FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: January 12, 2009
MEDIA CONTACT: Jeff Sadosky
Sen. Hutchison Announces Major Expansion of South Texas VA Health Center in Harlingen
Lease will Bring Four Fold Increase in Size of Health Center by December 2010
WASHINGTON, DC - U.S. Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-TX), Texas’ senior Senator, today announced that the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) will sign a 20 year lease agreement that will lead to another major planned expansion of the South Texas VA Health Center in Harlingen.
“Today’s agreement keeps the promise that the Secretary of Veterans Affairs made to me last year to greatly expand the services to Veterans in South Texas,” said Sen. Hutchison. “It will quadruple the size of the existing facility in Harlingen, expanding access to high quality health care for South Texas Veterans. Because of the willingness of the University of Texas to work with the VA on this project, it will provide an improvement in health care to all citizens in the Valley.”
This expansion is the largest and next phase of the plan to increase healthcare for veterans in the Valley. Once complete in December 2010, this expansion will increase current square footage from 38,000 to 158,000 square feet at the facility. Among the new services that will be added: CT scans, MRI, colonoscopies, dermatological excisions, cystoscopy, cataract removal, hernia repair, and new same-day surgical suites and contracted recovery beds.
This newest addition will add over 120,000 square feet of medical care space, making it the largest ambulatory care facility in the VA system designed for rural veterans.
When this work is completed, South Texas Veterans will receive 95% of their health care needs, including specialty care, in Harlingen and avoid the long drive to San Antonio. As the need for specialty care has increased, Sen. Hutchison has been working to address this need and today is very proud to announce the VA has signed the final agreement to set the largest piece in motion.
Since coming to the Senate, Sen. Hutchison has pushed for increased medical care for Veterans in South Texas. Her formal request in 2006 for a study led the VA to conclude this expansion of medical services was necessary.
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