John Figueroa

Status: ACTING — designated by the Secretary's memo effective July 9, 2026. No Senate-confirmed Under Secretary for Health is currently in office.

The acting head of the largest health system in America — 1,400+ sites of care, ~9.1 million enrolled veterans — holding the job because the confirmed appointee resigned.

Former Army infantry officer and Ranger; founder/CEO of CarepathRx and former CEO of Genoa Healthcare in the private sector; joined VA in 2025 as a Senior Advisor to the Secretary. He also acted in this role from November 2025 to January 2026.

How this chair emptied: Dr. Shereef Elnahal resigned January 20, 2025 → acting officials → John Bartrum, the first non-physician confirmed to the job (Dec 18, 2025, 53–43) → Bartrum resigned effective July 6, 2026, after under seven months → VA announced his deputy would act → the Secretary designated Figueroa instead, effective July 9, 2026.

Accountable for: all of VHA — including the Community Care system whose consult #9247778 was scheduled, rebooked, and cancelled without its recommended procedure ever being carried out, the Caregiver Support Program, and the staffing shortages VA’s own Inspector General documented at 97% of facilities in FY2026.

On video: no official series; hearings and pre-VA academic talks.

Official bio: department.va.gov. Verified October 16, 2026.