Despite lifting its hiring freeze in January of 2026, its enduring impact, combined with other federal cost-cutting moves, has significantly reduced access to patient care from the New Mexico Veterans Administration Health System. 

An evaluation of the entire national system by the VA’s Inspector General revealed that in New Mexico, 74 occupations within the system are experiencing severe staffing shortages.  Of those, 51are in clinical fields such as Anesthesiology, Radiology, Oncology and Geriatrics.  An additional 13 patient service support occupations are also experiencing severe staffing shortages. 

Staffing shortages such as these lead to essential health care services not being available to Veterans within the system and forcing them to turn to the private sector for care.  This is, quite obviously, the intent of a President and Congress wishing to “privatize” health care services for the Veterans community 

The Inspector General’s report discovered that the VA’s Albuquerque hospital was unable to perform certain specialty care and surgery, such as surgery for heart attacks.

Read Source New Mexico’s story on the report HERE

Read the full Inspector General’s report HERE