ICYMI: Sen. Cruz: ‘Every Veteran Ought to Have the Right to Choose His or Her Doctor’
Discusses VA reform, Concerned Veterans for America town halls and Obamacare repeal and replace with WOAI’s Joe Pags
SAN ANTONIO, Texas - U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) joined WOAI's Joe Pags for an in-studio interview, where he discussed his work on behalf of veterans, the town hall tour across the state with Concerned Veterans for America, and his efforts on Obamacare repeal and replace.
Watch Sen. Cruz's full interview on the Joe Pags Show here.
When asked about the ‘Defend & Reform' town halls with Concerned Veterans for America, Sen. Cruz highlight his efforts on VA reform.
"You know this week I'm doing veterans town halls all across the state of Texas. Did one last night in Dallas, we've got them coming up in Austin and Houston and just meeting with veterans and answering their questions. And lot of the questions are concerning the VA and how do you improve it? And you look at the scandal of the last few years, where VA facilities were keeping fake and bogus books. They were lying and wrongfully denying veterans care that they needed. Sometimes life-saving care and in jeopardizing their lives. It was shameful, and it was a disgrace. How do we fix it? There are two things we need to do to fix it. Number one we need accountability, and that's something I've been helping lead the fight in the Senate for is more accountability the ability to take if a VA employee has lied, has broken the criminal law they ought to be prosecuted. And if they've wrongfully denied veterans care that they've earned and they deserve they should be terminated."
When asked about addressing veterans' health care needs, Sen. Cruz reaffirmed his commitment to expanding veteran choice and empowering them to choose their own doctor.
"The VA is larger than the U.S. Navy," Sen. Cruz said. "It is a huge government bureaucracy and we have passed some legislation to enhance accountability. We need more. But then the second reform is exactly where you started which is choice. I think every veteran ought to have the right to choose his or her doctor. So if you want to go to the VA, that's your right, you've earned it, you bled for it, and you can go to the VA doctors that you know and you've relied on. But if you want to go to the doctor down the street, the local cardiologists you ought to be able to go and do that as well."
When asked about the repeal and replace of Obamacare, Sen. Cruz reiterated his efforts to expand competition and lower health insurance premiums during his time in the Senate.
"I think the principles of reform both then [in 2010] and now should be expanding competition, enhancing options and empowering you the consumer and patient to make your own choices. So for example, things like allowing purchases across state lines that gives you more options that drives down prices. Things like portability, that when you lose your job, you should be able to take your insurance with you, so that it comes with you. And if you think about it, if you or I get fired tomorrow, you don't lose your car insurance. You don't lose your life insurance, your home insurance. [There's] no reason on earth you should lose your health insurance. So there were reforms we should do all of which should be focused on taking power out of Washington, and giving power to you the consumer. That's what we should have done then, and that's what we should be doing now."
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