(WBEN) - With plans for a new VA Hospital in Buffalo off the table, VA Secretary Doug Collins joined WBEN just before Veterans Day to give an update on how the agency is investing in care.
In 2022, it was announced that $1 Billion was allocated for construction of a new VA Hospital on the Buffalo Medical Campus. Just two years later, officials said the earmarked money was withdrawn.
So what now?
"Right now it's very expensive to build a new facility," Collins told WBEN Monday. "It's about a Billion and a half Dollars to build a new hospital, which is way over priced. A private hospital could build one for far less and a lot quicker. We have too much red tape involved in our construction process."
Collins did say the VA has invested $5 Billion in infrastructure improvements in the past year.
Instead of building new, the VA under Collins has put an emphasis on expanding outside medical care for veterans. That ability was expanded under the VA MISSION Act, which was passed to help speed up wait times for Veterans.
In 2024, The Director and Chief of Staff at the Buffalo VA Medical Center were removed from their roles after reports that local veterans experienced significant delays in receiving critical treatment.
"This past fiscal year we spent over $50 Billion across the country in community care payments, which help not only our veterans get the care they need, but it also helps private practices, especially rural hospitals with income that helps them as well."
