Minneapolis VA Health Care System upgrades health care infrastructure

Minneapolis VA Health Care Systems today announced it has begun infrastructure upgrades to ensure safe and effective patient care. 

These projects are part of a record $4.8 billion in nationwide VA spending to modernize, repair and improve department health care facilities in fiscal year 2026 via the Veterans Health Administration’s Non-Recurring Maintenance program. 

Minneapolis VA Medical Center improvement projects for the first quarter of fiscal year 2026 are: 

• Replacing steam coils in the HVAC system for the medical center, and one out-building
• Replacing the underground fuel storage cathodic protection for the medical center 

“Improved facilities, equipment and infrastructure mean better care for Veterans, and these funds will enable Minneapolis VA Medical Center to achieve that goal,” said Minneapolis VA Health Care Systems Director Pat Kelly. “Better care for Veterans is our goal, and these projects will enable us to achieve just that.” 

These infrastructure investments are part of a host of important initiatives to improve VA during the second Trump Administration. Since Jan. 20, 2025, VA has: 

• Reduced the backlog of Veterans waiting for VA benefits by 60%.
• Eliminated the backlog of Veteran families waiting for VA health care.
• Processed record numbers of disability claims, reaching an all-time fiscal-year high of three million claims processed Sept. 30.
• Opened 25 new health care clinics, expanding access for Vets around the country.
• Offered Veterans more than 1.9 million appointments outside of normal operating hours. These early-morning, evening, and weekend appointments are giving Veterans more timely and convenient options for care. 

Melanie Nelson, Public Affairs Officer

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