As Pentagon's Top Health Nominee Prepares for Confirmation Hearing, One Senator Has a Lot of Questions

Ahead of his confirmation hearing Thursday to become assistant secretary of defense for health affairs, Keith Bass is facing tough questions from a prominent Democrat on the Senate Armed Services Committee.

Bass, a retired Navy commander and substance abuse counselor who previously led the Central Intelligence Agency's Office of Medical Services and the White House Medical Unit, was nominated Dec. 22 to manage the Defense Department's $61 billion health system, which serves 9.5 million beneficiaries, including 1.3 million active-duty troops.

The health affairs assistant secretary is responsible for protecting and preserving the health of the armed forces, setting policy, and managing the Pentagon's health budget. He also serves as senior adviser on health issues relevant to beneficiaries for Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.

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But the military health system currently is facing challenges on multiple fronts, including staffing shortages at medical facilities, patient retention issues that have affected provider training and proficiency, and problems within the Tricare health program that have resulted in delays in patient care and payments to providers.

In a letter to Bass on Monday, Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., ranking member of the Armed Services personnel subcommittee, questioned whether he is up to the task.

Citing Bass' experiences at the White House and CIA, which were investigated by the Defense Department's Office of Inspector General and in media reports for reported mismanagement, Warren said she had concerns that he is "not capable of filling the role."

According to an article in SpyTalk cited by Warren, Bass allegedly was fired as head of the CIA medical office following his mishandling of the investigation into Havana syndrome, also known as anomalous health incidents, that affected more than 330 U.S. State Department, intelligence and defense officials as a result of exposure to painful, piercing noise from an unknown source.

The article also pointed to Bass' alleged mishandling of the COVID-19 response at the agency, "afflicting its rank and file."

Warren also cited a DoD IG report released last January that found that, during Bass' tenure at the White House, civilian staff members who weren't eligible for military health services -- an average six to 20 patients a week -- received specialty care and surgeries at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Maryland, Fort Belvoir Community Hospital in Virginia, and elsewhere.

That investigation also found that the unit distributed sedatives including Ambien and stimulants such as Provigil to ineligible beneficiaries, often without a prescription.

Warren asked Bass whether he was aware of "severe and systemic problems" under his watch.

"At best, you were oblivious to the wider distribution of sedatives and stimulants by White House pharmacy operations and, in the worst case, you were complicit. Either scenario should disqualify you from serving as the [assistant secretary of defense for health affairs]," Warren wrote.

In his most recent position, Bass led the West Texas VA Health Care System, overseeing a medical center with an operating budget of $153 million and 1,120 employees, serving 24,000 veterans.

President Donald Trump announced Bass' nomination along with several other Defense Department leaders on Dec. 22, calling them "a slate of America First patriots."

"Keith is a retired Navy commander with over 30 years of health care experience. ... Keith will be leading the charge to ensure our troops are healthy, and receiving the best medical care possible," Trump wrote in an announcement.

Bass' appearance at his nomination hearing will be the first time he has made public statements about his plans for the military health system.

Dr. Stephen Ferrara, a retired Navy interventional radiologist who served as chief medical officer at the CIA, has served as acting assistant secretary for health affairs since January and, since assuming the duty, has traveled throughout the military health system, including a trip to U.S. Naval Hospital Guantanamo Bay in Cuba last month.

Ferrara has pledged to ensure that the military health system realigns its efforts to support and provide combat medicine.

"And it's a moral imperative ... when America's sons and daughters go down range and go into harm's way, we honor the pact they make and that their parents made when they sort of handed their children over to us to do those missions that, should they become ill or injured, they will receive prompt and effective medical attention anywhere in the world," Ferrara said during a military health conference March 3.

The Senate Armed Services Committee will hear testimony Thursday from three other nominees in addition to Bass: Troy Meink to be Air Force secretary; Michael Duffey, proposed undersecretary of defense for acquisition and sustainment; and Emil Michael as undersecretary of defense for research and engineering.

In her letter, sent to Bass via the White House, Warren requested answers to her questions in writing by Wednesday.

"Given your checkered past ... I am concerned that, if you are confirmed, you will not be able to effectively manage the military health care system, placing care at risk for millions. I urge you to demonstrate a commitment to clarity," Warren wrote.

The White House did not respond to a request for comment by publication time.

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