$1.2 Billion Set Aside for VA Medical Center Renovations Across the U.S.

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has approved roughly $1.2 billion in facility improvements for the third quarter of 2026. This funding is part of a record $4.8 billion maintenance budget for the year, the largest of its kind in the department's history.

These updates will allow the government to make significant upgrades to aging VA hospital infrastructure and better support U.S. veterans with their health care needs, including service-related health problems like mesothelioma.

What VA Hospital Renovations Mean for Veterans with Mesothelioma

U.S. veterans facing mesothelioma or other serious health issues deserve to have the best care possible. With ongoing renovations to a wide range of medical facilities, the VA aims to improve the level of care veterans receive.

Many VA facilities are over 50 years old. The VA's maintenance backlog now sits around $22-23 billion, double what it was a decade ago.

The VA’s $1.2 billion budget will pay for much-needed repairs and upgrades at VA medical centers in 49 states, plus Washington, D.C. and two territories.

Some of the VA medical center upgrades include:

• Boiler plants, elevators, and electrical systems
• HVAC, cooling towers, water pumps, and piping
• Preparations for the VA's new electronic health record system
• Renovated specialty-care spaces and older wings

Veterans with mesothelioma rely on the VA to get free or inexpensive care. With ongoing renovations, VA cancer centers can run more smoothly, allowing staff to more easily care for these proud American heroes.

At the Mesothelioma Veterans Center, we’re proud to support U.S. veterans in accessing the health care they need. Get our Free Veterans Packet to find out about treatments, doctors, and top VA cancer centers.

Breaking Down the $1.2 Billion VA Hospital Budget

The $1.2 billion budget for the VA hospitals is split into three major categories, with most of the money being spent on improving facility infrastructure.

The department is also notably moving to retire VistA, its decades-old records system, and replace it with an electronic platform.

Here’s how the VA is spending its Q3 renovation budget:

• $915 million: Repairing and upgrading outdated infrastructure systems
  $229 million: Preparing facilities for the new electronic health record system
  $11 million: Major building components like elevators, electrical systems, and boiler plants

This budget is part of a larger $4.8 billion fiscal plan to renovate and maintain VA facilities that was put into place at the start of 2026.

VA secretary Doug Collins notes that these improvements will work to increase the overall quality of care that U.S. veterans receive.

Top 10 States for VA Medical Updates

Which VA medical centers, and how many, are receiving updates varies by state. Many states with high populations in general are also home to more facilities that are benefitting from the renovation projects.

The 10 states with the most VA medical center updates are:

1. Florida: 63
2. New York: 56
3. California: 55
4. Pennsylvania: 47
5. Texas: 47
6. Virginia: 42
7. Missouri: 30
8. Illinois: 24
9. Connecticut: 23
10. North Carolina: 22

"We commend VA for prioritizing these investments and urge Congress to continue providing the resources necessary to maintain and modernize the system veterans rely on," said Cole Lyle, a USMC veteran and an American Legion director.

How Do Veterans Benefit from the $1.2 Billion in VA Updates?

More U.S. veterans are relying on the VA health care system to get the treatments they deserve. More than 200,000 new veterans enrolled in VA health care in 2026, and the department has opened 38 new facilities since January 2025.

The ongoing renovations ensure emergency building repairs or failures won’t impact veterans care. This is critical to meet the demand for care.

For U.S. veterans with mesothelioma, the VA considers this cancer to be a 100% disability. Thanks to this, veterans can receive low-cost or free treatments through their VA health care coverage.

The VA already has experienced health care providers on staff that specifically know how to treat mesothelioma in veterans. With the updates to the VA facilities themselves, everyone will have more peace of mind about the level of care being offered.

Looking to access VA health care benefits? Get help filing now from Major Jonathan Nelson (Ret.), our VA-accredited attorney.

VA Electronic Record Updates Face Criticism

One aspect of the VA’s ongoing renovation plan that has been the center of controversy, is the overhaul to the electronic health records system.

The change to an online record system was paused in 2023 due to reliability issues. It’s now back on track — with an accelerated schedule — as part of the 2026 renovation budget.

However, medical professionals interviewed in a Washington Post report from December 2025 heavily criticized the move, claiming that the electronic system was plagued with technical issues that led veterans to suffer real harm, including medication errors, online patient notes disappearing, and treatment delays.

VA officials say reliability has improved sharply, that the system is now meeting its contract uptime targets, and that most recent months have been incident-free.

“The system does now work. Obviously, if they didn’t have the infrastructure ready, we couldn’t go live.”

– VA Deputy Secretary Paul Lawrence

Get Help Accessing Mesothelioma Treatment & Care

At the Mesothelioma Veterans Center, we believe all service members and veterans deserve high-quality medical care, particularly ones with asbestos-related diseases. If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with mesothelioma, we’re ready to offer our support.

We can help you:

• Better understand your diagnosis
• File for or increase your VA benefits
• Find treatment with a top specialist
• Pursue additional compensation

Get a Free Veterans Packet or call (877) 450-8973 to speak with our dedicated team, which includes fellow U.S. veterans, patient advocates, and VA-accredited attorneys.