Secretary of Veterans Affairs Doug Collins made a visit to the Minneapolis VA hospital Tuesday, amid uncertainty for the agency’s future funding and staffing.
Since President Donald Trump took office, the VA has cut thousands of staffers. Collins has said the Department of Veterans Affairs has a goal to cut about fifteen percent of its staff, but hasn’t unveiled a specific plan to do so.
At the Minneapolis hospital, Collins said adding money and staff to the VA over the last few years hasn’t improved care. He said cutting back on spending will be better for veterans.
“It’s going to be about lowering their wait times, it’s going to be about getting their benefits quicker to them, and it’s going to be about taking care of them and making sure they have more access to doctors, more access to nurses and clinicians,” Collins said.
Minneapolis VA Director Patrick J. Kelly introduces Secretary of Veterans Affairs Doug Collins during a tour of the Minneapolis VA Medical Center on Tuesday.
Ben Hovland | MPR News
Collins said the agency will prioritize keeping frontline staff, like doctors and nurses, during layoffs.
Several veterans staged a protest outside the hospital. Arlys Herem is a former army nurse who gets her care at the VA. She said she’s worried about the agency losing staff.
“I don’t see how that can possibly make care more efficient at all,” Harem said. “We choose to get our health care from the VA and we want to be able to continue that choice.”
Jeanne Stevens (from left), Dianne Meyers, Joe Dolan, Tom Edwards, Jeff Roy and Arlys Herem with Veterans For Peace protest Secretary of Veterans Affairs Doug Collins’ visit to the Minneapolis VA Medical Center on Tuesday.
Ben Hovland | MPR News
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