Five top administrators in the Veterans Affairs' health care system in New Mexico received more than $24,000 in bonuses in 2013 despite complaints from veterans about lapses and delays in care.
Documents obtained by The Associated Press through a Freedom of Information request show the director of the New Mexico system collected more than $8,700 in 2013.
Nearly 100 other employees — from emergency room doctors to surgeons — shared more than $2.4 million in performance pay last year.
Bonuses for VA administrators nationwide have been a point of contention since investigators following up on whistleblower complaints discovered large-scale improprieties in the way hospitals and clinics around the country scheduled veterans for appointments.
Tens of thousands of patients, including veterans in New Mexico, waited months to see a doctor.
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