Under Secretary for Health
Brig. Gen. Michael J. Kussman, M.D., (US Army, Ret.) was confirmed by the U.S. Senate as Under Secretary for Health for the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) on May 25, 2007. As Under Secretary, Dr. Kussman leads the Nation’s largest integrated health care system. He previously served as Acting Under Secretary for Health and Principal Deputy Under Secretary for Health. As Under Secretary for Health, he directs a health care system with an annual budget of approximately $40.2 billion, which employs more than 231,000 health care professionals and support staff at more than 1,400 sites of care, including hospitals, community and facility-based clinics, nursing homes, domiciliaries, readjustment counseling centers, and various other facilities. Dr. Kussman oversees the delivery of health care to more than 5.6 million veterans throughout the United States. In addition to its health care mission, VHA is the Nation's largest provider of graduate medical education and a major contributor to medical and scientific research. More than 80,000 volunteers, 100,000 health profession trainees, and 25,000 affiliated medical faculty members are integral parts of the VHA community. Dr. Kussman is a native of Troy, N.Y. He earned his undergraduate and medical degrees from Boston University, receiving the M.D. in 1968. He earned a Master’s degree in management from Salve Regina University in 1994. Dr. Kussman began his military career in 1970, serving with the 7th Infantry Division in Korea. He left active duty in 1972 to resume medical training and complete his residency at the Joslin Clinic in Boston. From 1974 to 1979, Dr. Kussman worked in private practice in Pittsfield, Mass. In 1979, Dr. Kussman returned to active duty at Tripler Army Medical Center in Honolulu, Hawaii, serving as chief of Internal Medicine. He later served as Division Surgeon for the 25th Infantry Division in Hawaii. From 1984 to 1988, Dr. Kussman served as Chief of the Department of Medicine at Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio, Texas. He completed his tour there as Deputy Commander for Clinical Services. Dr. Kussman became The Army Surgeon General’s chief consultant in Internal Medicine and governor for the Army Region of the American College of Physicians in 1988. He commanded Martin Army Community Hospital at Fort Benning, Ga., from March 1993 to August 1995, and later commanded the Walter Reed Health Care System in Washington, D.C., where he was promoted to brigadier general. Following his tour at Walter Reed, Dr. Kussman served as commander of the Europe Regional Medical Command, Command Surgeon for U.S. Army Europe, and TRICARE lead agent for Europe. He was responsible for Army health care throughout Europe, the Middle East and Africa. Dr. Kussman is a graduate of the Army War College and an honor graduate of the Command and General Staff College. His military decorations include the Distinguished Service Medal (the highest award given in peace time), Legion of Merit with three oak leaf clusters, Defense Meritorious Service Medal and the Order of Military Medical Merit. Dr. Kussman received the prestigious “A” designator from The Army Surgeon General, which identifies professorial rank, and the Laureate Award from the American College of Physicians/American Society of Internal Medicine, and was selected as a Master of the College. He is board certified in Internal Medicine and serves on the faculty of the Uniformed Services University of Health Sciences. March 2009
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