I can see that happening here also. Big management (Shinseki) gave little management (Local VA Supervisors) orders to reduce waiting times. Little management cheated and submitted false numbers. Big management was satisfied with the numbers but didn't want to know if they were accurate.
"That means we should privatize and set competing forces in motion."
Private industry would take a hard look at the vouchers given to the vets. If the money is satisfactory, wait times will be reduced with breath taking speed.
You see article after article here pointing out there are not enough doctors and nurses to handle the influx of bodies from the ACA. Dumping 20 plus million Vets into the nations civilian health care system will only make that situation worse.
Additionally, the Veteran population, needs a greater amount now and a far greater level of care in the next 40 years. The VA although flawed has demonstrated it can control costs much better than the private health-care system in the United States. Most civilians expect the accommodations at a civilian hospital be on par with a luxury hotel.
The VA can and does provide top notch care to most that use its services. In my view making sure every Vet receives that care is far preferable and much more cost effective in the long run than privatizing the system.