New Lake Nona VA Hospital not opening until 2015

Last night there was a meeting at the American Legion in Orlando with members of the VA. The Lake Nona VA Hospital opening was the biggest part of the discussion. During the meeting the date, depending on when the contractors handed over the keys 2015 was the date for the opening.

If the contractors are done in December, the VA would begin to move in with two 120 day segments. I have it on video and will be putting it together later this morning. You can hear more about this, Tricare issues, transportation issues and homeless veterans.

New VA Hospital unlikely to open by December
VA adds 90 days to completion date
Orlando Sentinel
By Marni Jameson
February 10, 2014

"It's a tragedy that it's taking this long," said Veteran Jerry Pierce, chairman of the Central Florida Veterans Memorial Park Foundation.

"Five to six vets die each a day on average in Central Florida, and it's very sad for them and others who could have benefited," said Pierce of Winter Park.

The region's 400,000 veterans have been waiting a long time for the facility, which was originally scheduled to open in October 2012.

The new Orlando VA Hospital might not be open to veterans by December, after all.

Although two officials at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs said two weeks ago that the parties had agreed on that date for completion, VA spokeswoman Josephine Schuda, one of those who confirmed that report, said Monday it wasn't so.

What's more, being complete is not the same as being open, the VA said.

"The VA has not projected a new completion date," Schuda said, adding that the government would not speculate on a new date.

Even if construction is finished in December, veterans will have to wait an additional 90 days before the hospital opens to patients, Schuda said.

So if the building is done in December, it will be March 2015 before veterans benefit.

The VA will need 90 days to outfit the more than 1 million square feet with equipment that must be assembled and with furniture, which is being stored off site, said Schuda. Staffing will also have to be coordinated and trained.
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