Before Confirmation Hearing, Warren Slams Top Military Health Nominee on Record of “Severe and Systemic” Problems
Keith Bass would be responsible for military health care system that provides care for over nine million active and retired servicemembers and their families
“Given your checkered past involving the disbursement of controlled substances within the [White House], and your failures in managing the CIA’s health care program, 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.”
Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, wrote to Mr. Keith Bass, nominee for Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs (ASD[HA]), demanding an explanation for the problems that occurred under his watch at the White House Medical Unit (WHMU) and the Central Intelligence Agency’s health care program.
Mr. Bass is scheduled to appear before the Senate Armed Services Committee for his nomination hearing on Thursday, March 27, 2025. If confirmed, Mr. Bass would be in charge of the Military Health System, which provides health care to approximately 9.5 million active and retired service members and their families, would become a top advisor at DoD on “force health protection policies, programs, and activities,” and oversee budgeting across the military health program. But his record raises serious concerns about his ability to fulfill the responsibilities of the role.
From 2013 to 2019, Mr. Bass oversaw the WHMU, overseeing care to the President, other senior officials, and their families. During his tenure, several complaints were filed against him for overseeing “an operation that widely dispensed sedatives and stimulants, among other concerns.” An independent investigation by the Department of Defense’s (DoD) Inspector General found that, under Bass’ tenure, the WHMU pharmacy operations had “severe and systemic problems” and was found to have violated federal law by handing out “sedatives such as Ambien and stimulants such as Provigil without proper prescriptions” to ineligible staff while “us[ing] aliases in electronic health records to disguise the patients’ identities and deliver free care in cases where the recipients wouldn’t be eligible.”
“At best, you were oblivious to the wide distribution of sedatives and stimulants by WHMU’s pharmacy operations and, in the worst case, you were complicit. Either scenario should disqualify you from serving as the ASD(HA),” said Senator Warren.
After leaving the WHMU, Mr. Bass served as Director of the Office of Medical Services (OMS) at the CIA, where he was reportedly “pushed out” because of his “messy” management, poor communication, “badly handl[ing] the surge of Covid-19 cases,” and “fumbling the agency’s handling of Havana Syndrome.”
“Your poor performance in this position casts doubt on your ability to serve in a position requiring broader management skills,” said Senator Warren.
“Given your checkered past involving the disbursement of controlled substances within the WHMU, and your failures in managing the CIA’s health care program, 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,” concluded Senator Warren.
Senator Warren asked Mr. Bass to explain his involvement in the illegal distribution of controlled substances at the White House, his knowledge of the “severe and systemic” problems at the WHMU, the issues during his tenure at the CIA, and asked him to commit to not lobby DoD after his service.
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