TALLAHASSEE—With Democrats seemingly way out in left field, Sen Jay Collins turned his attention to more pressing matters, particularly when it comes to fixing Veterans Affairs (VA) Sen. Collins is a former Army Green Beret with tours in Afghanistan and Iraq.
Showing his passion for the issue, Collins called the department's budget "big and bloated." To address the problem, he offered the following solutions.
"The only way to fix it is to strip it down to the studs. I think you block budget the money, much like they want to do with education, down to the states," Collins said. "You connect your state and federal assets together to create one state-level VA."
Collins added he loved the model because it gives veterans the right to choose. Moreover, he noted that more choice could have a big impact on the current VA system.
"These VA hospitals, they are going under faster and faster and faster. We can't keep up with the rate of inflation, the rate and cost of keeping substandard healthcare in many of them," Collins said. "You gotta go to more of a choice-based system."
While focused on revamping the system, Collins emphasized fixing another major problem affecting the department. Veterans Homelessness.
According to the latest data from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, 32,882 veterans experienced homelessness in America.
"What I believe we should do is tackle veteran homelessness within those hospitals. Rebrand them. Reutilize them. Turn them specifically into a veteran wrap-around care, but not a government-owned solution," Collins said. "The VA would screw that up from the ground up. We know that."
Instead, Collins said the solution should be handled locally.
"There are non-profits and for-profits out there that are doing god's work. Saving veterans, making a difference," Collins said. "Let's let the government own the facility, work with non-profits and for-profits to solve the problem. The veterans are going to get so much better care and solve real problems."
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