SAVANNAH — Rick Jackson laid out his plan to help veterans and peeled back the layers on his health care package during a campaign stop in Savannah.

Jackson, who is the Republican nominee for governor, met with veterans and the founders of Nine Line Apparel at their headquarters on Fort Argyle Road, and he spelled out what he wants to do for veterans, if he is elected as Georgia’s next governor.

Jackson, who built a health care staffing company, said he wants to create a governor’s office of veterans and military affairs as part of his plan. He said that office won’t be another level of bureaucracy.

“It’s job is to cut through the layers that already exist on behalf of our veterans,” he said.

Jackson also wants to establish a 24/7 veterans support hotline that is staffed by a “real person responsible for connecting the veteran to the right help,” he said.

He’s also planning to expand access to mental health care, citing its need among the veteran population and among the homeless.

“We need to expand our mental health care at every level,” he said.

Jackson met with veterans at Nine Line Apparel to discuss how the state can serve veterans. He added that veterans should be allowed to see the medical provider of their choice “anytime, anywhere.”

“Someone who has worn the uniform should be able to see high quality provider without fighting the system to do it and I am going to assist in making that happen,” Jackson said. “They should not have to get in the back of line. They should be in the front of line. They should be able to go to any doctor, anywhere for the best care ever, no matter where it is.”

Jackson opposes expanding Medicaid, which his opponent, Democrat and former Atlanta mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms, espouses.

“Medicaid is not a health care solution by itself,” he said. “Health care is a lot more complicated than that. I don’t know why anybody thinks expanding Medicaid is a solution to health care. There is a way to make sure everybody has access. We have to be careful we don’t hurt our hospitals by taking on general Medicaid expansion.”

Jackson said one of the drivers behind health care costs is the number of “middle people” in the process, he charged.

“I am going to eliminate the ability of insurance companies to practice medicine in Georgia by denying care that a doctor orders,” he said. “With 21st century IT, we can eliminate a lot of the costs. We will have the most cost-effective health care of any state in the United States, or I won’t run again. It’s as simple as that.”

Other planks in his veterans platform include setting up a community grant program for organizations such as the VFW, American Legion or other nonprofits that serve veterans, since those are usually among the first groups to notice when a veteran needs help, Jackson said.

He also will put in place a veteran-friendly business designation so businesses in Georgia can recognize the employers who recruit veterans, and he will push for the waiving of licensing fees for veterans and military spouses.

“Nobody should be charged for the privilege of going back to work because the military asked them to move,” he said.

Jackson also pushed for tax relief for veterans and police officers.

“This plan is built on one standard — a veteran should not have battle state government after fighting for our country. Georgia’s record should be worthy of their record,” he said. “Our veterans program is just the beginning, not the end. I want Georgia to be the number one place to be a veteran, to show that we support our veterans.”