“This report is appalling,” said Sen. Roy Blunt, R-Mo. “Too many of our veterans in Missouri and across the nation have been denied adequate care for far too long.”

The VA St. Louis system, which includes the John Cochran and Jefferson Barracks hospitals and various clinics, ranked fifth worst out of 141 health systems in the country for average wait times for new patients to get specialty appointments. Patients wait an average of nearly three months, according to the audit. The local VA spokeswoman did not respond to requests for comment.

Hendricks said he was diagnosed with kidney cancer in November and tried getting care at private hospitals, but they wouldn’t accept his military insurance. He finally got in to see specialists at John Cochran this week after four months of phone calls he said were disconnected or never returned.

“I’m 62, and I’m still pretty, but I hurt. I hurt. I can’t walk too much, my back’s in pain. I don’t think I’m going to make it,” Hendricks said.