candidates for the position, which oversees the Veterans Health Administration, the largest single health care provider in the nation with 9 million patients, 150 hospitals and 820 walk-in clinics.

Associated Press