COLORADO SPRINGS — The Department of Veterans Affairs has unveiled a plan to close several aging or underused medical centers in Southern Colorado.

The proposal calls for the closure of La Junta, Salida, Lamar, Pueblo, and Burlington facilities.
A report from the department of veteran affairs sites low enrollment numbers as the reason behind the move.

With low utilization, deactivating the facilities and relocating care to community providers will allow the small enrollee population to have local, convenient access.

The plan also calls for building a new VA Outpatient Clinic in Colorado Springs to replace the facility in Pueblo. The proposal says, “the infrastructure at the Pueblo CLC is aging and poorly maintained, affecting sustainability of the facility. In addition, the Pueblo CLC has capacity for 40 beds, but only 30 are operational due to persistent staffing challenges.” The report says the lease at the existing Pueblo CLC would be renewed for the short term, and services would be transitioned to the proposed new CLC in Colorado Springs for the long term.

The proposal will be reviewed next by an independent commission, which will provide its input.
Congress must approve the final plan before being enacted.

You can read the whole plan by clicking here.